Sunday, December 31, 2006

What did you learn in 2006 what are you committed to creating in 2007?

What did you learn in 2006 what are you committed to creating in 2007?
What have you gained out of The Men's Inquiry or 'Men's Work' in general?
What is the value you gained from healthy male friends?
What did you learn in 2006 and what are you going to take on in 2007?
How could you let people support you in your 2007 goals?
Either post a reply to this note or email me with the subject line. If you have a web site related to your goals post it!

Also, I just want to share a photo that I took in Washington DC while going down town to see the Christmas decorations (http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinbrossman/335780124/) :


The flag is at half staff for Former Presidents Gerald Ford death and I remember how Jimmy Carter stated that he and Ford had become the best of friends. I realize that 2006 marks Jimmy Carter loosing a dear male friend that he had the courage to talk about. That is a part of life as well.

I want to thank you all for the contribution you have made in my life and tell you how YOU inspire me! To all you men out their that have learned what emotional courage is thank you for living it!
Also, thanks to all that contributed by buying products and service to support The Men's & Women's Inquiry. Your effort was greatly appreciated!
Be well!
Martin Brossman
From the Men's Inquiry Blog: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Martin Brossman nominated for Ron Hering Awards


Today November 30th 2006, Martin Brossman nominated for the Ron Hering Awards for the Greater Carolina's ( including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina ):

Ron Hering Mission of Service Awards Protocol :

History:
In 1999, MKP began recognizing men and teams of men (i.e. I-group) who were actively demonstrating living a life in mission. Specifically this mission was in service to the world – NOT to MKP. The award was named after the late Ron Hering, one of the three founders of the MKP. Typically these awards were announced and presented at the mid-year conference.

The nomination document:

From: Greater Carolina Center of MKPI
Re: Nominee for 2006 Hering Mission of Service Award
Date: November 30, 2006

1. Nominee = Martin W. Brossman

2. Greater Carolina's Center

3. Martin@CoachingSupport.com Martin W. Brossman
6260-100 Glenwood Ave., Suite 251
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612 NC USA

4. Martin Brossman has selflessly served the men’s movement for over ten years in numerous ways. In addition to his active involvement in MKPI and his I-Group, Martin served on the Leadership Council of the Triangle Men’s Center at a critical time in its history and contributed to the survival and continued existence of this resource for local men. In addition, he is the founder and continuing convener of The Men’s Inquiry, an open monthly dialogue for men committed to deep, authentic exploration of masculine identity and men’s issues. He has opened the Inquiry not only to local men, but to men nationally through his use of the phone bridge and an Internet website, toinquire.com. The on-line Men’s Inquiry includes men from around the world exploring monthly issues about our lives. Martin’s articles on men’s issues have been published in several on-line men’s journals. He was a key player in the creation of the first community-wide forum on father issues with over 400 participants. His commitment to appreciating diversity has led him to seek alliances with different groups, including assisting churches in developing their men’s work. In this vein, Martin assisted an African-American North Carolina man to create a black Christian men’s group based on his Men’s Inquiry principles. Martin has volunteered to speak to numerous groups on The ManKind Project and men’s work, including a presentation for women’s groups called “What’s New About Men That Women Want to Know,” where he shares his own experience of the value of men’s work. Martin created an active blog called “Single Mothers Raising Sons” to support the involvement of men in our community in the raising of boys who are living with single mothers. Five years ago Martin also created a complementary once-a-month Women’s Inquiry in his home. As a result of the success of the Men’s Inquiry and to extend its impact into the world, Martin has also compiled an extensive collection of male voices on critical issues of concern to men soon to be published in both CD and print formats, entitled Finding Our Fire: Enhancing Men’s Connection to Heart, Passion & Strength, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the Triangle Men’s Center and referencing MKP as a resource for men.

5. I hereby grant my permission to have this information made public at the awards ceremony. –Martin W. Brossman

6. (Photo attached)

7. BIO: Martin Brossman is an accomplished Success coach, author and trainer, and a Certified Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. He is a graduate of St. Andrews College and has over eighteen years of professional experience including seven years with IBM Customer Service and the creation of two successful small businesses. He is the author of Finding Our Fire: Enhancing Men’s Connection to Heart, Passion & Strength.

8. Mission Statement:

My mission is supporting people in living lives they love--lives so filled with meaning and fulfillment that on their death bed they are are moved to tears by the beautiful life they lived. My life is committed to contributing to a world that works for all us.

