Upcoming Events
Howling at the Moon 2026
Howling at the Moon 2026
Your next step on the path to becoming who you are meant to be.
Howling at the Moon is an Illuman cohort immersion for men who feel called to deep personal work and the recovery of wholeness. Through self-awareness, inner self-healing, and connection with the deeper archetypal self, participants explore the protective and fragmented parts of the psyche that shape how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world. Carl Jung called this process the “path to individuation”: the lifelong journey of becoming who you are meant to be.
This experience begins with four online Council sessions and concludes with a five-day, in-person wilderness immersion at Aravaipa Canyon Ranch in Arizona. The current immersion draws from Bill Plotkin’s Wild Mind, along with readings from other cultural and spiritual guides.
The Main Practices Include:
Cultivation of wholeness
Council and mirror work
Group mirror training
Solo wilderness wanders
Individual dreamwork, active imagination, and guided mirror work
Self-designed ceremony
Who Is This For?
This immersion is appropriate for any man who wishes to cultivate deeper aliveness, authenticity, and connection with soul. Through time in the natural world, participants will deepen their relationship with the wild, with Spirit, and with the protective parts of the psyche that may have shaped or limited their lives.
For some men, this work may culminate in a Men’s Rites of Passage, creating space to ceremonialize transformation and mark the threshold into a new season of life.
Event Details
Dates (Online Council): August 10 and 24, September 7 and 21; 5 PM PT
Dates (In-Person Immersion): September 27 - October 2, 2026
In-Person Immersion Location: Aravaipa Canyon Ranch, Arizona. Accommodations available in the ranch house or camping.
Price: $875
Questions? Contact John Lew at gjohnlew@gmail.com or Dan Dolquist at dandolquist@gmail.com
Great Lakes Men's Rites of Passage
The Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) experience is Illuman’s signature event, created by Franciscan Richard Rohr and friends, and offered in nine countries for thousands and thousands of men. This 5-day intensive helps men like you awaken to the adventure and mystery of your own masculinity, your deep spirituality, your place in the world, and the way of wisdom.
Elders' Rites of Passage (EROP for Men)
The Elders’ Rites of Passage centers around a five-day intensive retreat that serves those beginning or already on the eldering journey.
Breaking the Spell
Breaking the Spell
Breaking the Spell is a free Illuman online offering inspired by Gerald May’s most sought-after work, Addiction and Grace. This 7-week online course and discussion group explores the learned patterns of behavior, often called “addictions” or “attachments,” that everyone develops over time, and how to move past them into a new chapter of life. Its teaching divides into three areas of learning, sharing, and growth: Assessment, Acceptance, and Awakening.
Quotes from Past Participants:
"Addiction is often a very difficult subject to approach. A beautiful strength of this program is the slow introduction of three phases of Assessment, Acceptance, and Awakening."
"It was really wonderful to witness participants share their stories of struggle and the wisdom they were able to glean from it. There is so much wisdom in this group."
"This program came along at a time when I'm facing old behavior patterns and attachments, learning to love and accept myself in them, and releasing control to allow grace to do the healing. The perspectives shared in council and the resources provided encouraged me to keep moving through the process and lean into forgiveness along the way. I'm feeling lighter and more accepting of where I am."
"The inner work of finding healing from the attachments we have built is, without a doubt, what transformation is all about."
Event Details:
Dates: Every Tuesday from September 15 to October 27
Time: 8:30 - 9:30 PM ET
Location: Online
Pricing: FREE
Questions? Contact breakingthespell.2025@gmail.com
The Practice of Presence: A Monthly Community Call
Join Jim Heaney, Jim Taylor, and Brian Mueller for our new monthly community call exploring the book Choosing Presence and the Practice of Presence. Everyone is welcome (men and women) to this open gathering where our hosts will share stories, helpful information, and invite your questions and reflections about the Practice of Presence. Starting Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 9am Pacific / 11am Central / 12pm Eastern. Save the dates and stay tuned for more details regarding specific topics and the call structure!
Prophetic Perspectives: Propelling Mindful Masculinity
Prophetic Perspectives: Propelling Mindful Masculinity
It is a long-standing axiom in Illuman that men are addicted to their own old ways of thinking. These old ways of thinking show up negatively in our emotions, our intimate relationships, and our complicated, often stressful relationship with money.
This retreat in the wild beauty of Jemez Springs, New Mexico, will explore how a mindful masculinity grounded in emotional sobriety can help propel us toward a better relationship with God, ourselves, and the world. Money can become a servant rather than a tedious chore.
