Upcoming Events
Australia MROP
The Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) is a five-day, four-night experience grounded in the wisdom of ancient initiation. It is not a retreat, lecture, or workshop. It is a sacred threshold—a chance to awaken the soul and remember who you are.
A Father For Generation Alpha
Dates:
Tuesdays, September 2 – October 28, 2025
Time: 9:00–10:00 pm (Eastern)
Format: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free (Donations welcome)
What kind of father does the next generation need?
A Father for Generation Alpha is an 8-week online series for men raising young children—especially those with kids born in 2010 or later. Together, we’ll explore what it means to show up with presence, intention, and heart in the sacred task of fatherhood.
Rooted in Illuman’s Five Touchstones, this experience weaves together story, ritual, spiritual practice, and honest brotherhood. It’s not about being a “perfect” dad. It’s about becoming a more grounded, generative one—connected to your values, your children, and a circle of men walking the path with you.
Each week includes:
Thoughtful themes and guided reflection
Tools and practices for meaningful fatherhood
Small group Council circles
Space for laughter, struggle, and support
Why join?
Reconnect with your deeper purpose as a dad
Share the joys and challenges of parenting with others
Learn to lead your family from a place of presence
Experience the power of being seen, heard, and supported
Watering Hole - Warrior Compassion: Unleashing the Healing Power of Men
Discover the healing power of the sacred masculine as we reimagine the Warrior archetype as a source of grounded presence, fierce compassion, and purposeful service.
Holy Ruckus: Indiana/Michigan
In a world of taking our lives oh-so-seriously, you’re invited to “return to square one and start over like children.” (Matthew 18:3) Consider this a permission slip to explore innocence and ruckus as pathways that support or shatter life. It’s time to shed self-defeating behaviors or beliefs that straight-jacket us from our glorious spontaneity, from abundant life (John 10:10), and keep us playing too small.
Southwest MROP
For the first time, Illuman’s foundational Men's Rites of Passage (MROP) will be held in Oklahoma at St. Crispin’s Conference Center and Camp. Nestled in central Oklahoma’s rolling, wooded hills and featuring three pristine, spring-fed lakes, this scenic location offers the ideal backdrop for this life-changing spiritual journey.
The Prophet's Path: Evolution In The Male Jourey
At certain moments in a man’s life, the path forward is no longer clear, and the call to deeper wisdom becomes undeniable. The Prophet’s Path: Evolution in the Male Journey is an invitation to explore this liminal space—where growth, transformation, and surrender intersect.
First Rites Virginia 2025: Young Men Rising
First Rites: Young Men Rising is a three-day camping experience to guide boys through the essential and sacred transition from boyhood to adolescence. Grounded in the tradition of rites of passage and rooted in the belief that every young man deserves intentional moments of reflection, challenge, and belonging, this experience invites boys to step more fully into who they are becoming.
Youth Rites of Passage Michigan 2025: Drum Making with Dads or Mentors
In a world that often leaves young men to find their way alone, Youth Rites of Passage (YROP) offers a sacred invitation: a shared journey between a teenage boy and his father or mentor. This 24-hour experience is intentionally designed as a threshold moment—an opportunity to mark the movement from adolescence into deeper maturity through hands-on ritual, storytelling, reflection in nature, and the building of a ceremonial drum.
Wisdom of the Wilderness: Turning to Our Wild Teachers
Join us this fall for Wisdom of the Wilderness—a weekend retreat led by guide Steve Thomas and hosted by Illuman of Illinois.
Returning to Pilgrim Park, our beloved liminal home amid the river valleys of northern Illinois, we will step into a full immersion with the natural world—a space of wandering, reflection, and soulful renewal.
Beyond Desire & Diminishment: Finding New Intimacy and Generativity as We Age
Hosted by Illuman of Texas
📍 McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
📅 October 24–26, 2025
🕐 Begins 1 pm Friday · Ends 12 pm Sunday (Central Time)
Overview
An event for initiated men or those sponsored by an initiated man
We have been given sacred gifts of desire, passion, and sensuality. The energetic pull of these divine offerings leads us into connection, intimacy, and procreation. Yet we struggle with the natural expression of these powerful attributes as a consequence of cultural conditioning, abuse, neglect, or any combination of these woundings.
