Chop Wood, Carry Water:

The Modern Man’s Path to Karma Yoga

There’s a quiet strength in simplicity.

The phrase “Chop wood, carry water” is more than just a Zen koan—it’s a timeless call to action for the modern man. It speaks to the grounded, day-by-day process of becoming, through doing. In an age of quick fixes and spiritual bypassing, this ancient wisdom reminds us that the real work of life is in the everyday, the ordinary, the repetitive. It’s in the sweat of your brow, the care you give to your whānau, the things you build with your hands, the love you offer without asking for return.

But this isn’t just about getting the job done. This is about Kama Yoga—the yoga of action, the path of selfless service, where every act becomes a step on the journey of self-discovery, refinement, and ultimately, mastery.

Earlier this year I attended the @sacredsons Embodied Masculine Experience (EMX) in NSW, Australia. 100 or so brave men gathered in the bush for 4 days of immersion in brotherhood, paddling on to this global tidal wave of men’s empowerment and connection.

It’s funny how only 4 days can hold so much variety in one experience. This one was all the things for me. Rich. Deep. Challenging. Enlivening. Confusing. Numb. Awkward. Expansive. Particularly being surrounded by other Kiwis and Australians with our very nuanced masculine challenges and quirks. Finding how we connect beyond the rugby changing rooms or the (comfortable) mask of alcohol culture.

B R O S is a movement focused on optimising the connection, purpose, and vitality of men.

We create spaces for brothers to connect with their primal and divine masculine essence — with accountability, ritual, and celebration.

We began the journey of this work at the foundation of Organic Mechanic (OM), a wellbeing social enterprise & community specialising in organic smoothies, probiotic kombucha & transformational events, founded in 2013 by 5 brothers from 4 different mothers.