9. Yes, our community is joyfully sponsoring Martin to come to Glen Ivy to accept his award in person in February.

"It is a big honor for me to receive this and I want to thank all of the men and women that have supported this with their courage" Martin Brossman

Saturday, September 23, 2006

MENSIGHT Magazine features "Finding Our Fire" in September 2006!



MENSIGHT Magazine features "Finding Our Fire" in September 2006! The Magazine affiliated with the largest men's resource center in the world ( http://www.themenscenter.com/ ) features "Finding Our Fire" in September 2006 .

http://mensightmagazine.com/"

MENSIGHT: The Journal of Conscious Masculinity " is a on-line Magazine of TheMensCenter.com "A Service of the Men's Resource Network, Inc Now with over 500 Pages of male positive content" Check it out!

The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Finding Our Fire--On the Sirius Satellite Radio Again!


Finding Our Fire--On the Radio! Last week I was interviewed by Carolyn Craft for her Sirius Satellite radio show, “Waking Up with Carolyn Craft,” which is broadcast world-wide on LIME Radio. It’s a pre-recorded show, so I’m letting you know the dates and times if you would like to the listen to the show this Thursday The central topic is my upcoming book: “Finding Our Fire” and the related CD, “What Does it Mean to be a Man of Your Word?”

Thursday, Sept. 21 on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 11410am EST 4pm EST There are other times listed at http://www.lime.com/. Look for the icon labeled “Radio” then select LISTEN NOW! at the time of the show. Carolyn Craft’s show covers many topics including personal development, self-help, and different perspectives on spirituality.

Carolyn finds the common thread to help your life to greater happiness and prosperity. Listen to heart-to-heart conversations with gifted authors, thinkers and visionaries as Carolyn draws on her 35 years experience in TV, Radio, business & spirituality. Also, if you know of any media people that may be interested in my book or CD, I would appreciate being connected with them. Thanks!

You can download and hear the show at:
http://www.lulu.com/content/781660

Or it and all the radio shows at:
Radio Interviews with Martin Brossman

The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

For Immediate Release Contact: Martin Brossman


For Immediate Release Contact: Martin BrossmanDate: September 13, 2006 martin@coachingsupport.com(919) 847-4757


Martin Brossman to Speak at Capital City Club’s Trendsetters Meeting

Martin Brossman, ”What’s New About Men… What Women Want to Know”


Who: Martin Brossman & Associates

What: “What’s New About Men… What Women Want to Know”

This presentation, designed specifically for women’s groups, gives attendees a glimpse into the book “Finding Our Fire—Enhancing men’s connection to heart, passion and strength,” by Martin Brossman. The presentation will focus on how:

  • growing numbers of men are transforming their marriage, family and business
  • elationships by developing meaningful friendships with other men.
  • men are finding ways to authentically connect with each other, discussing life’s challenges in groups like the Men’s Inquiry.
  • there are effective community resources for healthy men.
  • Brossman’s work has transformed men worldwide.


Where: Capital City Club, Progress Energy Bldg - 21st Floor 410 S. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC

When: Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 at 6:00 p.m.

How: Visit www.capitalraleigh.com, or contact Jessie Gani at the Capital City Club by calling
(919) 832-5526, to register.

About Martin Brossman & Associates: Martin Brossman & Associates is an organization committed to supporting people in living lives they love through success coaching. Brossman is a trainer and personal coach, specializing in communications, career direction, conflict resolution, and team effectiveness. He is a speaker and trainer, presenting to corporations, government agencies and medical centers, including: IBM, The EPA, Duke Medical Center, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the National Leadership Training Forum of the American Society for Training and Development. For more information about Martin Brossman & Associates, visit www.coachingsupport.com or call (919) 847-4757.

About the Trendsetters: The Trendsetters is a diverse group of women who gather for personal and professional development. They meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and a speaker. This organization is open to Capital City Club members only. For more information about the Trendsetters or the Capital City Club, call 919.832.5526


Written and distributed by Holy Cow Branding info@holycowbranding.com (919) 606-2817
www.holycowbranding.com

The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 15, 2006

New reviews and responces to the live Men's Inquiry Recording!

