Unlocking Self-Discovery: The Power of Misogi in One Man’s Journey

Misogi, a traditional Japanese practice, represents a journey of intense personal challenge and transformation. It’s not merely an act of physical endurance but a profound test of mental and spiritual fortitude. The concept revolves around undertaking an endeavor so daunting that its impact reverberates throughout the rest of the year, reshaping one's perspectives and redefining personal limits.

Jesse Itzler, a prominent advocate of this practice, incorporates Misogi into his philosophy of life and encourages others to do the same. According to Itzler, Misogi is about stepping far outside one’s comfort zone to experience a life-changing event. It’s about pushing the boundaries of what we believe we are capable of, and in doing so, discovering new dimensions of resilience and strength. Itzler describes it as a challenge so significant that it influences every other day of the year, creating lasting change and growth.

In this week’s edition of the Harder To Kill newsletter, we delve into the Misogi experience of one of our Argent Alpha members. At 63 years old, Judge Bellamak embarked on a profound journey that tested his physical, mental, and spiritual limits. His reflections offer invaluable insights into the nature of such challenges and the transformation they can bring about. His story serves as a testament to the power of Misogi and the remarkable capacity for growth it unlocks.

Below is an excerpt from Judge’s Misogi. At the end, you’ll find a link to the full account of his transformative experience.

To the men of Argent Alpha and others my age, I offer my thoughts and experiences from my Misogi.  It’s a snapshot of my mindset, created in great part by contributions from you and this forum.  

My Shortened Yardstick

I am 63 and I wonder, what is my measure?  Would it differ from yours?  Do I get to pick the yardstick of my measure?  Do you pick yours?  How different are they from men of 1724, 1824, or 1924?  Would I measure up to those men?  

Is the temperature of my house within 1 degree of perfect?  Is my refrigerator full of what pleases my tongue?  Is 20-miles a great distance, or just 10-minutes away in my luxury chariot?  Do I sleep in a $5,000 bed with $1,000 of bedding?  Is my wardrobe fit for any occasion?  Do I appreciate my great comforts, or do I collect them?  Am I entitled to them?  Do they define me?  Is this how I measure?

Am I safe at every moment? Are my protections in my control?  Would I adapt in a hurry, organize a militia, storm a beach, or defend myself in the face of great danger?  Have I ever even felt real danger?  Could I be dirty and tired for more than a few hours?  Could I sleep on the ground, and wonder if I’ll eat?  Could I be vulnerable to the weather without walls to protect me or the comforts of my home?  Could I rise with the sun and sleep with the darkness?  Could I relax 30 miles from civilization with no source of travel but my feet and no roads or maps to guide me?  Is this how I measure?

Am I stimulated by a thousand sources with just a couple of clicks?  Could I adapt to the absence of constant input, instant communication and 24-hour entertainment?  Would my mind suffer knowing there won’t soon be a ding?  Could I be quiet and truly alone?  Would I be bored?  Would it torment me?  Would my joy fade?  Am I addicted to stimulation and comfort?  Has it dulled my senses?  Is this how I measure?

Do I believe the voices in my head?  Do they tell me the truth?  Am I too old, too broken, too laden with responsibilities for risk?  Does worry decide for me?  Do other people’s worries decide?  Will the 4^th quarter of my life be a triumph or a whimper?  Does my hope, my desire and my courage come only from me?  Is there a higher source? Do I even know what I believe? Do I believe what I say I believe?

Is the yardstick of my measure still 36 inches, or has my automated, digital, anxious, amazon delivered, overstimulated, safe luxury life reduced it by half?  Could I add back an inch to my shortened yardstick?  Would I even think to try?

I do want to try.  This is the purpose of my Misogi.

Misogi – “something so hard that it has an impact on the other days of the year.”

My life is like a river.  Small beginnings that gain momentum over miles of time.  It grows, meandering its way through open wild territory taking input and accumulating power.  It devastates and it nourishes.  It’s not in control. Its greatest moments happen hidden from sight. It is beautiful.  And then, as it ages, it is tamed.  It gets managed, protected, and divided into clean smooth canals and pipes that end at storage tanks and refinement centers.  Sadly, in the end, its waters may leak from my hose bib, evaporate from my swimming pool, or wash down the drain while I wait for the perfect temperature in my shower. Its journey unnoticed by the urban sprawl it facilitates.  

