Corpus Veritas

Corpus Veritas is a men's group focused on reinforcing the traditionl masculine traits associated with resilience, capability, and competence.  Men's resilience involves  the integration of one's personal pilosophy, faith, discipline, and competence, in order to overcome adversity and obstacles in life.  Resilience cannot be developped without hardship because it is an outcome of exposure to adversity. Therefore,  the goal is to engage with and overcome  adversity rather than to avoid it.

Resilience is not just about the individual. Resilient people model a way of living that re-sets expectations for engaging with life's challenges for all who come in contact with them.

     I believe we are currently at a point in societal trends where new ideas, with yet unknown problems, are often valued over approaches that have been tested over time. The problems with established ways are already familiar to us, while new approaches can appear problem-free simply because their consequences have not yet become clear. However, when we look more carefully, we may find that abandoning ways of living and being that worked well for generations does not allways represent progress. In some cases, what appears to be progress may actually move society backwards.  

     Uncertainty causes discomfort and our diminished tolerance for discomfort urges us to oversimplify complex situations so we can "solve" them and feel more comfortable. But in our pursuit of problem-free, simple solutions we have become both the witnessess and initiators of the dissolution of many healthy social norms that used to guide and connect us on a larger scale. As we move farther away from the values and principles of our elders who built the world we grew up in, the world we build for our children becomes less connected, less recognizable and less desireable. One specific area of this change is the way we assign an exaggarated value to individualism at the expense of families values, and personal connections. 

      It is my firm belief that family values should not be left behind in our progress, nor should we re-define them in terms of "what is convenient". When these principles are no longer treated as priorities, they become less effective at preparing future generations for becoming capable and resilient adults. The increasing mental and physical fragility among young men today is both the symptom and reinforcement for the current direction toward convoluted and diminishing societal expectations for men. 

     Unclear social expectations invite stagnation and withdrawal for many young men who are trying to find their way, which has become the default rather than the excrption today.  A pattern of continual withdrawal from life's challenges will lead to a world in which men will be unequipped to endure the hardships inherrent in the pursuit of paths leading to value, and instead, men will be encouraged to seek short-term reprieve from the pressures necessary for achievement. Waiting helplessly for someone on the outside to help, waiting until its more convenient, or abandoning the whole direction because its just too hard are the common ways this slippery slope costs men's freedom, fulfillment, and happiness.

     This men's group is an example of the way that this unfortunate direction can be reversed; Men in community, mentoring and being mentored, taking action and focusing on bettering themselves, benefiting their families and by extension the world around them, while modeling a healthy masculenity worth emulating. It is a way that is good for the individual, it benefits society as a whole, and demonstrates a viable  respectable path to the young men trying to find their direction.

The group meets in person once a month and also has a virtual presence available to members.

Meetings are centered around sharing food wisdom, support and guidance. Members are encouraged to serve in the community and to share that experience with the group. Reoccuring topics of discussion include the following;

- Individual development: psychological, emotional, financial, physical, skill development

-Marriage and Family development:  Becoming the leader, difficult situations, servant leadership, healthy conflict, boundaries  standards in relationships, family and marriage expectations 

-Upcoming missions and planning

-Mentoring opportunities