Upcoming Vision Quest

Harpers Ferry, WV (July 22 - August 1)

I did my MROP in 2009 in Frost Valley, at age 38, as I stood at edge of Fatherhood.   My wife was 6 months pregnant with our first child, who we already knew was a boy.  My desire to go through the rites was driven by my desire to make sure that I was ready to be a Dad - to no longer think as a boy…but rather to live as a man.

Fast forward 11 years later - In fall of 2020, at age 49 and at the heart of my classic  “midlife” stage - with 3 kids, a marriage of 14 years, and a career at the same company for 22 years, I woke up one day and felt a strong call to build upon the wisdom of my rites and start navigating into my second half of life.  I picked up Richard’s Falling Upward and started tearing through it, which immediately led me to Bill Plotkin’s Nature and the Human Soul and his 8 stage Soul-Centric Development wheel.

At the time I couldn’t see that I was beginning to fall into the descent of stage 4.  Over time, I felt the pull more and more…and hungered for another soul-encounter experience that might lead to me to my “place in the world” as Plotkin calls it.  

But a 2 week Vision Quest experience that included  a 4 day fast?  Was that the answer?  That was taking the MROP experience to a whole other level.  And Animas Valley was so far.  And expensive. There had to be another option.

Then I discovered Bryan Bieniek and his organization, Sourcing the Fire.  10 days long, but still with a 4 day fast.  And right here in WV, 90 minutes from my house.  And he studied under the same teachers as Plotkin did at the School of Lost Borders.  This was the universe’s way of telling me that it is time.  

And while the Pandemic had put these fasts on hold for a couple of years, he said he would do it.  But only if I could find at least one more person.  Another person who was feeling the pull to go deeper.  To descend.  To find their vision.  

I told him I really want to go.  I told what I really want out of this. He said “Everyone who goes gets what they need.  And some people…even get what they want”

Who else will join me, Brothers?  Which of you want what you need?

July 22 - August 1.  
Harpers Ferry, WV
https://bbieniek.wixsite.com/sourcingthefire

Chris Zinner 
chris_zinner@yahoo.com
415-225-8104

Brian Bieniek 
Bbieniek@mica.edu
443-613-4470