Raw communication and Honesty 11 Jul 2006
by (name withheld )

This CD is well introduced and outlined, covering many topics. What strikes me most about is the honesty, and how men are speaking from their own experience, knowing that it has value. It talks about how we, as men, validate ourselves how we handle responsibility, how becoming a man can mean being responsible, and how that can level the playing field for all men. It talks about giving credit where credit due, about marriage, knowing what it is, being the person you want to be without having to jump trough hoops, traits of good people, how men contribute to each others lives. Excellent, raw communication on the important things in men’s lives.
9 Jul 2006 (updated 9 Jul 2006)

'My communication with men has improved. '
by Catherine Franz
Martin Brossman, the creator of this CD was on my radio show on July 4 (www.letstalkmarketingshow.com). My first thoughts were about listening to this CD, "Why would I want to listen to a men's group? I am a woman, this is men's stuff." My curiousity got me to listen. I listened to men's perspective about their life and how they manage their communications. I was able to put myself in their shoes during the process and was able to take away many tips on how I can improve my communication to men in the future. Since then I have tried a few things out. And they worked. My communication with men has improved. Making a mind shift in order to improve communication skills can come from many sources. This one took me completely by surprise. Thus, if you are a women and only think this is for men, open your mind just enough to think of this from a different angle because there is one. I recommend this CD whether you are a women but especially if you are a man. Catherine Franz, MCC Producer & Host Let's Talk Marketing Radio Show Every Tuesday 10 am www.fcac.org/webr


Unique viewpoints! 9 Jul 2006
by Amy Benevento
Listening to snippets of Martin's tape has brought me new insights into the way men think and view their world. In this society today you find many women opening their heart to ideas on marriage, insecurity, their role in society, etc. To now hear men giving their viewpoints is definitely an eye opener. ~Amy Benevento


The back cover of the CD:

To learn more about the CD go to:


http://www.toinquire.com/liveinquiry.htm

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

1st POD cast with Martin Brossman

"Martin Brossman, a personal coach in NC, brings an amazing new light to the "way men think", from interacting closely with men in many ways. His insights into the masculine & feminine in each of us, helps us to understand what's going on in the opposite sex brains.
After all these years of interacting with each other, one would think we know how to play well together by now, but nooo. We still say, after all these years, I just don't understand men, I just don't understand woman!

Martin has been leading men's discussion group's, called "men's inquiry", for many years & is compiling an audio version of 100 or so interviews with men. He is also writing a book on same, "Finding Our Fire - Enhancing men's connection to heart, passion and strength".
This interview between "The Good Chi Lady" & Martin is extra special because they discuss a Big Sur, Eselan Institute trip they took together and how a man & woman interacted in the midst of confusion, misperceptions and a severe case of poison oak!

We don't seem to "dive in" to the reasons why we do and think so differently. Martin and Sonja bring a passion for this, diving into the causes, to the table, & keep it light and fun. Of course , very informative too!

Exploring why men & women are so different is a passion Martin Brossman has had for many years. Along with the "Good Chi Lady", join in as these two dive into discussion of the masculine /feminine journey in each of us. "




The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Sunday, July 09, 2006

A Women's Inquiry Blog has been created!


This blog is about the progress of The Women's Inquiry and may include:- Events by members that relate to the women's inquiry- New resources for women in the community- Progress related to both the in-person women's inquiry, The on-line Women's Inquiry, FWS on-line discussion group. About the leadership team of the in person Raleigh NC Women's Inquiry group

Barbara Carr Brossman ( http://www.naturesface.net/ )

Amy L. Sky ( http://www.amylsky.com/ ) & now a new member:

Janet Bauer Speaker & Workshops Trainer (more to come about her)

The Women's Inquiry Blog can be reached at http://womensinquiry.blogspot.com/

Also, another blog that has been started that welcomes contributions is: Single Mothers (Single Parent) Raising Sons: What works & what does not work Single Mothers Raising Sons is a blog where single mothers share their stories, issues, victories, concerns, what works and what does not work in raising sons. How did you address their need of healthy male role models (or any comment on this)? This is a public service of The Women's Inquiry http://www.thewomensinquiry.com/ These are the real 'experts' with true life experience.
To contribute a posting to this blog please email it to women@toinquire.com
The blog web site is: http://mothersandsons.blogspot.com/


I am honored to support these groups.
Martin Brossman
www.CoachingSupport.com
Martin@CoachingSupport.com



The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/


Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Martin Brossman is interviewed on a Washington DC area radio station today 7-4-2006


Topic: How men become successful in business


Martin Brossman is interviewed on a Washington DC area radio station today 7-4-2006 .
The show is Let's Talk Marketing Weekly Radio Show Update: http://www.letstalkmarketingshow.com/

On the 4th of July Martin Brossman will be in the Northern Virginia area and live in the WEBR studio with us on this very important celebration day. We will be discussing men and what they need to be more successful in life, in business, and their relationships with women and more. Martin is a joy to be around and his wisdom comes from the ages. His humor will lighten your day.

