Episode #10 feat. Ramiro de la Garza

What happens when a man in long-term recovery realizes that the language of his sobriety is beginning to feel "rote," and he discovers that his anger is actually just a mask for deep disappointment?

In this tenth episode of Follow Me to the M-R-O-P!, host Brian Mueller sits down with Ramiro de la Garza for a visceral account of his 2022 initiation at Pilgrim Park. Ramiro, a member of the AA community who has been sober for over six years, shares how he was "ambushed" by a divine connection that moved him from apprehension to a restorative state of awe.

Ramiro recounts the "crescendo" of the grief ritual, where he finally went to battle with the "monsters" of his past and left behind an image that no longer served him. He speaks with raw honesty about how initiation helped him "soften the edges" of the traditional tough guy, turning him into a listener who truly "receives" others. If you have ever felt "scattered" in the best way possible or wondered if there is more to your spiritual journey than just following rules, Ramiro’s story is a grounding invitation to let the process have its way with you.

Episode Highlights

• The Divine Ambush: How entering the unknown leads to being "taken by surprise" by the spirit.
• Monsters at the Roadside: A new way of viewing past struggles as temporary companions rather than governing presences.
• Breaking the "Tough Guy" Mold: Learning that real masculinity involves knowing the difference between anger and sorrow.
• Mirror to Mirror: The power of hearing your own heart's truths spoken aloud by other men.
• The Restorative Cry: Processing the "undulating emotions" of an intense threshold experience.

Links & Resources

• Choosing Presence (Sponsor): https://choosingpresence.org
• Practicing Presence App: https://choosingpresence.org/app
• Illuman MROP page: https://illuman.org/mrop
• Adam's Return by Richard Rohr: https://amzn.to/3PzVESH
• Falling Upward by Richard Rohr: https://amzn.to/4uUM64P
• Breathing Under Water by Richard Rohr: https://amzn.to/47qLNVp
• Host: https://brianmueller.com

Credits

• First and foremost, thank you to Ramiro de la Garza for sharing his journey and his heart with us today.
• Thank you to Fr. Richard Rohr and the men of Illuman who have stewarded the Men’s Rites of Passage since 1996.
• Thank you to Jim Heaney and Jim Taylor for their dedication to Choosing Presence.

Music Credits:

• Slow Mo Dreams by Soundroll
• Becoming a Legend by Vens Adams