Event Details:
Date: September 23-27
Location: Hummingbird Music Camp, Jemez Springs, New Mexico
Price: $700 (partial scholarships available)
Questions? Contact Geno Gallegos at desertskyg3@gmail.com
Due to the rugged and rustic nature of this retreat, registrants will need to complete a medical questionnaire.
Men’s Rites of Passage Texas
Men’s Rites of Passage Texas 2026
"An important, life changing experience, it took me apart and put me back together, one of the best things I’ve ever done."
Step Beyond the Ordinary. Awaken to the Extraordinary.
Many men reach a stage where the old ways of living no longer feel enough. Work, family, or success may look fine on the outside, but inside there can be a sense that something’s missing.
The Men’s Rites of Passage is a five-day retreat designed to help you reflect, discover a deeper sense of who you are and what matters most, and step more fully into the man you want to be.
What this is:
Inspired by the work of Richard Rohr, The Rites of Passage is a journey of masculine spirituality. It offers a safe but challenging space where men support one another to grow, to face themselves honestly, and to step forward with fresh clarity and purpose. It is active, participatory, and designed to help you reconnect with what really matters in your life.
What this isn't:
This is not a boot camp, and there is no “pass or fail.” It is not religious, but it is spiritual and it welcomes men of all faiths or none. This isn't a passive retreat. You won’t be sitting back. You’ll be asked to engage fully in an experience that can open the door to real change.
The Rites are open to all men, whatever your age, background, sexuality, ethnicity, or belief. If you feel drawn to take a deeper look at your life, this is for you.
What you'll experience:
Across five days you’ll take part in:
Time outdoors in nature – including time alone for reflection.
Shared circles with other men – listening, speaking honestly, and being heard.
Simple practices with fire, drumming, and quiet that help you slow down and reconnect to something bigger.
Support from experienced guides – men who’ve been through this process themselves and will walk alongside you.
Why Take Part?
Because you're ready to:
Step away from the busyness and pressures of everyday life.
Look honestly at the challenges, wounds, or questions you carry.
Find strength and encouragement in the company of other men.
Step into the man you want to be.
Return to your life with fresh energy, insight, and commitment.
Men who have completed the Rites often speak of it as a turning point: a moment where they began living with more courage, authenticity, and connection:
"The rites peeled back all that had calloused inside me. The hurt, the rage, the disappointment, the black tar goo that weighed heavy on my heart. I've felt a deeper connection to my maleness, to nature, to the idea of being of service to others. I now feel able to share my life with my partner, I feel like a father and am acting accordingly. All of this is coming more easily, more instinctually now. I'm still in my job but I'm making plans, looking at my options, I'm excited by the prospects for once."
Event details:
Date: September 30 – October 4, 2026
Location: John Knox Ranch, Fischer, Texas
Cost: $450 is what it costs us to host the event, and is the minimum we're asking those to pay who can cover this cost. If you are unable to cover this, please request a scholarship by emailing illumanoftexas@gmail.com. If you are able, we invite you to overpay to help cover the cost of another man who needs to undertake this necessary journey.
We will contact you within 10 days of your registration to confirm it and send further instructions regarding travel, transportation, what to bring, and suggestions to prepare you to get the most out of your MROP.
If you have questions about the MROP or would like guidance in determining if this program is right for you at this time, please contact Brian Fairchild, brianlfairchild@icloud.com.
Youth Drum Making Rite of Passage
Youth Drum Making Rite of Passage
Young people need meaningful ways to mark the passage toward adulthood. Without trusted guides, shared ritual, and a supportive community, many are left to navigate this important threshold on their own.
This Youth Rites of Passage offers a man and a teenage youth the opportunity to step away from daily life and enter a safe, supportive, and appropriately challenging experience together. Through time in nature, meaningful ritual, reflection, and shared work, each pair will have space to strengthen their relationship and explore a healthy vision of growing into manhood.
At the heart of the retreat is the experience of building a drum together. As the drum takes shape, its materials and construction offer simple, powerful ways to reflect on growth, struggle, change, and connection. The finished drum becomes a lasting reminder of the experience and the journey that continues afterward.
