Warrior Within

In this soul-stirring episode from June 2024, The Fifth Direction's Asher Packman journeys with psychotherapist, writer, and women's initiatory guide Carly Mountain into the depths where myth meets embodiment, and pleasure becomes a path to wisdom. Rooted in the ancient tale of Inanna’s descent, Carly speaks to the sacred art of reclaiming the hidden, the exiled, and the erotic aspects of the self. They explore how the body holds story, how voice unearths truth, and how descent is not a failure but an initiation. With tenderness and fire, Carly shares insights on psychosexual healing, the spiritual potency of breath and movement, and the fierce grace of navigating trauma, desire and transformation. This conversation invites us to reimagine the erotic not as performance or indulgence—but as prayer, presence and power. Carly's seminal work, Descent & Rising: Women's Stories & the Embodiment of the Inanna Myth, serves as a guide for those navigating transformative life experiences, intertwining personal narratives with ancient mythology to illuminate the path of descent and re-emergence. Looking ahead, she is awaiting the publishing of a new book that continues to explore themes of embodiment and psychosexual growth. This upcoming work promises to further expand on the rich tapestry of insights Carly offers in her life, practice and writing. Enter the underworld. Rise through the roots. And remember, pleasure is where soul comes to pray. Find out more about Carly and subscribe to her musings at carlymountain.com. Join The Fifth Direction by visiting thefifthdirection.com.

Cornish traditional oral storyteller 'Campfire Sam' Crosby joined Asher Packman on the Warrior Within podcast for The Fifth Direction in March, 2025. In their wide-ranging conversation, Sam shared his journey into storytelling and the deepening of his work with mythology, elderhood and personal transformation. His path was shaped by personal crisis, nature connection and encounters with mythic traditions, particularly through the influence of Martin Shaw and Danny Deardorff. Raised on Tolkien’s stories but lacking a deeper mythic or spiritual grounding in his youth, Sam initially pursued theatre but struggled with self-consciousness. A profound shift occurred after the birth of his first son, which led him to deepen his connection with nature. This period of transformation introduced him to mythic storytelling, and he now shares stories through Recalling Fire, working in various settings to facilitate reflection and dialogue. Sam and Asher explored the idea that elderhood is not merely a function of age but an intentional process of becoming more authentically oneself. Young people, in turn, have a role in "blessing" elders, fostering mutual empowerment. They discussed the necessity of intergenerational healing, particularly in addressing cycles of emotional repression, and how nature itself serves as an elder, offering wisdom and presence. For Sam, stories provide a means of seeing ourselves more clearly without direct confrontation. He emphasised that myths are not about historical accuracy but rather deeper truths that resonate across time. His work with Arthurian legends continues to reveal personal insights as well as reflections on societal imbalances. Myth creates a shared language that allows for meaningful exchanges across generations. A major turning point in Sam’s life was the birth of his first son, who was born with a disability. This experience challenged his fears and opened his heart in unexpected ways. Learning to balance his role as a father to both his children, he recognised that transformation had always been possible—his son simply provided the opportunity to step into it. Sam’s approach to storytelling emphasises “cross-pollination” between the story and participants’ lived experiences. He is particularly interested in the pauses, the moments where collective meaning-making happens, rather than simply telling stories in a linear fashion. He sees storytelling as an alchemical process, one that allows for deep transformation through shared experience.Sam joins our Story Circle at The Fifth Direction over five weeks beginning Tuesday, March 11, as he carries the sprawling, shapeshifting story of King Arthur, following a loose trail left behind by Mallory: injecting Mabinogion, Geoffrey, Chretien, modern reworks including Mary Stewart, his own experiences in wild Cornwall and a flicker of his own imaginings. Event details at thefifthdirection.com/events/arthur. Find out more about Sam at samuelcrosby.com and on social media as @campfiresam. Join The Fifth Direction by visiting thefifthdirection.com.