After 10 years of leading a men’s discussion group for healthy functioning men, Martin Brossman has some unique ideas about men that can also be useful for women in business. Although we have made progress in our culture in seeing the value of women in business, there is an over-assumption that “men have it all’ which is disempowering to business women. Martin will discuss what he has observed to be competitive advantages women already have, gathered from coaching business women as well as working with men on life issues. What is holding men back from accomplishing their dreams and desires will be revealed. It is not uncommon for his male clients to begin reaching their financial goals and have them say: “And by the way, my wife loves who I am being at home”. Often success at work and success at home seem mutually exclusive and Martin will show how they are not.


The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Saturday, June 24, 2006

The Men's Inquiry Live - Special Edition 2006 is available!

The Men's Inquiry Live - Special Edition 2006 is available!

This is a rare opportunity -- actually the first-ever -- to listen in on a live "Men's Inquiry" meeting. The topic -- "What does it mean to be a man of your word?"-- accurately represents the typical content of this compelling monthly discussion group. Here the participants are courageously exploring their lives around the themes of integrity, responsibility and marriage - expressing their personal insights and resulting commitments. It's a powerful recording. Male listeners may learn more about themselves, and women listeners may discover an aspect or two of men they have never seen before. It is difficult not to be moved by the authentic voices of 18 diverse men in what would normally be a confidential session. The session recorded here was a gift by these men to me on the 10th anniversary of my founding the "Men's Inquiry." The discussion, as usual, is frank and lively, and yes, contains some adult expressions. This CD is also a fundraiser for the Men's & Women's Inquiry as well as The Triangle Men's Center of Raleigh.

For more information about the CD go to this web link:
http://www.toinquire.com/liveinquiry.htm

You can get this edited to 80min recording now on CD at lulu.com:
http://www.lulu.com/content/351752

Click here to purchase a MP3 download version of the event:
http://www.lulu.com/content/302500

And here to hear a sample of several short cuts from the CD
(a window will pop up and you can play it or download it)



The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Another comment from a business women on the Men's Inquiry Audio CD


"I applaud the Men's Inquiry Group. It provides an open forum and exchange of men's views on a myriad of topics including individual integrity, communication between the sexes, the issues of trust and keeping your word, the definition and traits of a "good person", relationship dynamics with self and others, and the journey of self-exploration. I encourage men and women alike to listen to and learn from this interesting dialogue. Martin's soon to be published book Finding Our Fire - Enhancing Men's Connection to Heart, Passion and Strength was inspired from his facilitations with the Men's Inquiry group and I am sure it will not disappoint!”
J.W.

Click here to learn more about the CD or purchase it

The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Monday, May 08, 2006

As a birthday gift I requested men participate in the 1st live recording of The Men’s Inquiry meeting.


As a birthday gift I requested men participate in the 1st live recording of The Men’s Inquiry meeting. This will be a complementary product to the upcoming book “Finding Our Fire”. The recording is in processing now and will be available on CD at the end of May. Following is the comments from a remarkable woman on hearing the draft of the first live recording The Men’s Inquiry:


It was amazing how engrossing this discussion was in the disembodied fashion of listening to the sound tracks alone. There was no distraction to the listening since there were no faces, body language, or gestures to vie for attention. I heard honest communication almost entirely free from defensiveness. Your point in the introduction about not offering solutions because they can raise defenses was interesting and, I confess, hit home with me. It was amazing how on target and true the discussion stayed while flowing very naturally. It was also interesting how the men respected the rule about each other's speaking time. The voices seemed stress free throughout the comments. By this I do not mean uninvolved or unconcerned, I simply mean I did not hear the tension of immediate stress in their voices. There were a number of fascinating insights brought out in this discussion. Listening/checking in with what a person heard, voice tone, the importance of recognition, the importance of and what it means to give and keep one's word and the wisdom and courage to know when to break that word - and the recognition that both men and women have the responsibility to own positive (I am avoiding the term 'good') traits. The recognition that it is okay to say no was a good one. I think sometimes women think we are the only ones to 'over commit', so it is interesting to hear men wrestle with this as well - or recognize that they need to deal with it more effectively and positively. It was also interesting to hear men discussing that it takes commitment from both parties to make good two-way communication (even mundane communication) and to have an abiding relationship. What also caught my attention is that there was no 'posturing'. The men seemed to speak from where they were, not where they thought they should be or where they perceived the world thought they should be. This really is a huge thing! As one man said, it was amazing to him that what was going on in his head was going on in other (men's heads) as well - this despite the fact he came from an apparently different background experience from at least some of the other men - a sort of we are different, but we are the same kind of thing.It seems to me that maybe men learn to 'protect' themselves (or is it protecting their concept of masculinity?) to "hold their place in society" in ways that vary by their cultural influence while women learn to protect themselves to "gain a place in society" in ways that vary by their cultural influence. With 'shields of all sorts up' with all of us, effective communication can be a daunting task - men to men, women to women, men to women, and women to men - yet communication is the key to good personal relationships to successful work outcomes, even to honestly knowing yourself. Your Men's Inquiry Group gives an open forum for men to practice those honest communication skills for self understanding, all kinds of interpersonal relationship development, and even to promoting active achievement recognition. What a mission you are on!!It took me over an hour to write these few comments because I kept having to reflect on something else I heard in the discussion. It also is now about 2:30 AM so that may have affected my thoughts! I don't know that you expected comments, but I simply wanted to share a little of what I got from hearing an unexpectedly powerful "ordinary' discussion among men. Thank you for the honor - and dare I say trust? - in sharing this with me. It has given me greater insight into your work and appreciation of your very special skills.

- Professional business women that had build and sold success businesses. (Name withheld)

Web link to see and purchase CD:
http://www.toinquire.com/liveinquiry.htm

The home page of this (Men's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Sunday, April 02, 2006

"Men of Their Word" : The Triangle Men's Centers 1st book of poems is out!


Martin Brossman (founder of The Men's Inquiry) is a contributing poet for The Triangle Men's Centers new book of poems: "Men of Their Word" . Limited copies will be available at the annual gathering (listed in the blog post before this one). Martin Brossman is still working to complete the book: Finding Our Fire" and info on that can be found at: http://www.toinquire.com/findingourfire.htm

You can learn more about the book &purchase a copy of this great book of poems "Men of Their Word" now at:
http://www.lulu.com/content/266878

Click here to see a PDF preview of the 1st
10 pages from "Men of Their Word"


Description about the book: Men of Their Word:
A collection of poems, edited by John Allran, from men attending the North Carolina Annual Gathering of Men in Efland, North Carolina 1996-2005


This anthology was produced as a fundraiser for The Triangle Men's Center serving the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area in North Carolina since 1986.

This was a 100% volunteer-driven project and we appreciate your support by purchasing a copy. Also, 100% of all profits goes to The Triangle Men's center.

The 30 contributing poets: John Allran, Martin Brossman, Sheldon Clark, Ray Collins, Len Daley, Randy Dodd, Hilton Freed, Levi Gardner, Dan Glenn, Sid Harrell, John Harvey, Kevin Hedeen, Don Henchel, Doug Jennette, Bruce Lader, Jerry Levit, Lou Lipsitz, John Marmaud, Wilson McCreary, Henry Molter, G. Bennett Myers, 'Old Men With Bongos', Steven Reeves, Mark Smith, Peter Solet, Larry Sorkin, Dana Staats, Fred Stephens, Don Sylvester, Paul Tierney, and Ron Wolfe.

To see more of Martin Brossman's 'Men's' poems go to:
http://www.toinquire.com/poems1.htm

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

The biggest event in the Triangle NC area for men & a display of a draft of the book.. Join us!


Join us at the The 11th Annual GATHERING OF MEN IN NORTH CAROLINA
“Reclaiming the Sacred Masculine” Martin Brossman will be speaking and displaying a draft of the book as well as man other great free workshops

Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 23, 2006
Register before April 4 Room, food, great men & only for: $110.
After April 4, registration is $130.

If you don’t have a registration form, call Temple Porter at
(919)862-0301 or email at temple@tricoach.biz
for more info about the Triangle Men's Center & the event go to: http://www.trianglemenscenter.org/

If you can make it please send in your registration as soon as you can. The Triangle Men's Center will also have the 10 years of Men's poems book in print for you to purchase.. Martin Brossman is one of the contributing poets.