As our physical capacities diminish through changes in health or the passage of time, we confront profound shifts in how our desires manifest. Often, we face the grief inherent in the losses these changes may bring. Rather than fully feeling this grief, which can serve as a portal to expanding consciousness, we are conditioned to fight our aging process, cling to youthfulness, and avoid the spiritual transformation of our own journey into dying.
Unburdened by the compelling and sometimes consuming nature of desirous longings and erotic preoccupations that might have dominated our younger decades, new possibilities in intimate relating may emerge in concert with our diminishments. This offering invites us to explore this realm of our maturation.
Guided by Illuman Elders Glenn Siegel and Jonathan Miller, Beyond Desire and Diminishment offers a highly experiential immersion that allows participants to explore deep questions of intimacy and sexuality, including loss, grief and hope.
We will be invited to:
Ground ourselves in the gifts we all carry and receive
Grieve for unfulfilled longings, what has been lost, or what never came to pass
Explore realms of intimacy beyond sexuality based on climax
Find our creativity and generatively in the midst of waning vitality & desire
We do not want cost to prevent any man from attending. Scholarships are available. If you would like to request a scholarship, please email illumanoftexas@gmail.com
NOTE: This event is for initiated men or for men sponsored by another initiated man.
The event will be held at McKinney Falls State Park, just outside of Austin. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the park via the website, and the check-in and out procedures.
Over and above our JOI registration fee of $160.00 there is a daily Park Fee of $6.00 for which you are responsible to pay to the park upon entrance. If you are a frequent user of the state park system, you may either have or want to purchase a SP Pass that allows you to forego the daily Park Fee. The SP Pass also covers the daily fee for persons with whom you are carpooling. Great reason to plan to ride with others.
We reserved five (5) cabins, numbered 1-5 on the park map. Each of these accommodate four (4) participants in either bunk beds or four single detached beds.
We want to support those that cannot sleep in tents due to physical or medical issues. Therefore, as you complete the registration form, indicate the requirement to have indoor accommodation.
We have six (5) camps sites, holding a total of 40 men. Please know the park website sets the number of participants for the campsites and limits the number of tents by restricting tents to the tent pad- (16 x16 sq. feet).
Contact: Illumanoftexas@gmail.com
47 Midlife Crisis Passage
Dates:
Tuesdays, November 4 – December 16, 2025
Time: 8:30–9:30 pm (Eastern)
Format: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free (Donations welcome)
Midlife isn’t a crisis. It’s a passage.
47: Navigating the Midlife Passage is a seven-week online offering for men who feel something shifting within—those navigating loss, transition, or simply the question, "What now?"
This cohort is designed for men in their 40s and 50s who are ready to engage in deeper reflection and intentional inner work. Rooted in Illuman’s Five Touchstones, we gather in ritual, story, and Council to explore identity, purpose, longing, and legacy—together.
Each week includes:
Guided themes and reflections
Film clips, poetry, and spiritual resources
A safe and confidential space to share your story
Council Circles for meaningful connection
A final ritual to honor the journey
Why join?
Reframe midlife as a sacred passage, not a problem to fix
Connect with a group of men walking a similar path
Uncover new insight, strength, and healing
Experience the gift of being seen and heard
Awaken 2025
Not just a typical “conference,” Awaken incorporates the touchstones that make Illuman’s work unique: deep inner work featuring ritual, teaching, nature wanderings, poetry, drumming, song, small group Councils, and open time to just rest, recreate, and connect.
Holy Ruckus: East Coast Collaborative
Under the auspices of IllumanECC, the Illuman brothers of NC and beyond are invited for a Holy Ruckus retreat weekend in Western NC to "regain a child-like sense of joy, happiness, and freedom to play again," with Matthew Lyda.
Ireland MROP
In today’s world of speed, distraction, and disconnection, many men never experience an intentional rite of passage. They move through life without being witnessed, without being challenged, without ever fully stepping into the depths of their own soul’s journey.
Youth Rites of Passage Texas 2025
Rooted in Illuman’s Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) and adapted specifically for teen boys, this four-day, three-night experience helps young men ages 16 and 17 take a meaningful step toward maturity. Through nature-based rituals, storytelling, council circles, contemplative space, and trusted elder guidance, YROP invites boys to explore their inner world and take responsibility for the kind of men they are becoming.