East Forest is a multidisciplinary artist, producer and ceremony guide known for his fusion of ambient music, electronic soundscapes and meditative practices. His music is often used in meditation, yoga and psychedelic therapy sessions, where it serves as a tool for inner work, helping listeners access deeper states of consciousness. East Forest joined Asher Packman on the Warrior Within podcast for The Fifth Direction in September 2024 to discuss the imminent release of his new feature-length film Music for Mushrooms, a narrative documentary showcasing the transformative power of psychedelics, music and community. As well as exploring the film itself, they go behind the scenes and dive into the film-making process, East Forest's vision in bringing the project to life, and the vulnerabilities of sharing personal story.He also discusses the accompanying soundtrack which features music recorded during live psilocybin ceremonies, plus the time he spent with Ram Dass, his special collaboration with Peter Broderick and much more. Find out more about the film at musicformushrooms.com or eastforest.org. Visit The Fifth Direction at www.thefifthdirection.com.

Author, storyteller and ecologist Andreas Kornevall joined Asher Packman on the Warrior Within podcast for The Fifth Direction in July, 2024.The two men began by discussing Andreas' childhood in South American and Sweden and his introduction to the mythological world, highlighting the importance of play to sustain and develop the imaginative function.Andreas introduced the concept of apotheosis (the theme of his upcoming book) as the road between the conscious and unconscious -- and the requirement of a spirit/animal guide (or 'fetch') to act as a psychopomp or 'bridge' that can hold your story as you move between these realms.This led to the concept of the 'middle way', the ability to hold the tension of oppositional forces, and the need for reconciliation (in myriad forms) beyond a concretised 'yes' or 'no' paradigm. Andreas noted that "wisdom is often born from the flames of opposition" and remembered a profound meeting he witnessed between the Sami people and Scandinavian governments. He also talked about the beauty and grief in creating a memorial (or life-can) to extinct species as a kind of golden thread that creates an ongoing kinship to all beings.The conversation turned to runic wisdom and the symbolic value embedded in even the Latin alphabet. Andreas spoke of how he is creating a runic 'demblem' to counter the power of the corporate logo.They concluded with discussion around rituals or 'seidr', in particular the ancient High Chair Ritual, and Andreas' continuing search for dragon trails which has taken him around the United Kingdom. The final compelling image was that of dragon as rainbow.You can find related essays to all the above at Andreas' Substack: northernspirithouse.substack.comAndreas joins The Fifth Direction's Story Circle on Tuesday, August 13, offering The Flowering Tree: A Journey into Northern Myth, Ritual, Runes and Cosmology. Event details at: thefifthdirection.com/events/flowering-tree. Find out more about Andreas at www.kornevall.com.Join The Fifth Direction by visiting www.thefifthdirection.com.

In our modern era there are forces that strive to disconnect us from our essential nature. The dominant mainstream paradigm continues to threaten our connection to heart-based and soul-centred consciousness, spiritual gnosis, holistic health and wellness, natural medicines and the wildness of nature. Asher was joined by long-term friend and 'technician of the shamanic healing arts' Caiyuda Kiora, where together they weaved a conversation around this theme.Aligned to sacred practices and earth-honouring wisdoms, Cai's vision is to facilitate a bridge between one world and another; the seen and unseen; ancient and modern; civilised and wild; life and death, riding those edges to better walk a path forward.Asher and Cai discussed the importance of understanding the convergence of spirituality, mysticism, shamanism, animism, and nature connection skills and the shortcomings of modern ideas regarding 'nature connection' and the antidote known as 'nature awareness skills'.They spoke about the importance of nature-based initiatory experiences and the difference between that and a rite of passage, touching on discipline and ritual.Cai masterfully called in the story of The Little Prince and the Fox, highlighting it's teaching around courting our wildness.Cai has an upcoming edition of his shamanic wilderness expeditions, The Pilgrimage, in the Byron Bay hinterland (on Bundjalung country) from July 18-21, 2024. Find out more at www.caiyudakiora.com.Join The Fifth Direction by visiting www.thefifthdirection.com.