The Home page of this blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Friday, March 24, 2006

Latest update on the book "Finding Our Fire"


Picture of the project chart for the book from this date ->


We have received all the contributions from over 120 men, about 400 pages and are now integrating and editing. Having 120 men’s ‘voices’ and attempting to make the minimum edits to make it readable has turned out to be quite a challenge for the main editor John Sharpe and my father (that is helping with the 12 additions). If any of you know of groups that we could speak at or ways to let people know about the book please email us. Also, for Martin Brossman’s birthday next month he is asking men to come to a special men’s inquiry that will be recorded live at his house. Your names will stay confidential but you will be asked to sign a simple ‘release’. This will allow men wanting to start a group be able to ‘hear a live’ inquiry in progress. If you are open to being part of this exciting event and can come to the Raleigh NC area email us directly at men@toinquire.com

A article from the book can be read at: http://www.toinquire.com/ourfire.htm

Keep your comments comming to us! It is inspiring!

Please email us if you would like to be notified of it's availability at: men@toinquire.com

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Monday, March 13, 2006

Another Men’s group started that The Men’s Inquiry was honored to participate in helping!


Another Men’s group started that The Men’s Inquiry was honored to participate in helping!
Many men’s groups have started with help from The Men’s Inquiry, but we did not ‘track’ their progress. The help was given freely. In the future we will share the good news of anyone who has used The Men’s Inquiry as a resource to start a group of men, and would like to start today with a wonderful man who found us on the Internet and is building his team of men in Laurinburg NC . This is the comment he wrote, and check out his web site. Even though the Men’s Inquiry is NOT faith-based ( and we support men of all faiths ) we are open to helping men reach men in any way they are called to do so. I am proud to post Leroy’s note and website..

“Martin, I would like to share, how the Raleigh Men's Inquiry Meeting Helped Me. Shortly after I moved to Laurinburg and became reasonably settled, I was ready to interact with other positive men who were interested in getting together to discuss issues of substance, such as ways to enjoy better relationships across the board issues that dealt with refining our emotional qualities. I was seeking a group that was interested in discussing topics that dealt with acquiring more balance in our lives.

I searched the Internet and found The Triangle Men’s Inquiry Meeting. Since I could not find a group such as this in Laurinburg, I decided to attend the meetings in Raleigh. This would give me an opportunity to achieve personal growth and to get some pointers for starting a group such as this in Scotland County. As a result of participating in the meetings in Raleigh, I received growth, support and encouragement from all the men. Martin provided information and other resources to help us get our program off the ground in Scotland County. He also committed to providing support that would help sustain our program. He has and continues to be a friend and supporter every step of the way.

I feel the most significant thing that I received from being involved with The Triangle Men’s Inquiry Meeting is that it made me feel that I wasn’t alone in my pursuit to move to the next level of awareness about healthy wholesome relationships.”

Please check out their website at:
http://www.lmcidomain.com/ and it’s current working title is: AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MENS GROUP

I want to acknowledge that what I love about Leroy is his clear courage to make a difference in his own town, to start something new, and to do his best to listen to the needs of the men in that area in building the group! He drive 100 miles each way to come to the meetings!

GREAT JOB Leroy, you inspire me!

Be well,
Martin Brossman
http://www.toinquire.com/
men@toinquire.com

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Update on the progress of the book “Finding Our Fire”




Update on the progress of the book “Finding Our Fire”

We have received all the contributions to the book, including two more chapters that are being added-- competition & money. This completes the 12- week program that was used to collect more contributions to the book in the chapters that I felt needed a little more information or did not have enough diversity.

John Sharpe (http://www.cprm.com/ please check out) is working hard on editing the core book while my father, Martin Brossman II, has just completed editing weeks 1 through 4 of the 12 week extension ( over 145 pages of new contributions ). Now my father is working on editing weeks 6-10, about 180 pages in Word, while I am integrating weeks 11 & 12. This ‘integration’ involves converting the real names of each man to their pseudonym and adding each man’s reply under each question in a single Word document. I am finding all of this work very tedious and slow. I do have to work on making a living while doing this (grin). Since I use text- to- speech software to read for me (due to my dyslexia), I get to enjoy the wonderfully courageous contributions of these men discussing their lives.

