You know you are capable of more depth and you believe that there is no better way to sharpen consciousness than in the company of other men. You want to be a fierce stand for the deepest consciousness, but you don’t know how to take your practice to the next level.

This is a practice John originally led for virtual participants of his 2020 Embodied Men's Leadership Training to practice keeping each other sharp—as Warriors, Lovers, and Kings. You and another man will call something deeper out of each other, like two swords of consciousness coming together. You will then connect to the ancient Warrior within you and call out fierceness from one another, letting the practice radiate out into the world as a gift of fierce love. Lastly, you will show each other your King and feel out to those who are calling for your fierceness, depth, love, and leadership.

If you want to sharpen your consciousness and lead your life and those who you care about most with depth and fierce love, ask a brother to join you for this 32-minute partner practice.

Begin in a horse stance with your feet a little more than hip width apart and turned out 45 degrees, your knees bent about 2-4 inches, tracking over your toes, and your sacrum plunged into the earth. Close your eyes and connect to the earth beneath you. Then open your eyes and look at your partner. Your practice from here forward needs to call something deeper out of them. Let this be like two swords coming together.

Bring your right palm just below your navel, at the height of your pubic bone, facing down toward the earth. Feel the metal in the core of the earth beneath you. Then bring your left hand to heart level about six inches away from your body with your fingers together, pointed toward the sky. Deepen your breath and press your tongue gently on the roof of your mouth.

Let your body and spine become the shape and texture of a sword. Plunge your spine into the earth as solidly as King Arthur's sword into rock. Pull the metal of the earth up into your spine. Inhale up through the soles of your feet into the base of your body and let your eyes gaze toward your partner with the sharpness of a sword. Let the soles of your feet become claws. Let your fingers become the blade edge. Pull the energy you need for this exercise up from the earth. The earth has all of the energy you need.

How can you make this sword even sharper? Can your consciousness be sharper? Hold your partner to this through your own practice.

Imagine bringing this sharpness into the world in some way—in your relationships, your purpose, your life, your own psyche. Where are you bringing this sword into the world, so that consciousness and love can flow even more fully in service as a Warrior?

Let your partner feel you as an instrument to slay unconsciousness, superficiality, ignorance. Let them see this through your eyes. Look into their eyes as deeply as you can and be the sword of consciousness. Be a challenge for them as if you are sparring or meeting in noble combat.

How sharp is your mind? Is it clear, or wandering and dull? How sharp is your body? Is it like a sword, or limp and flaccid?

Then, after about 10 minutes, without losing the sharpness you've cultivated, bring your hands just below your navel, about 12 inches apart with your palms facing each other, like you're holding a ball.

Keeping your spine straight and strong, feel the ball of energy in your navel area between your palms. Bring your awareness to the infinite space below your navel. Continue to let your partner feel your sharpness in the moment, as if you would slay them if they were to drop consciousness. Connect to the ancient Warrior that you are and call more consciousness, depth and sharpness from your partner.

Bring the fierceness of your lower belly to your partner through your eyes. The lower belly is the home of the Warrior. If you want more deep Warrior energy from the man in front of you, pound your chest once, and then bring your hands back down to hold the ball in front of your navel. Feel your belly as a ball of consciousness. Strong. Fierce.

Feel the part of you that is habitually lazy or holds back, and slay it. Bring it all—your fierceness, consciousness, intention, passion. And call for all of this from your partner through your practice. Let the practice radiate out into the world as a gift.

Who are you a Warrior for? Who needs your sword? Who needs your consciousness? Who needs your depth?

After about 8 minutes, slowly bring your arms up to heart level with your palms out in front of you & facing your heart in the "Chi Generator" pose, like you're hugging a tree. Don't lose the connection to your belly and your belly's connection to the earth. Press down through the muscles of your torso to reengage your belly and feel your belly full with breath. Now add your love to your practice. Feel your heart as wide as your palms. Wake up the part of you that loves fiercely and add this to your Warrior.

Who do you love? Your children? Your wife? The world? Let your partner feel who your warrior loves. And what you are prepared to die for.

Dip your sword in love. Feel how adding love to your sword deepens it. Let your partner feel the parts of your heart that are broken, and that are fierce, without losing the essence of Warrior. If your partner loses the essence of Warrior, pound on your chest and bring them back. If your partner loses their connection to their heart, put your palm on your heart to help them remember their heart. Connect to the physical experience of your belly full and strong, and your heart completely wide open, and let your partner see the Fierce Love that you would die for.

Demand more from your partner and show them the part of you that would die for them. Let them feel that noble, deep, beautiful, selfless Warrior in you.

After another 7 minutes, slowly bring your hands up over your head, 2 feet apart, with your palms facing down towards your head. Without losing the deep Warrior energy in your belly and your wide open heart, feel the King in your mind. Show your partner the part of you that is selfless, that is of service and gives to the world, that can lead, and that would sacrifice and die for their people and what they believe in.

For the last few minutes of the practice, drop even deeper into the earth, breathe more deeply into your belly, relax open your heart even more, and open your mind.

Then slightly turn your palms up toward the sky and feel how the mind of your King is connected to the sky. Without losing the ruthless strength of your belly and the fierceness of your heart, show your partner the part of you that is King. Feel out to those that you would lead—those who are calling for your fierceness, your depth, your love, and your leadership.

Then after another 5 minutes, slowly wave your arms down and come out of your horse stance. Bring your arms down by your sides, armpits open, shoulders back and down, feet about hip width apart, toes pointing straight forward, and sacrum rooted down into the earth. Staying completely still like a tree, feel the sword in your spine, your heart wide open, bigger than your chest, the back of your body wide, and how the sky feeds you through the crown of your head.

Looking into the eyes of your partner, hold them there in deep reverence of their practice—what they brought, where they challenged themselves, where they stayed present even through pain and discomfort, and what they demanded of you. With your eyes, breath, and presence, acknowledge their practice. Maybe even crack a little smile. "Thank you for holding me. Thank you for showing me your depth."

Two Kings.

Two Warriors.

Two Lovers.

Take three more deep breaths together, and then give each other a bow to close the practice.

Music:
"Dhan Baba Naanak" by Simrit
"Rakim- Live at the Mayfair Theatre" by Dead Can Dance
"Promentory" by Trevor Jones
"Heroes" by Peter Gabriel

Disclaimer: Although anyone may find this practice to be useful, it is made available with the understanding that we are not engaged in presenting specific medical, psychological, emotional, sexual or spiritual advice. Nor is anything in this practice intended to be a diagnosis, prescription, recommendation or cure for any specific kind of medical, psychological, emotional, sexual or spiritual problem. Each individual has unique needs and this practice cannot take these individual differences into account. Each person should engage in a program of treatment, prevention, cure, or general health only in consultation with a licensed, qualified physician, therapist or other competent professional. Any person suffering from a sexually transmitted disease or any local illness of his or her sexual organs should consult a medical doctor and a qualified instructor of sexual yoga before practicing the sexual methods described in this practice.