This retreat is designed for pairs: a father, grandfather, uncle, mentor, or other trusted man accompanying a youth ages 13–17. Come build something together, deepen your bond, and take an important step on the journey ahead.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, October 3 - Sunday, October 4; Arrival at 3:30 PM ET
Location: DeSales Camp, 1142 Ventura Drive, Brooklyn, Michigan 49230
Pricing: $195 per adult/youth team (scholarships available)
Questions? Contact Tom Pawlak at tpawlak14@yahoo.com or call 989-525-6763.
First Rites: Young Men Rising
Moving from boyhood through adolescence is never easy. At this camp, you’ll find safe, meaningful ways to rise to the challenges of being a young man. By spending three days in nature, you’ll build real bonds with other guys your age and authentic men by overcoming challenges, playing games, and discovering what it means to be a young man rising.
47 Midlife Crisis Passage (Fall)
Dates:
Tuesdays, November 3 – December 15, 2026
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 2026
In a world filled with noise, distraction, and competing ideas about masculinity, many men find themselves asking a deeper question: What does it mean to live as a man who is fully alive?
That question lies at the heart of Illuman’s work and guides our time together at Awaken 2026. Across traditions and cultures, men have sought ways to grow in wisdom, compassion, and courage. Yet many of the spaces that once supported this journey have faded, leaving men to navigate life’s thresholds alone. Awaken creates a place where men can gather, reflect, and rediscover what it means to live from the sacred masculine.
Awaken is a gathering where men explore the stories that shape their lives. Some stories bring strength and belonging. Others carry wounds, confusion, or unfinished chapters. Together, we listen to these stories with honesty and care, discovering how they continue to guide our relationships, our purpose, and our presence in the world.
Within Illuman’s brotherhood, this exploration becomes a shared practice. No man completes this journey alone. Through reflection, conversation, and ritual, we learn to recognize the sacred masculine as something lived and embodied—expressed through our unique histories, our communities, and the everyday moments of our lives. At Awaken, we cultivate this work together through:
Contemplative spiritual practices
Inspiring speakers and storytellers
Authentic connection in small council circles
Meaningful rituals and shared experiences
Time in nature and space for reflection
Rest, laughter, and renewal alongside other men
Join us at Awaken 2026 as we explore the stories that have shaped our lives, rediscover the sacred masculine within us, and grow as men who are ready to serve our families, communities, and the wider world.
Rooted in the Land: A Men's Writing Retreat Inspired by Wendell Berry
Save the date for a weekend of reflection, writing, and brotherhood inspired by the poetry and agrarian wisdom of Wendell Berry. Join us at the Bergamo Center in Ohio this January 2027 as we write our way into deeper connection.
A Father For Generation Alpha
Dates:
Tuesdays, February 9 – April 13, 2027
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
Wisdom’s Constraint and the Making of Sanctuary
Wisdom’s Constraint and the Making of Sanctuary
Many men live under the spell of progress: the belief that we can resolve whatever is wrong by moving faster, working harder, and becoming more capable.
Often, that lifestyle seems to work. But over time, the same strengths that helped us succeed begin to wear something down, especially in our friendships, our homes, and the places where we are most deeply known.
Wisdom’s Constraint is an invitation for men to slow down together and notice what happens when effort, competence, and clarity no longer answer the deeper questions of our lives. In a time marked by exhaustion, polarization, loneliness, and uncertainty, this retreat will explore a deeper crisis beneath the surface: a crisis of relationality.
Together, we will consider what it means to cultivate relational stamina: the capacity to stay present, grounded, and connected when things break down, remain unresolved, or cost more than they give. The point isn’t to abandon strength but to discover a more resilient strength within relationships.
How to Participate:
Gather locally in groups of 3 or more men to fully participate in the retreat.
In Person at Richmond Hill: We encourage men in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia areas to join us in person at Richmond Hill, Virginia.
Don’t Just Listen—Engage: This event isn’t just a broadcast. Terry Chapman and Jim Burns will facilitate an interactive, integrated, and participatory experience.
Event Details:
Dates: Friday, July 31, 7 - 9:30 PM ET and Saturday, August 1, 8:30 AM - 4 PM ET
Location: Online on Zoom OR in person at Richmond Hill, Richmond, Virginia
Pricing:
Attending remotely is FREE
In-person attendance is $125 for double occupancy or $160 for single occupancy
Conveners: Terry Chapman and Jim Burns
Questions? Contact Jim Burns at Jim.Burns@Illuman.org
Youth Rites of Passage: Colorado
The Youth Rites of Passage (YROP) are initiation rites that have been adapted and adjusted for teenage boys from Illuman’s Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) model.