The Ocean of God’s Love: A Men’s Writing Retreat Inspired by Rumi
At our writing retreat, we will open our hearts to one of the most beloved poets of all time. Rumi may have lived an ocean away, yet his metaphors and vivid images of life, love, and God are as stirring today as they were when he wrote them 800 years ago. We will seek to let this poetic mystic illuminate our lives as we follow his universal call and share the specifics of our own stories. Capturing our thoughts through poetry and journaling, we shall connect with other men throughout this engaging weekend retreat.
Young Men’s Rites of Passage by Illuman of WA
For young men ages 18–25, this four-day Rites of Passage is an invitation to step across a threshold and into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a healthy, whole man in today’s world.
Rooted in ancient wisdom and guided by seasoned elders, this journey helps young men explore life’s transitions, uncover their unique gifts, and find their belonging—in the natural world, in community, and within themselves.
Germany MROP
Dates: June 25-29, 2025
Location: A stunning wilderness region in northern Bavaria, Germany
Easily accessible by flight, train, or car
Contact for Inquiries: mrop25@maennerpfade.org
Great Lakes MROP
Join us for the Men's Rites of Passage (MROP), a powerful five-day experience designed to guide men through a significant spiritual and personal transition. This immersive journey is ideal for men who are spiritually searching, have engaged in men’s inner work, and are open to transformation.
Participants should be prepared for physical challenges, including hiking, crawling, and fasting, and must have the mobility and health required for these activities.
West Coast MROP
The West Coast Men's Rites of Passage (MROP) / Umbrales is a unique five-day ceremonial event designed for men ready for a significant life transition. Rooted in the Judeo-Christian Catholic tradition, this transformative experience integrates elements of ritual, reflection, and wilderness immersion to help men reconnect with their inner self and their journey.
Exploring the Enneagram with Nature as a Guide
Join us for a weekend retreat where the wisdom of the Enneagram meets the healing and insight of time spent in nature. Through teachings, ritual, music, story, and solo time outdoors, this retreat offers a grounded, embodied approach to spiritual growth.
Pacific Northwest MROP
This immersive experience is set in the beautiful surroundings of Sky Camp Retreat Center, offering a tranquil space for introspection, growth, and connection with other men on the same journey. This is an opportunity to embrace vulnerability, release what no longer serves, and step into a renewed sense of life and belonging.
Recovery Monastery
Recovery Monastery is a 12-month, online cohort for men committed to long-term recovery and personal growth. Led by Matthew Lyda, long-time Illuman leader and ritual elder, this course invites men into a deeper, rewilded experience of recovery. Inspired by the rhythm and intention of traditional monastic life, this year-long experience offers structure, community, and sacred space for reflection, challenge, and restoration.
47 - Midlife Crisis Passage
Are you feeling stuck, restless, or searching for “something more” in the middle years of life? Join 47 – Navigating the Midlife Passage, an online community for men navigating the challenges and opportunities of midlife.
Together, we’ll explore themes of renewal, purpose, and connection through the guidance of Norman Fischer’s Sailing Home and other wisdom traditions.
Elders Rites of Passage
Join us at Johnsonburg Camp & Retreat Center in Johnsonburg, New Jersey for a five-day intensive that serves those beginning or already on the eldering journey.
Cultivating Community in a Time of Division
We live in an era marked by deep division and isolation. For many men, the call to live more authentically is met with few models and even fewer companions.
In this half-day gathering, we invite you to step away from the noise and enter a space of connection, reflection, and honest conversation. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate community as men—especially in a culture that often asks us to go it alone.
The Journey Home to Our True Selves: Grow More by Losing More
Growth is about becoming more self-aware of the skins we are living in—protective outer layers which have been critical to our safety and survival up to a point—but which no longer serve us and in fact stand in the way of our leadership and growth.
The Masculine and the Muse: Rediscovering Eros
What does it mean to be a man and rediscover the passion, romance, and creative power of Eros? How do we step beyond the routines of daily life, work, and relationships that may have left us feeling disconnected or uninspired?
