The Whetstone of the Soul: Sharpening Masculinity Through Rest and Reflection (Video)
The deep, grounded strength we long for isn’t forged in the grind. It’s shaped in moments of deliberate rest, prayerful meditation, and unhurried reflection.
Below is a video I’ve come back to several times because it reminds me of something I can’t afford to forget. As an Enneagram 3 and ENTJ, I know how easy it is to sideline unhurried reflection in favour of getting more done. For many men, this pressure feels almost hardwired—the drive to produce, achieve, and measure our worth by what we’ve built or accomplished. But without the whetstone of the soul—deliberate, unhurried, prayerful meditation and deep thinking—something vital erodes. Life becomes dull, blunted, and disconnected from the deeper things that make us truly alive.
Chris Williamson’s conversation with Dry Creek DeWayne speaks directly to this struggle. DeWayne doesn’t just critique "hustle culture"; he offers a vision for soulful balance that every man needs to hear. “A balanced man needs to work to improve himself, but he also needs to sit by the fire, have a cigar, and read some Kipling.” It’s a reminder that rest and reflection aren’t indulgences; they’re the practices that sharpen us for the lives we’re called to lead.
Much of the “manosphere” pushes young men toward relentless striving, and many of us end up mistaking busyness for purpose. But strength and clarity aren’t forged through perpetual grinding. The deep, grounded strength we long to live from emerges when we pause, pray, reflect, and reconnect with the rhythms that feed and renew the soul. And that never happens when we live from an internal posture of hurried anxiety and insecurity.
If, like me, you’re a “Type A with a Type B problem,” take the time to watch this clip. It’s a powerful appeal to reclaim balance and rediscover the practices that keep your soul sharp and your spirit alive.