I have found 5 possible printer/publishers and a friend is researching to decide which is the best for the book. Over 500 postcards are being hand-distributed about the book and some on-line men’s websites are exploring writing reviews of the book.

If you know anyone who may be interested in the book, please make sure to send them the web link about the book ( http://www.toinquire.com/findingourfire.htm or this blog http://toinquire.blogspot.com/ ) and send us an email requesting notification when the book is available so they will be the ones that secure the first printing copies. This is done by emailing us at men@toinquire.com , put in the subject line “Please notify me on the availability of the book Finding Our Fire. Contact info is below.” With of course your contact information in the body of the text.

Check back for updates, and thanks for your support! If you have any questions about the book, email us at men@toinquire.com and we will do our best to answer them on the blog. Of course your name will stay anonymous


Thanks,
Martin Brossman

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

We have chosen to have three versions of Finding Our Fire



We have chosen to have three versions of Finding Our Fire

We have decided that since there are so many wonderful contributions that over 100 men have made, there will be three versions of the book. The main one, which will be designed to be ‘accessible’ to the largest audience, by its size, and other factors, will be about a 6" X 9" paperback, approximately 190 pages long. The second will be the core of all contributions, with several interesting add-on’s for those who want a broader perspective. and it will be an 8.5”X 11” paper bound book. This lets us include a greater number of the contributions in print. The third will be an e-book that can be downloaded. Things may change as we get closer to finishing.

Also two more sections were added in the last few months. One on competition and the other on money. We decided this had to be part of this printing.


The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Saturday, February 25, 2006

For fun, we have setup a CafePress account for ‘Finding Our Fire’ products.. check it out!



For fun we set up a CafePress account for Finding Our Fire products. Go to this link to see it: http://www.cafepress.com/brossman/1175883
It is one of the many ways we are looking to give value and offset expenses for the volunteer Men’s & Women’s Inquiry. We get about a dollar or two per product and if that exceeds $6.00 per month, we pay for the service and make a dollar as well. So if you see something you like, your purchase will be appreciated. It will keep growing so check back. I designed all the versions of the products and of course the cover with advisement of my beautiful and creative wife Barbara Carr Brossman. She co-leads the women’s inquiry with Amy Sky. Barbara’s website is http://www.naturesface.net/ and Amy’s is http://www.amylsky.com/ Please check them both out as well!

Another way to help us is by buying any books from The Men’s Inquiry website ( http://www.toinquire.com/ ), The Women’s Inquiry website ( http://www.thewomensinquiry.com/ ) & my business website’s book list: ( http://www.coachingsupport.com/ ) we receive a small percentage from Amazon.com .

Currently led by Barbara Carr (http://www.naturesface.net/ ) & Amy Sky ( http://www.amylsky.com/ ) A big thank you to both for their help!

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Friday, February 24, 2006

About the cover of "Finding Our Fire"



About the cover of "Finding Our Fire": I (Martin Brossman) created it completely at an intuitive level, keeping my ‘right brain’/logical/critical side out of it. It represents passion as well as struggle. I have used a photo of my own hands along with a younger photo of myself making a sword move from Aikido. The fire, the sword, the man, and the hands together are symbols of man's strength and passion, as well as his personal struggles. The cover art is not to be taken literally. It can be seen as evocative symbolism for men's need to express their deepest emotions without resorting to outbursts of anger or violence. Just as the martial artist controls his world of physical strength and emotion simultaneously, the art of a well-lived life requires a man to control his personal "fire" in order to live amicably with others; yet he can not completely douse that fire if he hopes to retain the energy and power he needs to successfully move through his work and personal life with dignity and respect. In the same vein, the title, "Finding Our Fire", is using the word "fire" metaphorically, referring to strength, personal courage and heartfelt emotion. See the cover at http://www.toinquire.com/findingourfire.htm

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

This is about the book "Finding Our Fire - Enhancing men's connection to heart, passion and strength ", its progress & answers to questions


This is an update on the book's progress "Finding Our Fire - Enhancing men's connection to heart, passion and strength ", its progress and answers to questions about it. Two more weeks of collecting contributions from men with the two added sections: ‘competition & money’. We are collecting that now while the other parts of the book are being edited. If you have not seen the main page showing the cover, then go to: http://www.toinquire.com/findingourfire.htm

More than 100 men have made emotionally courageous contributions, addressing compelling questions that are sure to be a springboard for discussion for years to come.

