Illuman SoCal Happenings 2022-2023
Our Illuman SoCal chapter of Illuman provided five in-person regional gatherings since June 2022. As we emerged from the difficult months of the pandemic, on June 19, 2022 the Los Angeles region enacted the misadventures of Jonah at our traditional spot under the great oak tree on the lawn at Mineral Springs picnic area in Griffith Park. ( The story of Jonah is one of the central inspirations for our Illuman mission.) A big blue tarp doubled as the Sea and as the Big Fish. A plastic children's pool was the boat to Nineveh, and Ernie Elliott as Jonah and Jose Luis Gutierrez as the king of Nineveh lead a boisterous cast of players. About two dozen men listened to some teaching from Matt Hardin and held council on how we tend to try to evade the God who calls us, and how he sometimes protects us in spite of that.
On September 24, 2022 Phil Darby, Richard Bonacci, and Ernie Elliott, representing the San Diego region, organized a day at Mission San Luis Rey called “A Deeper Vision from an Ancient text”. Some men took the trip from LA to be there and we met several new men. We enjoyed the atmosphere of the old mission. The ancient text was what we call the Lord's Prayer, but hearing it in the sounds and implications of Jesus' native language, Aramaic. The council prompts led us to reflect on the nature of prayer itself and its role in our lives. Phil and Richard gave presentations. Travis Murphy the new Co-convener, lent his calm stature to the role of emcee for the day.
On January 21, 2023, Jeff Thomas, assisted by Jeff Lenskes and a number of friends, including a very gifted singing bowl facilitator, again representing the San Diego region, offered “A Day of Embodiment and Sound Bath: A Source of Deeper Knowing”. The United Methodist Church on Mansfield St. in San Diego was gracious enough to allow us the use of their community hall free of charge. The skillful hands playing the singing bowls allowed us to experience “sound bath” engaging the healing and restorative powers inherent in our mind/body/spirit. The day included breath work, meditation, council, and fellowship in small group lunches a local restaurants. Many thanks to Jeff T. for the generous offering of his talents.
On Saturday, February 8, 2023, Sergio Lopez. Juan Macias, and Rene Huerta, representing the Central Coast Region, facilitated a day on “Healing From Life's Earthquakes”. We gathered at Padre Serra Parish Field in Camarillo. The brothers led exercises connecting us with the healing powers of silence, of rhythm, and of nature, which we reflected on in council.
On October 18, 2023, brothers of the Los Angeles Region, led by Mark Infusino and Quentin Dunne, inspired by the the book Thinking Indigenous by Douglas Goodfeather, and by the example and hospitality of our local Gabrielino-Tongva people called the brothers to gather at Gabrielino-Tongva Springs in west Los Angeles. In this amazing space we embodied the theme “Living from the Heart” in a distinctively indigenous way, using the water from the Springs to release grief in a rite taught by Lakota Elder Goodfeather. Greeting the spirits of the Seven Directions while gathered around the Tongva's Medicine Circle garden was an especially prayerful moment.
All this was in addition to ongoing council work, and to our biggest effort, the Men's Rites of Passage at Camp de Benneville Pines June 14-18, 2023, where brothers from California, from across the country, and from Mexico, Peru and Brazil showed us such great trust and courage, opening themselves to grace for the second half of life.