I was afraid to be a man.

In 1997, I attended ManKind Project’s New Warrior Training Adventure in Texas. That was the start of my personal growth.

At age 27, I still thought of myself as a boy. I did not want to grow up. I didn’t want the responsibility. Or the conflict.

I had seen adults in my life always unhappy in various ways, especially in relationships.

I realized I needed a community where I could feel heard.

Since then, 2 things have happened:

#1:
I moved to Japan and subsequently started a peer counseling group for men who share about their struggles.

While attending the group, I have seen men move from…

🔻 Being unable to leave the house →🟢 Feeling in control of life, working full time, and proud to be able to take care of his family again.

🔻 Unable to cope in the darkness of depression →🟢 Functioning on their highest level
🔻 Shame-induced suicidal ideations → 🟢 Living courageously again.
But I didn’t expect this…

#2:
Women have started to ask if there’s a group they can join.

People began asking me, “Rob, I want to do it, but my partner isn’t interested.”

“How do I get them to understand? … to really hear me?”

I didn’t have a good answer or easily accessible resources for that.

But now I’m putting together a training on exactly that. Soon I’ll be doing a mini workshop

“How to have one clear and safe conversation to feel heard & get what you need. Without drama.”

All the details are coming next week!

Email me, call me, find me if you think you’d like to attend.

I burst into tears while listening to Frederick narrate the forward of his new book Rites of Passage: Everyday Rituals of Healing And Transformation.

The passage was in the Foreword:

... if I share some of what I know, and do it in a good way, recognizing my teachers,
calling out their names as I stand wobbly on their shoulders to sing to the horizon
they have opened for me, I will fulfill some of what my own life has called me to do.
Maybe it is incumbent on me. These are the things I have to teach.

His words spoke to a deeply known, carefully hidden part of myself, a part of me who feels afraid to teach what I know!

Here is one thing I know. Humans are part of the natural world. Computers and email are in a different layer, removed from the natural world by the concrete jungle.

When was the last time you physically contacted the earth? Today? This week? This month?

If you are in the concrete jungle called Tokyo, join me to physically connect with the natural world this coming Saturday for a walking meditation in Ikuta Ryokuchi Park. (500 yen)

While writing this email, I went out into the rain to Lin’s garden plot. It’s summer but I felt comfortably cool, protected from the sun by clouds. The earth felt soft and welcomed my footprints. Grasshoppers, however, jumped away as I approached. I could feel rain drops on my back as I cut grass (with hedge shears). Picking up handfuls of cut grass, I felt smaller pieces adhere to my skin via rain…

With all my heart, I encourage you to go out and connect with the natural world. Take your shoes off and feel the grass as best you can. If there’s no grass, be creative! Hug a tree; caress leaves; smell flowers.

If you actually do it, please write me back to let me know how it went. With your permission, the best replies will appear in my future Tinyletter emails.

blessings always
- Rob

Morita and I joined Hiro at the top of our local hill for walking meditation today.

Morita said he is a rain man, and sure enough, the rain started about 20 minutes after the event started.

To my delight, we all played in the rain!

Join us next month in Ikuta Ryokuji Park near Mukogaokayuen Station.

Great fun today in Manpukuji Park for our walking meditation.
Y’all shoulda been there because we found wonderfully cool water and fun squishy mud.. and forgot to take pics!

All cleaned up with a faucet afterward and Lin remembered to take a picture.

Join us next month in Ikuta Ryokuji Park near Mukogaokayuen Station.

Wow I just found pics from about 1999 when Astros Field was under construction.

Funny how small the pictures are compared to a “full res” picture today. At least they are in color!!

HI Wende!

Do you want to just get something out of your system? Talk with an empathetic human? Just vent?

Reach out to me.

I offer my direct attention via Zoom/Skype/Telegram/phone for up to an hour, you write a public testimonial (or pay 10,000 yen if that is simpler for you).

All confidential, and I am not a counselor so I have no reporting requirements.

Message me to arrange a time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFi7GYeyBEM

Part 3 available here!

Barefoot across Japan: “Barefoot” Rob Nugen walking across Japan for suicide prevention Barefoot Rob Nugen, known among Japanese TV audiences for going almost constantly barefoot, is to walk, mostly without shoes, from Yokohama to Niigata. In addition to the personal challenge, Rob also aims to raise funds for suicide prevention in Japan.

The walk starts at Rinko Park on April 16 and will end in Niigata’s Aoyama Seaside Park on May 8. Rob plans to walk about 15-20km per day. On the first day, before setting off, Rob will lead a guided walking meditation. His progress can be followed on his website at https://www.robnugen.com/. Anyone is welcome to join him for a leg or two of the journey, but will need to take care of their own transport and accommodation.

Rob has set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the journey.

English: https://gogetfunding.com/barefoot-pilgrimage-across-japan-raising-funds-for-suicide-prevention/
日本語: https://gogetfunding.com/barefoot-pilgrimage-across-japan-raising-funds-for-suicide-prevention/?lang=ja

All additional funds will go to TELL Lifeline (https://telljp.com/.) This telephone & chat support service provides free English counselling to people in Japan.

The idea for the walk is not a new one. “I have been adding different important components of my life together, and they have woven together into this walk”, Rob says. These components include his walking meditation events, and his and his work as founder and member of various support groups in Japan.

Rob sees a strong connection between the meditative effects of barefoot walking and wellbeing. “Walking helps me be in touch with my body, gets me moving, connects me to Earth, (and) connects me to myself. All of these are ways to reduce stress, and do self-care.”

Indeed, self-care is an important part of preventing suicide. (https://www.thekimfoundation.org/blog/importance-of-self-care/)

“Coming to the present moment is one of the key ways of noticing what’s here now. And that’s a key way to help go through the feelings, get beyond the feeling of wanting the pain to end”.

So will he really be walking barefoot? Here, Rob is realistic: “I will start walking barefoot across Japan… But when I encounter snow in the mountains, I’m going to put on boots. I’ll be Barefoot Rob wearing boots, walking through snow to continue the journey.”

For further information, visit his website at https://www.robnugen.com/
Rob can also be reached at press@robnugen.com
Donate: https://gogetfunding.com/barefoot-pilgrimage-across-japan-raising-funds-for-suicide-prevention/?lang=ja

https://youtu.be/gorTSG-8zRc

Now you can watch Part 2.

Thank you for exploring this topic. And feeling the energy and recognizing this very deep seated desire for peace of mind.

Breathe into this concept of peace of mind, which may feel like just an idea or some kind of faraway state.

Just allow it to be anywhere it is. No need to change.

Simply being in the moment, recognizing the reflections we see in the world, are reflections from inside of us.

So, step stepping into this peace of mind can allow our reactions to the world to also have peace.

Simply notice the reaction. Notice what it’s trying to gain.

And recognize it’s also seeking this peace of mind.

Notice how both our desires and reactions may be pointing toward peace of mind.

Feeling the peace in your body, allow your mind to relax and sink down into your body.

Fully experiencing the body and its peace.

As your body sinks into the peace, allow it to become peace of mind.

Notice here noticing your breaths, we’ll begin to come back into our shared space.

Allowing the peace in your body to bring peace of mind.

Remembering you can access this anytime you like

Expressing gratitude for your body. Gratitude for your breath and gratitude for the peace. Allow yourself to come back into our shared space.

My pleasure thank you.