Return To Self | Monday Moments - Kreatures Of Habit Podcast

Summary

Kreatures Of Habit Podcast: "Return To Self | Monday Moments" Episode Summary

Host: Michael Chernow
Release Date: August 11, 2025

Introduction

In the solo episode titled "Return To Self | Monday Moments," Michael Chernow, the founder and host of the Kreatures of Habit Podcast, delves deep into his personal experiences hosting a transformative men's retreat. Stepping away from his usual format of interviewing guests, Michael shares insightful reflections on the power of habits, vulnerability, and the critical need for men to connect and bond in today's fast-paced world.

The Vision Behind the Men's Retreat

Michael begins by recounting his long-held dream of organizing a men's retreat, emphasizing the scarcity of safe spaces for men to express and process their emotions. He states:

Michael (00:33): "Our habits will make us or they will break us. The decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings."

The retreat, named "Return to Self," was held from June 19th to 23rd at his property, gathering 30 men ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and emotional cleansing. Unlike typical retreats focused on fitness or casual socializing, "Return to Self" was meticulously designed to facilitate deep emotional work through various structured activities.

Structured Activities and Practices

Michael details the comprehensive program of the retreat, highlighting several transformative practices:

Breathwork and Meditation:
- Central to the retreat, these practices provided tools for participants to delve into their subconscious and confront suppressed emotions.
- Michael shares the profound impact breathwork had on him personally:
  
  Michael (07:36): "Breathwork is just absolutely the most powerful form of therapy, self-development work I have ever experienced."
Traditional Plant Medicines:
- Combina: Derived from Amazonian frog secretions, this cleansing medicine involves creating a small burn on the skin to purge toxins from the body. Although initially daunting, Michael found the experience deeply cleansing.
  
  Michael (04:50): "I was really scared to do it. We did sananga, which is an eye drop that burns like hell for about five minutes, but then you are crystal clear."
- Sananga: An eye drop that induces intense burning sensations, leading to heightened mental clarity post-administration.
Rites of Passage:
- Incorporating Native American traditions, these ceremonies were groundbreaking for the participants, fostering a sense of brotherhood and shared purpose.
Emotional Expression:
- During the initial fire ceremony, the level of vulnerability among the men was palpable. Michael recounts how all participants began crying within the first five minutes, a testament to the retreat's safe and supportive environment.

Confronting Societal Pressures on Men

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the societal pressures that men face and the rarity of opportunities to relieve this stress:

Michael (05:00): "Men walk around with a lot of pressure. No matter where you're from, no matter what background you were raised in, men just walk around with a lot of pressure."

Michael contrasts this with the increasing consumption of time by phones, work, and family obligations, which often leaves little room for men to connect with each other on a deeper, more vulnerable level. He underscores the importance of creating intentional spaces for such connections.

Personal Reflections and Insights

One of the most poignant moments in the episode is Michael's reflection during a breathwork session, where he envisions his son Finn looking up at him with soulful eyes. This revelation reshaped his understanding of his role as a father:

Michael (07:36): "My sons are my freaking teachers. I could do what I think is right to lead them, but they are going to teach me."

Inspired by this vision, Michael instituted daily "staring contests" with his sons, Finn and his other son, as a method to build their confidence and strengthen their bond. This simple yet profound practice serves as a metaphor for the deep connection and mutual growth he aspires to foster within his family.

Commitment to Ongoing Men's Work

Fueled by the success and profound impact of the "Return to Self" retreat, Michael expresses a steadfast commitment to continuing this vital work:

Michael (07:36): "I felt so light. I felt so present on that last day. I was so in tune. I don't think I've ever been that in tune. And that was work. It was just work."

He emphasizes that while hosting retreats is a significant endeavor, promoting consistent connections among men outside of their familial and professional lives is equally important. Michael encourages listeners to organize or participate in such gatherings to foster vulnerability and mutual support.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Michael wraps up the episode by urging his audience to prioritize meaningful connections and to consider participating in or hosting men's retreats. He also invites listeners to share the podcast with those who might benefit from its message, especially significant others who could support their partners in embracing men's work.

Michael (End): "Pass this podcast off to somebody that you think may need to hear it. If you're a wife or a girlfriend and you think that your significant other could use this, send it their way."

He concludes with a heartfelt appreciation for his listeners and encourages them to subscribe and leave reviews to help the podcast grow.

Key Takeaways

Importance of Vulnerability: Creating safe spaces for men to express emotions is crucial for mental and emotional well-being.
Transformative Practices: Breathwork, traditional plant medicines, and rites of passage can facilitate deep personal growth and healing.
Parental Influence: Active and intentional engagement with children can profoundly impact their development and confidence.
Ongoing Commitment: Hosting regular retreats and fostering consistent connections among men can counteract societal pressures and isolation.

Notable Quotes:

Michael (00:33): "Our habits will make us or they will break us. The decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings."
Michael (07:36): "My sons are my freaking teachers. I could do what I think is right to lead them, but they are going to teach me."
Michael (07:36): "Breathwork is just absolutely the most powerful form of therapy, self-development work I have ever experienced."