In the Mouth of the Dragon, An Immersion into the Wilderness of Challenging Times
The dragon provides an image that draws us into the deep struggles we each must face at some point in our lives…of being thrust into the uncertainties of Liminal Space.
Watering Hole Event: A Journey with Dr. Randy Woodley
Join us as we enter the warmth of the spring season together with music, connection, and wisdom from nature. Led by CAC affiliate faculty, author, and Cherokee descendant, Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley, this event invites us to learn how Indigenous values and lifeways offer profound guidance for living in harmony with the Earth.
Beyond The Armor: Personal Transformation Through The Narrative Enneagram
True transformation begins when we remove the armor that no longer serves us. Beyond The Armor is a retreat that invites men into deep self-exploration through the Narrative Enneagram, an approach that emphasizes learning through personal storytelling.
A Father For Generation Alpha
A Transformative 9-Week Journey for Fathers and Soon-to-Be Fathers
Step into Fatherhood with wisdom, connection, and support.
Are you a new or soon-to-be Dad? Or do you know someone stepping into Fatherhood? Join us for a transformative 9-week online community for Fathers and soon-to-be Fathers, designed to meet you at this pivotal moment in your life.
The Enneagram Journey of Self-Discovery
For those new to the Enneagram or just beginning their journey, this online retreat offers a guided exploration of the core characteristics and traits of each Enneagram type. The goal is to help participants gain clarity and confidence in identifying their dominant type and understanding how it shapes their personal and spiritual growth.
Holden Men’s Retreat Co-hosted by Illuman of WA
Theme–Integrating the Masculine: Welcoming Home the Loyal Soldier
What holds you back from living fully out of your own belovedness? What holds you back from loving the world in a bold and beautiful way?
Healing After the Split: A Workshop for Separated and Divorced Men
This program is designed to help separated and divorced men navigate the often painful and disorienting experience of loss. If you are feeling hurt, angry, or lonely, this workshop invites you to work with others on a similar path toward healing and renewal. You do not need to have attended Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) to participate.
We will use spiritual practices and introspective tools to gently crack open the "hard nut of the ego" and let the light of healing in. Each session includes practices such as grounding, prayer, journaling, and shadow work.
Shadow Workshop: Exploring and Embracing the Shadow Within
Richard Rohr describes the Shadow as “the part of us that we do not want to see, our unacceptable self by reason of nature, nurture, and choice.” Barry Michels, co-author of The Tools, refers to it as "everything we don’t want to be but fear we are, represented in a single image. It’s called the Shadow because it follows us wherever we go."
This transformative workshop invites men to take the emotional risk of confronting their “inner yuck” and to begin developing a relationship with the Shadow.
Our Wild God: Exploring the Masculine Spiritual Journey
Join us for three transformative days at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien, IL, from January 31 to February 2, 2025, as we embark on a journey to reconnect with our inherent masculinity and explore the four major masculine archetypes: King, Lover, Warrior, and Magician.
Watering Hole Event
Our brains are the most complicated objects in the known universe.
"The human brain has 100 million neurons, each neuron connected to 10,000 other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe." – Michio Kaku
Join us for an evening of discovery and insight with acclaimed author Iain McGilchrist. Together, we’ll explore the marvels and mysteries of the brain—an extraordinary organ that guides us all forward.
The Ocean of God's Love: A Men's Writing Retreat Inspired by Rumi
You’re invited to join us for our annual writing retreat this coming January 10-12, 2025 at the Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning. At this year's in-person writing retreat, we will open our hearts to the words one of the most beloved poets of all time - Rumi!
Illuman Watering Hole Event – Dreamwork
Join us online for a free night of exploring our dreamworlds and remembering our Spiritual Guide Thomas Merton.
Elders At The Gate
Presented by Illuman NorCal but open to ALL, Elders at the Gate is a three-day virtual experience inviting men into deeper brotherhood with themselves, others, and the Spirit.
47 – Navigating the Midlife Passage
“47 – Navigating the Midlife Passage,” is an online community for men who are navigating the delicate time of midlife. We will use Norman Fischer’s work, Sailing Home, as our companion on the Journey, along with other Wisdom Guides, to help show us the way Home.
Practicing Presence: A Spiritual Intention (Online Workshop)
A 10-week online workshop beginning on Monday, October 7, 2024 thru December 9, 2024.