Aussie music icon John Butler joined Asher in conversation for Meditation Australia in the days leading up to the launch of his new ambient album, Running River.John had recently given a live performance from his home of three tracks in celebration of World Meditation Day (May 21).Their discussion dives deep into John's personal process, disciplines and inspiration as he put together the new album, which represents the hearth fire generated from a spark which ignited inside him over a decade ago.Running River is available from Friday, May 24, 2024. You can find it at: johnbutlertrio.com/discography/running-2024/You can find John's live World Meditation day performance at: youtu.be/_Lys-23S_sEJoin The Fifth Direction by visiting www.thefifthdirection.com

Red K. Elders lives by a meadow valley near the wild salt marsh of the Norfolk coast in England. She is an artist, currently bringing forth a body of highly detailed pencil drawings of ancient gods and mythic beings.Red also has extensive experience as a bodyworker and group movement facilitator, combining deep somatic movement and trance work with ancient sorcerous technologies, such as those found in the 2000-year-old Greek Magical Papyri. After Asher became captivated by the depth Red conveyed in in her drawings, he invited her to join him in a discussion for The Fifth Direction community. The conversation took place on Friday, March 29, 2024, and ranged from the arc of her life’s journey as an artist and the importance of ritual, to the deep symbolism of hands – both as a tool in her own drawing and bodywork to the intricacy and beauty in the hands of her muses. Red gave particular reference to her drawing of the goddess Circe.Join The Fifth Direction by visiting www.thefifthdirection.com.You can find Red K. Elders at www.redkelders.com

Jay Leeming is a performance storyteller adept at bringing ancient myths and stories alive through the power of the spoken word. A regular performer in theatres, schools, libraries and National Parks, he is the creator of the Crane Bag Storytelling Podcast, the author of three books of poetry and the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the arts. His longtime mentor, the late Robert Bly, called him "one of the most original poetic voices of his generation." Jay's latest poetry collection is titled "To a God of Dribble Glasses and Loneliness". Asher Packman was first introduced to Jay in 2021 when the Minnesota Men's Conference was held online due to the pandemic. From there, they inhabited many virtual spaces together, but this marks their first in-depth conversation together. Among many things, they discussed Jay's early life, the interweaving of music, poetry and storytelling and the influence of Robert Bly in life and death. From The Poetry Foundation: Born in Ithaca, New York, Jay Leeming is the author of Dynamite on a China Plate (Backwaters Press, 2006) and Miracle Atlas (Writers and Books, 2011). He earned a BA in music from Bates College and an MFA from the New School. Leeming’s work is characterised by what Robert Bly has praised as his “surprising angle of vision,” and is informed as well by his years spent as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His poems are also wide-ranging, able to embrace both darkness and humor and, in the words of Li-Young Lee, to move “effortlessly between the rational and irrational, the conscious and unconscious, accounting for the multiplicity of human desire and imagination.” Leeming has taught poetry workshops throughout the United States and abroad, and has received a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2010 he was Summer Poet in Residence at the University of Mississippi, and from 2010 to 2013 he was editor of the journal Rowboat: Poetry in Translation. He spends his summers working as a ranger-naturalist in Yosemite National Park and otherwise makes his home in Ithaca, New York. Jay Leeming is at www.jayleeming.com.

Award-winning filmmaker, Haydn Reiss, to discuss his life and work, including his 2015 film 'Robert Bly: A Thousand Years of Joy'. which charts poet Bly’s path from farmer’s son on a wintry Minnesota farm to a legend of contemporary poetry, anti–Vietnam War activist, author of Iron John and leader of the 1990s mythopoetic men’s movement. Filmed over four years in five states and two countries, the film features Louise Erdrich, Donald Hall, Garrison Keillor, Philip Levine, Martin Sheen, Tracy K. Smith, and other luminaries. Other related films of note include Robert Bly and William Stafford: A Literary Friendship (1994), Rumi: Poet of the Heart (1998), Every War Has Two Losers (2009) and Walt Whitman: Citizen Poet (2019). Asher first connected with Haydn in late 2021, shortly after Bly's death when he was asked to pen an essay on the relationship between Bly and Stafford for The Friends of William Stafford Foundation. You can find the essay at https://rb.gy/bo0fh. In this conversation they discuss Haydn’s youth and the road that led him first to film and then to a life-changing doorway into poetry and the mythopoetic men's movement via a weekend in the woods with Bly, post-Jungian James Hillman and mythologist Michael Meade. Thankfully, what flowed from that experience resulted in the films we have today, which both archive the times and capture the soul-essence of truly great men such as Bly, William Stafford, Rumi and Walt Whitman, alongside the prodigious literary gifts they bestowed upon us. You can watch trailers, rent or buy all of these films at vimeo.com/showcase/onpoetry.