This episode serves as a compelling narrative on the significance of men's emotional health and the transformative power of disciplined habits and intentional connections. Michael Chernow's candid sharing offers listeners not only inspiration but also practical insights into fostering a fulfilling and balanced life.

Transcript

A (0:00)

I am not a guy or a person who really ever believes perfection is attainable. I like to. I like to run towards it. I'm very happy with excellence, but perfection. I don't think I've ever done anything perfectly outside of the Return to Self Men's retreat. I can confidently say it was perfect. It was perfect. I would not change a single thing. And why? What's going on?

B (0:33)

Podcast family. My name is Michael Chernow and this is the Creatures of Habit podcast. Our habits will make us or they will break us. I've lived on both sides of the tracks and have experienced some of the best and the worst that habits have in store. The decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings. This episode will be a solo episode where traditionally I interview guests. This is a solo episode where I share with you guys experiences that I've had, things that are relevant in my life today that I think could potentially be interesting for you to hear, things that I simply just want to share or quotes or activities that I've done over the last few weeks that have inspired me. So sit back, relax, and get out your pen and paper because what you hear in this podcast could potentially make some big changes in your life. Let's go.

A (1:35)

What up, y'? All? Welcome back to Monday Moments, Creatures of Habit podcast. If you're listening to this on a Monday, congratulations. Welcome to the beginning of the week. I want to just give a little recap about the last month of my life, but really what I want to focus on is the men's retreat that I hosted at my property about three and a half, four weeks ago. So this was something that I had been dreaming of for a long time. I wanted to get a bunch of dudes and if you're a female listening to this podcast, thank you. Thank you. For me, it has nothing to do with male, female. It has to do with the fact that I do believe that men need to be together and to connect and to bond. And I feel like it is much harder for men to do that on a regular basis. So I just got a calling to host men coming together to connect and to bond and to hopefully. My plan was to sort of purge some emotional, some suppressed emotions that men tend to get very comfortable suppressing and keeping inside and letting them out. So the retreat was called Return to Self and it was June 19th through the 23rd. So it was a long stint. It was a four day retreat and I thought that that was enough time for dudes to really connect, get to know each Other build a bond. And let me tell you something that happened. I am not a guy or a person who really ever believes perfection is attainable. I like to run towards it. I'm very happy with excellence. But perfection. I don't think I've ever done anything perfectly outside of the Return to Self men's retreat. I can confidently say it was perfect. It was perfect. I would not change a single thing. And why. The 30 men that showed up showed up ready to work. And this was not a fitness retreat. This was not a, like, all hangout, smoke cigars, talk about the giants retreat. This was a, hey, we're getting together to work. We're gonna do breath work. We're gonna meditate, we're gonna do some writing. We're gonna do some rites of passage stuff. We had some really incredible practitioners that showed up. They came with some traditional plant medicine, not psychoactive plant medicine, like cleansing plant medicine. We did something called combo, which I was very, very scared of, to be honest with you. I was super sc. It's a medicine from the Amazon, and it actually, it comes from a frog. It's like this frog secretion that you apply to a little burn that you put on your arm or on your chest or on your back. And it basically cleans out your system. It makes you feel really nauseous, really uncomfortable. Your whole body heats up, and then you purge, you throw up. And you don't throw up food. You only throw up bile. I was really surprised. It really. It cleans out like your gallbladder, your liver, and it was very uncomfortable, but it was super cleansing. I'm happy I did it. I was really scared to do it. We did another one called sananga, which is an eye drop, which, you know, you basically drop into your eyes, and it burns like hell. It like you feel like you're, you know, the front of your face is going to fall off for about five minutes, but then you open your eyes once it's over, and it's just. You are, like, crystal clear. It is, like, unbelievable. And so these medicines are these warrior medicines, these medicines that are done in the Amazon traditionally for men before they go hunting, so that they're just sharp and tight and crisp. We did a couple of Native American traditional rites of passage that were. That were just groundbreaking. I guess this is a long way of saying men, hear me for a minute. We walk around with a lot of pressure, A lot of pressure. It's just truth. Men walk around with a lot of pressure. No matter where you're from, no matter what background you were raised in. Men just walk around with a lot of pressure. And I'm, and I'm not saying that women don't, but I am saying that men walk around with a lot of pressure that they very rarely relieve. The guys that showed up here all came ready to get vulnerable. And around the first. The initial sort of fire ceremony that we had, the initial circle that we had, every guy got up and started talking, and within five minutes of speaking, all started crying. And I was blown away by that. Not only was I blown away by the vulnerability from all the men, but I was blown away by the fact that, like, these emotions are in us and we rarely have an opportunity or take an opportunity to let them out, especially in today's climate. You know, like, I used to get a little uncomfortable talking about men's work because I don't want to get crucified. I don't want, I don't want people to think that I'm hopping onto this, like, you know, masculinity thing. But I am not ashamed to talk about men's work today. I think it's very, very important to talk about men's work because guess when you are a busy dude and, you know, potentially you're married, potentially you have kids, potentially you're running a company or you are, you're, you're, you're. You got. Your work is intense, stressful work, you very rarely have time for yourself. You very rarely have time for yourself.