Say goodbye to the idea that only caped do-gooders with superpowers can be called heroes. "We're all born to be heroes," says Michael Munson, director of Heroes. And his goal is to prove it.
Heroes is a new program from the non-profit Earth Citizen Organization. This April, it will host two national events to train inspired young people to become heroes with the power to change their lives, their communities and their world.
From Apr. 4-6, the first 81 heroes to participate in the program will come together in upstate New York. In the breathtaking
Catskills Mountains, they will train their bodies, minds and souls through a mix of yoga, martial arts, dance, meditation and more, in order to awaken the heroes within.
A second national training opportunity will take place at the
Sedona Mago Retreat, among the beautiful, powerful red rocks of Sedona, Ariz.
The goal of Heroes is to help create healthy, optimistic, empowered people who will then take their energy to create positive change back into their communities through education and service.
The program's aims, and even its name, are a modern adaptation of an ancient principle: Hongik philosophy.
According to life-energy expert,
Ilchi Lee, the Hongik ideal is the practice of elevating the collective needs of all people above individual desires. And "hero" is a Western word that represents that ideal.
"It's in our nature to experience, create and care for a life bigger than our own," Munson says. "I'm so excited to witness people as they realize that being a hero is the path of least resistance, and then watch a culture of heroes emerge."
This culture of Heroes will start out small. Each of the national training events can host up to 81 participants. But it has the potential to grow exponentially as each new hero shares their passion for change with their community.
Even before the national gatherings, Munson, who is also the main trainer for the national camps, is extremely optimistic about the potential of these future heroes. One of his favorite quote from Margaret Mead sums up his hopes:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Already, Heroes has already sparked the interest and passion of nearly 200 people in five different cities from Colorado to New York during the Heroes Spark introductory training workshops.
This summer, Heroes will host an additional week-long leadership course, called Heroes Inspire, in five cities throughout the country.
To learn more about Heroes, visit them at their website
HeroesConnect.org and their Facebook page
facebook.com/HeroesConnect.