The preferred age range is 14-15.
These rites are intended to prepare each boy emotionally and spiritually for what lies ahead in adulthood. Through the use of trusted council, mythology, contemplative prayer, and simple ritual, the rites team and the elders will provide the structure and support for the boys to begin individuating away from the security of home and childhood, and step forward into a deeper understanding of their duty toward and benefits from the community that will continue to gather around them as men.
One (or more) adult males must accompany the boy: father, grandfather, uncle, surrogate, etc...
The fee is $175 per adult and $175 per teen boy.
Scholarships are available.
To sign up, please email the coordinator, Matt Burch at matthewrburch@gmail.com.
By return email, you will receive an application and medical waiver which need to be filled out, signed and returned, instructions on how to submit payment, and directions to the retreat site.
UK MROP
About the event
"An important, life changing experience, it took me apart and put me back together, one of the best things I’ve ever done."
Step Beyond the Ordinary. Awaken to the Extraordinary.
Many men reach a stage where the old ways of living no longer feel enough. Work, family, or success may look fine on the outside, but inside there can be a sense that something’s missing.
The Men’s Rites of Passage is a five-day retreat designed to help you reflect, discover a deeper sense of who you are and what matters most, and step more fully into the man you want to be.
What this is:
Inspired by the work of Richard Rohr, The Rites of Passage is a journey of masculine spirituality. It offers a safe but challenging space where men support one another to grow, to face themselves honestly, and to step forward with fresh clarity and purpose. It is active, participatory, and designed to help you reconnect with what really matters in your life.
What this isn't:
This is not a boot camp, and there is no “pass or fail.” It is not religious, but it is spiritual and it welcomes men of all faiths or none. This isn't a passive retreat – you won’t be sitting back. You’ll be asked to engage fully in an experience that can open the door to real change.
The Rites are open to all men – whatever your age, background, sexuality, ethnicity, or belief. If you feel drawn to take a deeper look at your life, this is for you.
What you'll experience:
Across five days you’ll take part in:
Time outdoors in nature – including time alone for reflection.
Shared circles with other men – listening, speaking honestly, and being heard.
Simple practices with fire, drumming, and quiet that help you slow down and reconnect to something bigger.
Support from experienced guides – men who’ve been through this process themselves and will walk alongside you.
Why Take Part?
Because you're ready to:
Step away from the busyness and pressures of everyday life.
Look honestly at the challenges, wounds, or questions you carry.
Find strength and encouragement in the company of other men.
Step into the man you want to be.
Return to your life with fresh energy, insight, and commitment.
Men who have completed the Rites often speak of it as a turning point: a moment where they began living with more courage, authenticity, and connection:
"The rites peeled back all that had calloused inside me. The hurt, the rage, the disappointment, the black tar goo that weighed heavy on my heart. I've felt a deeper connection to my maleness, to nature, to the idea of being of service to others. I now feel able to share my life with my partner, I feel like a father and am acting accordingly. All of this is coming more easily, more instinctually now. I'm still in my job but I'm making plans, looking at my options, I'm excited by the prospects for once."
Click here to read what men are saying about the Rites
Event details:
Date: 22 – 26 July 2026
Location: The Bield, Perth, Scotland (PH1 1PY). The Bield (an old Scottish word meaning refuge, strength, and nurture) is a beautiful, peaceful space that invites the necessary stillness for deep reflection, and supports the kind of quiet alchemy necessary for the Rites.
Cost: £550. The Male Journey is committed to ensuring no man is turned away because of money. Bursaries are available if needed. Please contact convenors@malejourney.org.uk to discuss this. For men who are able we ask you to consider over-paying with a donation of £100 to £200 that will go towards supporting another man to attend the Rites
Please also note:
All leaders give their time voluntarily, which keeps the cost far below what a similar commercial retreat would normally charge.
The price covers all meals and camping. You’ll need to bring your own tent, sleeping bag, and camping kit.
Travel to Perth is your responsibility, though car sharing may be possible with other participants.
For a surcharge of £150, indoor bedrooms are reserved for men who could not otherwise attend (e.g. due to health or accessibility needs). If you need this option, please let us know when applying.
How to Apply:
Applying is simple:
Complete this application form.
You’ll be asked for some basic personal details and a few short questions about why you feel drawn to take part in the Rites of Passage.
Once submitted, one of our team will be in touch to confirm your place.