“Drum sound rises on the air, its throb, my heart. A voice inside the beat says, 'I know you're tired, but come. This is the way.'" – Rumi INXS founder and iconic Australian drummer, Jon Farriss, joined Asher Packman in conversation Farriss discusses his early life and hearing the call of the world, drumming and the nature of time, his escape from the city, the trappings of fame, fatherhood and more. NOTE: Given some technical difficulties due to connection issues, this conversation was clipped from its full length.

Poet Thomas R. Smith joined The Fifth Direction in conversation with Asher Packman. Thomas R. Smith is an American poet, essayist, teacher and editor, once described by his great friend and mentor, the late Robert Bly, as "a high-spirited poetry horse riding over the hills of emotion." "He tells stories well, and can set a scene like a Medieval painter," Bly said. Often compared to Bly, and counterparts William Stafford and Louis Jenkins, in terms of his ability to reflect upon the natural beauty of the American Midwest, the inner life of the mystic, and our current geopolitical situation, Smith has now compiled a large and noteworthy bibliography, including two books published last year, 'Medicine Year' and 'Poetry on the Side of Nature'. In this conversation, Smith discusses his early life on the road to poetry, his relationship with Bly (they met in 1969 and he became Bly's personal secretary in 1990 at the time of Iron John's publication), mythopoetic men's work, and his recent experiences and influences. He recites some poems, old and new — 'Trust' from 'Waking Before Dawn' (2007) and 'You Don't Know What Love Is' from 'Medicine Year' — and provides a colourful background to a life dedicated to love and nature through the gift of poetry. Find Thomas R. Smith at thomasrsmithpoet.com.

As Marion Woodman says, “ Whether it is in poetry, music, art, architecture, or the garden whatever your form: the images you eat are as important as the food that you eat.” Chaise Levy joined The Fifth Direction in conversation with Asher Packman. Among much else, Chaise is a teacher, a storyteller and a reader of runes. He is profoundly committed to the power of image, story, and magic as great gifts for the griefs of our time, and to nourishing the wonder of children, and the child within us all. Chaise is a graduate of the Weaving Earth Center for Relational Education’s Adult Immersion program and The West Country School of Myth’s summer school with Dr. Martin Shaw. Most recently, he has been studying myths and magical traditions, with storyteller, writer, and Blot Godi, Andreas Kornevall.

Simon Yugler joined Asher Packman to discuss their perspectives on psychedelic integration, looked at through a mythopoetic lens. Simon is a renowned depth medicine psychotherapist informed by years of academic research and hands-on experience. Employing his “Mythopoetic Integration” method, based on depth psychology, Simon calls on the wisdom of Carl Jung, James Hillman, Michael Meade and many others, offering a coherent framework for understanding for this multi-layered, intertwined and never-ending path. In this conversation, Simon and Asher explore the archetypal elements of the psychedelic integration process and uncover where integration, myth, and the collective unconscious overlap.

Dr Edward Tick is a depth psychologist, author and poet, with many decades of experience in the ancient Greek wisdom traditions of healing and philosophy. In this conversation with Asher Packman, Ed discusses the ancient healing arts of Asklepios and how he came to learn and practice them, which includes his own very personal experiences of dream incubation. He reveals 'war' as an archetype and how this understanding led to his offer of pilgrimages to Greece and Vietnam as a guide for those seeking holistic healing beyond the limits of what modern medicine and psychology can offer. Asher and Ed discuss his latest book, Soul Medicine: Healing Through Dream Incubation, Visions, Oracles and Pilgrimage, which contains Asher’s own journey with blood cancer, looked at from a bio-mythic perspective. In Soul Medicine, Ed delves deeply into the philosophical, mythological and cultural origins of modern medicine and psychology in an attempt to recover their archetypal roots. Drawing on both ancient wisdom and modern depth psychology as well as stories of healings from his more than 25 years of experience, Soul Medicine offers a vision of how we can all use ancient healing philosophies and practices to achieve holistic healing today. Purchase Soul Medicine at: amzn.to/3Zs0AZD www.edwardtick.com