Also please check out the Editor's web site: John Sharpe http://www.cprm.com/ . A big thank you for John Sharpe for his relentless commitment to honor the unique voices of over 100 men in the book. Comments and questions are welcome. men@toinquire.com

Please email us if you would like to be notified of it's availability at: men@toinquire.com

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

The Men’s Inquiry is celebrating over 10 years of service!


The Men’s Inquiry is celebrating over 10 years of service! Join us on the on-line version at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TriangleMensInquiryMeeting/ We have been exploring questions about men’s lives for over 10 year’s now and are celebrating this year with the up coming book “Finding Our Fire, Enhancing men's connection to heart, passion and strength”, which is due out this Spring.

"Finding Our Fire" is based on the Men’s Inquiry Group which has been meeting monthly in person and on-line for over 10 years. In the Inquiry meetings, men explore questions about their lives that give new insights and provide the basis for new actions. The meetings have inspired men to enhance their relationships with their families, improve their jobs, and resolve old issues in their lives that previously held them back. Questions explored in the Men’s Inquiry have included: What does it mean to be a man today? How do you discover your purpose in life and live it while providing for your family? What type of son were you to your father? How do you keep love and passion alive in a long-term relationship?

The book is a multi-purpose tool: it can simply enhance the individual reader's life, or it can serve to facilitate the formation of men's groups to support ongoing growth on a broader scale. It also provides a much needed impartial window into the inner world of men that seems to improve women's understanding of men and men's understanding of themselves. The compelling questions have had a powerful impact on the men whose responses are included in the book, and many of those who have seen preview chapters are looking forward to enthusiastically using the questions in their men's workshops and seminars across the country.

"Finding Our Fire" speaks in the authentic voice of men helping men by simply contributing their own life experiences. It is a true showcase of the emotional courage of men--something you do not hear much about in society today! To find out more about the book and the Men’s Inquiry, which is 100% volunteer driven, go to http://www.toinquire.com/ We look forward to hearing from all of you, Martin Brossman – Founder of The Men’s Inquiry © 2006.

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

The Women’s Inquiry celebrates it's 5th year!


The Women’s Inquiry celebrates it's fifth year and now has it's own web site and space. We are always looking for good resources to add to it and welcome comments. Check it out at http://www.thewomensinquiry.com/ This blog will cover topics related to both web sites for now. Currently led by Barbara Carr (http://www.naturesface.net/ ) & Amy Sky ( http://www.amylsky.com/ ) A big 'thank you' to both for their help!

The home page of this (Men's & Women's Inquiry) blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

What does it mean to be a man today? - First Blog!


The Men's Inquiry is about exploring issues of our lives that we discuss together, using questions that provide insights which we then commit to actions to change our lives. This is NOT a political platform or a place to discuss ‘why someone or something did something to us’. This is about mature men taking full responsibility for their own life, committed to making a difference. Slamming comments or off topic statements will be screened. This is for men that have the courage to look in the mirror. It may evolve slowly and that is fine! Men and women are welcome to comment here, for this is an 'open blog'. It is our first 'blog' and part of The Men's Inquiry web site: http://www.toinquire.com

The home page of this blog is: http://toinquire.blogspot.com/

Also please check out the web resources at: http://www.toinquire.com/page11.html

The Book list at: http://www.toinquire.com/Biblipgraphy.htm

The Articles on The Men's Inquiry site: http://www.toinquire.com/articles.htm

A Presentation we offer: http://www.toinquire.com/mens_work.htm

The Online Men's Inquiry: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TriangleMensInquiryMeeting/

Assorted resources: http://www.toinquire.com/Resources.htm

How to support us: http://www.toinquire.com/page13.html


And The Triangle Men's Center: http://www.trianglemenscenter.org/

AND The ManKind Project, that we are a big supporter of: http://www.mkp.org



Key word list: Men's Issues , Men's Work , Fatherhood , Father Issues , Women's Issues , Men's Movement , Men's Support Group , Men's Support Groups , Divorce Support , Men , Women , Fathers , Martin Brossman , Men's Support , Mens Inquiry , Men's Inquiry Men, Triangle Men's Inquiry , Inquiry , Men's Meeting , Men's group , male , man , masculinity , men's resources , Mens Issues , Fatherhood , Fathering , Dad, Dads, Men's support groups in Raleigh, Men's support group in Raleigh, Raleigh Men's Center, Men's Issues, Men's Groups in Raleigh