Peter McLean grew up during the time of a great and powerful spell. The spell had him believing he was separate from nature, that he was sinful at birth, and that the path towards happiness and wholeness required a lot of accumulating, purchasing and consuming.
Of Earth and Soul is his war cry, his grief song, his orgasmic moan, his belly busting laugh, his game of tag with the divine, his quiet sip of the sunrise.
Of Earth and Soul is his antidote, his charm of spell reversal. To come back under the enchantment of the earth, her power, wisdom, intelligence and all the beauty waiting to be brought forth in feeling the truth of a deep belonging in, and among, all that is wild and free.
Pete comes to this work wholeheartedly, honestly, and circuitously.
For many years, a farmer, a facilitator, a coach, a part-time carpenter, a full-time community member, a man, a being questing after his soul.
And that soul, that insistent, persistent, resistant, wild-wailing-infant of a soul, has brought him into the forest. Into the marsh. Into the river. Into the cave. Into the sunrise and set. The new and full moons. Into circle. Calling in circles. Calling in gatherings. Calling in collective focus and intention. Calling in others who also hear the song of their soul and are risking listening. For what the soul asks, or demands, or commands of them.
Pete McLean’s formal training has followed three main paths: indigeneity, soul work, and shadow work.
His indigenous training has been through Therese Jornlin, Neill Bovaird, Darryl Slim, and Malidoma Some and have taught him that nature is our first teacher, first mother, first place to go and is longing for our return.
His soul work training has come through Judy Hall and has taught him that our souls are powerful and our relationship to them can be cultivated through dreams, nature, and the liminal.
His shadow work training has come through his 10 years in participation and leadership within Men’s Work organizations like Mankind Project, Jericho Circle, and Young Men Awake.
Pete McLean was doing carpentry work when a scaffolding collapsed and he fell 14 feet onto rocks, breaking several bones in his lower body, and he hit the ground running. Sometimes the falls come for us, and sometimes we choo...