Brian James joined The Fifth Direction in conversation with Asher Packman. In a wide-ranging discussion, they touch on the importance of soul-tending, archetypal psychology (with a particular focus on The Magician), the arc of the men's movement since the early days of Robert Bly, and the potential of the Wild Man serving as a guiding archetype for men in middle age. Brian James is a transformational coach, yoga teacher, and integration counselor living on Vancouver Island, Canada (T'soo-ke First Nation Territory). He has been exploring the intersection of yoga, shamanism and depth psychology for over twenty years. Brian is the host of the Medicine Path Podcast and author of Yoga & Plant Medicine: Integrating Yoga & Psychedelics for your Healing, Growth & Transformation (available on Amazon worldwide). patreon.com/medicinepath, brianjames.ca, medicinepathpodcast.com

Dr Stacey Shelby joined Asher Packman in a wide-ranging discussion looking at the underlying benefits of depth counselling and distilling the lessons from the Greek myth of Psyche & Eros around complexes and romantic love. Dr Shelby is an author, speaker, educator, and depth psychotherapist. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in BC, Canada, a certified clinical dream tender, and has studied in folk medicines and yoga traditions. She is adjunct faculty teaching the psychology of romantic love at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California, and holds a masters and Ph.D. in Depth Psychology with a specialisation in Jungian and Archetypal Studies. Dr Shelby is gifted at working with the symbolic language of the soul and is dedicated to honouring the soul as it presents in the lived experience of daily life. She is the author of two depth psychology books, 'Tracking the Wild Woman Archetype: A Guide to Becoming a Whole In-Divisible Woman' and 'Love and Soul-Making: Searching the Depths of Romantic Love'. Dr Shelby offered a short reading from her books and an embodied practice. From Dr Shelby: "Wild Woman was closely connected to the goddess Artemis, while Love and Soul-Making’s patron is Aphrodite. Presently in my life, the pull to the ocean is strong, which means leaving the Artemesian forest. These myths show up both in lived experience and psychologically."

Sophie Strand joined Asher Packman in a lively and open-hearted discussion, where they meander through mythical ecology, including a foray into the epic tale of Tristan and Isolde. They dance with Sophie's suggestion that the troubled lovers were one single organism. Sophie is a writer who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling and ecology, but it would probably be more authentic to call her a neo-troubadour animist with a propensity to spin yarns that inevitably turn into love stories. She believes strongly that all thinking happens interstitially – between beings, ideas, differences, mythical gradients. Her first book of essays, The Flowering Wand, arrived in 2022, while her eco-feminist historical fiction reimagining of the gospels The Madonna Secret will be published soon. Her books of poetry include Love Song to a Blue God, Those Other Flowers to Come and The Approach. She is currently researching her next epic, a mythopoetic exploration of ecology and queerness in the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde.

Asher Packman chats with Tyson Yunkaporta, author of Sand Talk, about a range of topics related to modern manhood.

Asher Packman chats with Mindset and Purpose Coach Ben Bidwell - The Naked Professor - about a range of topics related to modern manhood.

Asher Packman chats with Stefanos Sifandos about a range of topics related to modern manhood. Stefanos is a world-renowned relationship specialist, mentor, and masculine and feminine educator. He is immersed in deep men’s empowerment work and the exploration of intimate and sacred relationships.

Asher Packman chats with Ian MacKenzie about a range of topics related to modern masculinity. Ian is a new paradigm writer and filmmaker, exploring the intersection of eros, emergence, and village. He hosts the podcast The Mythic Masculine.

Asher Packman chats with James Greenshields about a range of topics related to modern manhood. James' experience with Post Traumatic Stress, after serving in Iraq, set him on a path to learn all he could about healing. As a founder of Resilient Leaders Foundation, James is intensely passionate about assisting others to reach their highest potential.

Asher Packman chats with Traver Boehm about Man UnCivilized, our response to the current bushfires in Australia, and a range of other topics related to modern manhood. Traver founded the Man Uncivilized Movement with the mission to transform how a million men view and express their masculinity. Traver is an ex MMA fighter, a TEDx speaker and published author.

The Fifth Direction's Nathan Meola chats with founder Asher Packman about a range of topics surrounding modern manhood. After decades as a senior corporate executive, Asher is now a renowned storyteller and depth mentor, helping people from all walks of life connect with their inner story and maximise their purpose and performance. He is a formerly the longest-serving president of Meditation Australia and remains on the Executive Council.