253 - Bison Medicine and the National Pilgrimage Back to Belonging with Brandon Peele

Text Us Your Feedback! (Likes, Dislikes, Guest/Conversation Recommendations). What kind of people does a healthy democracy require?In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Boysen sits down with author, purpose guide, and ManKind Project brother Brandon Peele to explore the deeper questions underneath our current cultural moment: belonging, responsibility, freedom, purpose, and what it means to grow into mature adulthood in a fractured world. Brandon returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, Bison Medicine: The Cure for a Troubled Nation, where he offers a provocative but hopeful vision for healing division—not through outrage or ideology, but through purpose, community, rites of passage, and what he calls a return to “good mind.” Together, Boysen and Brandon unpack: Why America may be suffering from a crisis of initiation  The difference between freedom and mature responsibility  What “all men are created equal” might actually ask of us today  The role of rites of passage, men’s work, and authentic community in healing isolation  The powerful metaphor of eagles and bison—and what each teaches us about power, belonging, and collective life  Indigenous wisdom, democracy, and the forgotten roots of interdependence  How to stay hopeful in a time of outrage and uncertainty  Brandon’s upcoming national pilgrimage across America, visiting historical sites and communities that embody our nation’s struggles, painful history, and hard-earned victories as a people Along the way, Brandon shares why he believes healing begins in local communities, in honest conversations, and in the courageous work of becoming fully human.This episode is ultimately an invitation: What would it mean to become the kind of man who leaves things better than he found them?Key Questions from This Episode:How free are you, really?How happy are you, really?What kind of community is helping shape the man you are becoming?This summer - June and July of 2026 - there is a powerful opportunity to be part of Brandon's Pilgrimage across the US. Learn more: https://www.nationalpilgrimage.us/Learn more about Bison Medicine: https://www.bisonmedicine.com/ Hearing the call? We're here. https://mkpusa.org BetterHelp: Get 10% Off Your First Month Of Therapy The ManKind Podcast has partnered with Betterhelp to make it easier for listeners to access licensed mental health therapists who can aid them in their mental health journey. Brandon and Boysen stand by this service as they use BetterHelp for their therapy needs.#Sponsorship #AdSupport the show