I began like this, and my ending may be just as humble, BUT NOT TODAY!  There is a river in Arizona. It is like my life. It has a quiet beginning in the high country near New Mexico and a humble ending swallowed up by the Greater Phoenix metroplex.  It is most majestic in the middle.  It would have been ruined long ago with resorts, golf courses, tourist towns and campgrounds if not for its saving grace, the Apache. 

Two adjoining reservations were created in 1872, forty years before Arizona became the 48^th state.  Those reservations are separated by my river, The Black River.  Since that time, we’ve manipulated our land, the Apache did not.  We swapped our ownership, master-planned our acreage, developed great cities, and populated in abundance while the Apache did not.  God Bless the Apache.  For $20/day and with a good 4X4 vehicle, I can reach this untouched river canyon. Like a time-machine in a movie, I can stand at the threshold of the 1800s just 4 hours from my front door.  No roads, no power lines, no bridges, no dams, no stores, no campgrounds, and because of this, NO PEOPLE.  

I’ll be dropped off 500 feet above the river where an un-drivable dirt road marks a river crossing that doesn’t exist.  That descent is my portal.  I’ll be at 5000 feet and 30-miles from anything modern in every direction. There is no cell reception there, Thanks be to God!

I’ll spend 7 nights and travel 18 miles of river, alone.  I’ll filter my water, catch bass for dinner, and carry what fits in my backpack.  I’ll have 3 battery operated items: a headlamp, a camera, and a satellite phone.  I plan to use two of them.  I’ll have no alcohol, no tobacco, no stimulants, and no firearm.  Am I worried about my safety? Nope, though danger does exist I’m confident that I’ll reach my pickup spot on day 8.  Am I fearless? Nope.  But my greatest fear is not physical.  I fear what my mind will do in the absence of constant stimulation.  

When were you last bored?  How long did it linger?  2 minutes? Less?  How quickly did you cure it?  With one click or two?  Is it even possible to experience boredom in our world?  Is boredom bad? Perhaps boredom isn’t a plague of the mind but a doorway to something greater. A doorway I never open because I’ve auto defaulted to stimulation for so long.  How far and how long can I explore the absence of input?  What will surface?  Will it be crazy or brilliant?  Will I feel joy or pain? Is a week enough time to find out? Is it too long?  I intend to find out.

My good friend Jag accuses me of asking questions I already know the answer to.  He is right.  I’m testing the answers.  I’m testing myself.  So then, what is my measure?  I believe it belongs to God, but it is within me.  My search for God’s guidance is ongoing and growing.  I ask him and he answers, but I think I don't hear him.  My mind is too cluttered with auto defaults. I want to clear them away.  I can’t do that inside my daily life. I need to be completely alone.  If I Misogi, will I hear him?  I hope so.  

For the full account of Judge’s Misogi, including the preparations, the challenges faced, and the profound insights gained, please follow this link. His story is not just an account of endurance but a compelling narrative of self-discovery and transformation.

One of our original members, and a good friend, Tom S., once joked that he joined Argent Alpha because Greek (another friend and OG member) told him, "All you have to do is a lot of push-ups and drink a lot of water."

Many of our members are initially drawn to Argent Alpha by the desire to get in better shape and improve their health. And that’s exactly what happens. Body fat melts away, layers of life-extending muscle are added, sleep and blood work improve, and medications are reduced—or even eliminated.

But there’s more to the story. As they progress, something even more powerful begins to unfold. They experience a dramatic shift in how they see themselves. Their mindset shifts, expands, and brightens. They start doing things their previous selves would never have dreamed of doing.

What they ultimately discover is the strength of a community of like-minded men who are determined to make the second half of life the best half.

Sure, everything we do can be done solo. But there are two questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Will you actually do it?

2. If you start, will you stick with it?

And here’s the most important question: Are you ready to stop thinking about it and start acting on it?

If your answer is “Hell Yes,” visit us at Argent Alpha.