About the Guide

In 2002, in the Malian village of Degnekoro, I was one of the few outsiders to document the summer-long initiation, held once every seven years, that brings boys into the Djo, the secret society of Bamana men. I had come to build a Culture Bank, a concept that I first piloted a decade prior as a cultural guide and Peace Corps volunteer in Dogon country. What I took from this experience was this understanding: ancient wisdom still exists to help us navigate key transitions in life. Yet, most of us in the West are never taught the skills or the knowledge about how to navigate these passages.

For five years I worked as a cultural guide in Dogon country, south of Timbuktu in Mali, where I built three more Culture Banks. Along the way, I learned what an effective guide should do: not only prepare people and explain what is occurring, but help people discover for themselves new terrain, learn to read the signs, and stay safe when the way becomes unfamiliar.

One traveler who passed through my village left behind two books: Carl Jung’s Memories, Dreams, Reflections and Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Over 30 years, these two scholars became my primary guides into depth psychology and myth, linking back to the stories and folklore I worked with at the Culture Banks. At midlife, I spent a decade undertaking my own Jungian analysis. The crossing was long and I had no map for it. So I made one based on all the things I’ve learned over the years. Second Summit is that map, so that others can find their way across the same ground. I continue to work with my analyst who supervises my work and help me design and refine the program.