Common Questions about MKP and the NWTA

Over the years, men have asked many questions about the New Warrior Training Adventure^® (NWTA). We have collected some of those questions and added responses to better explain who we are and what we do.

Who comes to the trainings?
My life is working fine,so why should I do this training?
Will this training help me with work, family, and other relationships?
Many men have been betrayed and hurt by other men. Why should I trust that this will be any different?
What happens at the New Warrior Training Adventure?
Can you give me details of what happens on the NWTA?
Will I have any fun?
Who conducts the trainings?
How much does it cost?
What happens after the Weekend training?
What follow-up is available?
Is there anything beyond the initial weekend and Integration Group?
Is this a religious group?
Is this a cult?
How does New Warrior view women and women's work?
Does this work make a real difference?
How do I register?
When should I sign up?

Who comes to the trainings?

A diverse mix of men from all walks of life, of every age from young adult to elder, from many nations including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, South Africa ,Australia, and New Zealand. Corporate executives, house painters, the college-educated and the street-smart come to find a deeper understanding of themselves as men. We welcome men of any age, religion, race or sexual orientation.

During your training, you will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this immensely rich mix of men and feel how this personal initiation into manhood contributes to your development as a man.

My life is working fine,so why should I do this training?

The NWTA opens a window that will allow you to expand your life regardless of where you are right now. Men who take the training come from all walks of life and are succeeding at many levels. Regardless of where you are in life, you should do this training if you are ready to look deeply at your life and begin a journey with other men who will support and challenge you to claim your full potential.

Will this training help me with work, family, and other relationships?

Being more in touch with your gifts, focused on your purpose in life, able to access your deepest feelings, aware of your shadows, working on healing your wounds, and being supported by authentic men should help you in all areas of your life; work as well as family, relationships, and your communities.

Many men have been betrayed and hurt by other men. Why should I trust that this will be any different?

Many men have good reason to distrust and be angry at the men who have broken agreements with them, betrayed them, and sold them out for personal gain. The hard truth is that if we have been wounded by men, most often men will be required to be part of our healing. The NWTA places men in ritual time and space where profound transformation happens. This experience creates a common bond of identity and shared purpose. New Warrior men are not naive--we see men as they are. We do not put them on pedestals nor do we demonize all men. We understand the shadow side of men, have developed effective ways of embracing the shadow, and are discerning about dealing with the destructive aspects of men.

What happens at the New Warrior Training Adventure?

The NWTA is a finely coordinated series of activities: Group discussions, games, guided visualizations, journaling, and individual process work. The entire training is designed to help each man get in touch with the truth about himself -- not his job, not his possessions, not his roles in life -- himself.

Can you give me details of what happens on the NWTA?

We want your experience of the NWTA to be uncluttered by expectations or by the experiences of others who have been through the training before you. It's our intention to give you the opportunity to experience the training moment by moment. For that reason we don't provide a detailed description of the training. If you have specific concerns, feel free to contact the Center's enrollment coordinator.

Will I have any fun?

There are games and light-hearted challenges mixed into the weekend schedule; it's not entirely solemn and serious. The nature of an "adventure" is such that you may look back weeks later and only then realize how much fun you had-or you may smile your way through the entire experience. Keep in mind that each man gets out of the weekend what he puts into it. You'll be there with up to 30 other participants and almost 40 staff. Each man brings his own sense of humor along with all of his other gifts and baggage.

Who conducts the trainings?

Each NWTA is led by a team of leaders who are certified by The ManKind Project after completion of a rigorous training program. In addition a group of highly motivated, experienced volunteer staff will assist you on your journey. These men have all been through the training and have passion for sharing the gifts they received. A key truth of the training program is that you direct your own training through the responses and decisions you make along the way. The staff serve as guides and mentors, but you choose the depth to which you explore the inner terrain of your life.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the NWTA in the Intermountain Area is $650, with a $100 discount if paid in full a month in advance. It is priced to cover expenses. The MKP is a non-profit organization. Payment plans and scholarships are available to those in need. Please contact us to talk about your individual situation and needs. A warrior asks for what he needs. A follow up Integration Training is included in the cost of the weekend which teaches a man the structure and basic skills used within our Integration Groups. This Integration Training typically runs $100-$150 in other communities.

Also in line with our principles of integrity and accountability, the finances of the weekend are an open book for brothers in the community to look at. Just ask the men in the community.

What happens after the Weekend training?

Finishing the NWTA is an accomplishment to be honored. Shortly after your Weekend, the local New Warrior community will celebrate you and the other men who have completed this rite of passage. Wives, partners, children, parents, and friends are invited to share in this festive occasion. This event will also be your invitation to actively join the ManKind Project community around you.

What follow-up is available?

Once the training is complete, we want you to be able to integrate what they've learned into your life. If you live in or near an established New Warrior community you will have the opportunity to participate in an eight-week Integration Training, for which there is an additional charge. This is perhaps the most important aspect of the program, because any learning, no matter how intense, is eventually lost unless it is integrated and made part of daily life. The Integration Training is facilitated by a small team of trained, experienced men from the local community. The participants engage in discussions and exercises designed to further the learning process that began on the NWTA. The resulting Integration Group is a continuing support network of men who meet regularly to work on their leadership and teamwork skills, and to stay in touch with themselves and each other. Many groups continue to meet for years after their creation. Today, thousands of men meet in weekly Integration Groups, as they are called, to learn, to challenge each other, and to grow together.

Is there anything beyond the initial weekend and Integration Group?

In addition to continued participation in their I-Groups, many men go on to staff the New Warrior Training Adventure® and to take advanced trainings. The ManKind Project, which presents the NWTA, offers a series of leadership trainings. In addition the NWTA serves as a gateway to other trainings in leadership development, facilitator training, advanced personal work, and relationship and community development. Most Centers hold regular gatherings and family events.

Is this a religious group?

There are spiritual elements to the New Warrior Training Adventure®, as men are challenged to look into the deeper parts of themselves. But the Mankind Project isn't affiliated with any church or sect, nor do we have any political association. Part of the mission of MKP is to create circles in which all men are welcome and supported, regardless of political or religious beliefs.

Is this a cult?

The nature of a cult is to ask its members to give up their own lives and devote themselves to a single leader or doctrine. The Mankind Project takes the opposite approach, challenging each man to define the life that works best for him, and to live that life fully with the support of a growing network of other men.

How does New Warrior view women and women's work?

We support all work aimed at healing people and the planet. We support women in their work to heal and reclaim the sacred feminine. We support Woman Within, International™, a women's initiation designed and run by women for women. In the NWTA, you will have an opportunity to look at your reliance on women throughout your life, including the positives and negatives of how you relate to women. You will get to look at how both parents shaped your development and how your relationship with your mother when you were young may be impacting your relationships with women today. In many of our Centers New Warriors and Woman Within graduates meet regularly in small groups to explore gender-related issues.

Does this work make a real difference?

Like a stone dropping into a pond, the New Warrior training sends ripples through the lives of men, their families, and their communities. The growth and healing that men experience doesn't stop with them. New Warrior men and Centers are involved in mentoring disaffected youth, working with gangs and incarcerated young men, building shelters for the homeless, creating programs for Vietnam-era veterans, and other causes that cry out for healthy masculine presence.

How do I register?

You can register and pay your deposit online here or visit the website of the Center whose training you plan to attend. Click here for a list of Center websites.

When should I sign up?

The ManKind Project's New Warrior Training Adventure® may be for you. Only you can decide if you are ready. Trainings often fill far in advance, so it is important to book as early as possible.