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I believe that many men become emotionally stunted around the ages of 9-12, limiting their experience of the full spectrum of emotions. This is particularly evident among many current business and political leaders.

I co-authored Taming Your Dragons: Making Peace With Your Emotions with Sue-Anne MacGregor. We discovered how to change the resonance of emotions and belief patterns utilizing popular movies as the medium. It was strenuous and difficult work and at times it got very emotional.

As a man, I have come to understand that anger is often the only emotion that is expressed by our fathers, uncles, and grandfathers, and it is respected in the workplace. This pattern has been passed down for generations and has become deeply ingrained.

When writing the book, I began to experience emotions more deeply than ever before, which was unsettling. I asked Sue-Anne: “Do women feel this deeply? She replied, “Sorry mate, but that’s what it’s like”. It takes a strong man to be willing to open up and feel deeply, especially since we have been trained not to show vulnerability or emotion.

Yes, I agree we’re in a renaissance of consciousness and it will be essential for men to balance their masculine and feminine aspects. When men see how strategic it is to have the full spectrum of emotion working as a highly sophisticated guidance system, then well see progress.

Thank you for your thoughtful post.

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Thanks so much for reading David, and for your thoughtful comment too.

And yes, I like the term of "a renaissance of consciousness" for this point in history, and I believe it is essential for both women *and* men to balance masculine and feminine energies. Perhaps the key is that first we simply need awareness of what we're thinking and feeling, and to not be identified with the thoughts or the emotions, and to understand that each and every feeling is okay and will pass.

May we allow all emotions to arise, to hold a space for every single one, and to know every single emotion will also pass✨🌟💖🙏🕊️

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Thanks so much for shining a light on such a taboo subject especially for women. I loved learning about your rather unorthodox mum and her gutsy approach for bringing up her daughters. You were so lucky to have been given a handle on anger so young. I also love that you highlighted Tara Brack's work. Her RAIN model is a powerful tool and resource for EVERYONE and i too highly recommend it. it is for sure a hard truth that "when challenging circumstances arise, women talk and men go to war.” Here's to this current climate highlighting how men maybe need to talk more and war less, so we can all benefit from the healing it would unleash on the world. Great work Dearest Camilla 💜Thank you 🙏

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I'm so grateful to have such an incredibly supportive friend! Thank YOU Gillian for your lovely feedback, and for your courage to share your beautiful writing in the world! ✨🌟💖🙏🕊️😘 And yes, it's only after I'd begun writing creative non-fiction and sharing personal essays with others that I got a handle on exactly how radical my mother was in the way she brought up her 4 daughters!

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