Once your place is confirmed you will be asked to pay the fee via card payment or bank transfer.
This isn’t a test — it’s simply a way for us to understand your journey and ensure the Rites are the right step for you at this time.
Not sure yet? Ask for a call with one of our team by completing the form on this page. We’ll listen and help you decide whether this is right for you.
Return of the Prodigal Son
Return of the Prodigal Son
Building on key elements of the Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP)—including the call to accountability, the journey from the false self to the true self, and the wisdom of “dying before you die”—Illuman of Minnesota invites men into a challenging summer retreat rooted in the spirituality of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).
Set in the quiet beauty of Osprey Wilds, this weekend experience offers a deeper journey of return, identity, and belonging. The retreat extends the work of the MROP through solitude in the wilderness, meaningful one-on-one sharing, and deep ritual. Whether or not they have been initiated, men will find in this retreat an important next step in their spiritual journey.
The retreat includes a 24-hour silent overnight camping and fasting experience. Please bring a tent.
Event Details:
Cost: $275 (scholarships available)
Location: Osprey Wilds, 54165 Audubon Drive, Sandstone, MN, 55072
Dates: June 26-28
Questions? Contact Ken Beck at SheriKenBeck@yahoo.com
A Contemplative Wandering 2026 (Ohio)
Come join the men of Ohio Illuman for a wandering at Caesar Creek State Park.
Our lives are full of decisions. Sometimes we have to go through something; while other times we can go around it. This year's gathering — Rest with Mother Nature — opens with brief reflective readings and check‑ins before we set out. As we walk up the hills, across the fields, and along the lake, we will journey deeper into our own lives.
The Elders Weave (East Coast Collaborative)
Folks from 10+ countries and 36 states have attended the Elders’ Rites of Passage® which centers around a five-day intensive retreat that serves those beginning or already on the eldering journey. Eldering like all of life, has its own seasons, beginning with the most socially active and energetic eldering years, through the release of roles and responsibilities, and the lifting of the eye to a broader more distant horizon.
Live Poetry Online
Live Poetry Online
In the Illuman tradition, poetry helps us slow down, listen from the heart, and give language to our deepest experiences. It can open a path toward honesty, wonder, grief, and gratitude, helping us hear more clearly what is moving within us and among us.
Now, we invite you to join your Illuman brothers online for an evening of poetry, where men can bring a poem of their own or one that has spoken to them and share what stirs in them as they read, write, listen, and reflect together.
Event Details:
Cost: Free
Location: Online on Zoom (link will be provided)
Time: 8-9:30pm ET
Questions? Contact Bill Prindle at prindles2004@msn.com
The Zoom link will be provided through the ECC newsletter and the Online Community. If you would like Illuman to email the link to you directly, please contact Bill Prindle.
NorCal MROP
May 13-17, 2026
Contact: Rich Gierak
A Threshold Experience for the Soul
In a world that often demands performance, perfection, or pretending, the Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) offers something radically different:
A place to lay down what no longer serves.
A chance to remember who you are.
This five-day gathering is not a workshop or a retreat. It is a sacred container—rooted in nature, ritual, and deep listening—where men of all backgrounds can awaken to the deeper questions of life:
Who am I beneath the roles I play?
What is mine to do in this world?
How do I live with purpose, vulnerability, and strength?
Set in the wild beauty of Northern California’s EverGreen Ranch, this MROP invites you to step across the threshold into a more grounded, soulful masculinity—one guided by Spirit, community, and ancient wisdom.
What to Expect
Through quiet reflection, simple rituals, time on the land, and the Way of Council, you’ll be invited into a process that is both deeply personal and held by a larger circle of men walking beside you.
You won’t be lectured or shamed.
You won’t be asked to perform.
You will be invited to show up honestly and fully, just as you are.
No prior religious affiliation is required. This experience is open to all male-identified persons who are physically and emotionally able to participate in a wilderness-based program.
Come As You Are
At Illuman, we believe that real transformation doesn’t come from information—it comes from lived experience.
The Men’s Rites of Passage is not about fixing yourself.
It’s about remembering yourself.
Come with curiosity.
Come with questions.
Come ready to begin again.
47 Midlife Crisis Passage (Spring)
Dates:
Tuesdays, May 5 – June 16, 2026
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
Gratitude Retreat
We’ll walk through scenarios that invite us to consider the significance of life’s events and how to separate “gratitude” from merely being gratified.
Being Masculine in a Patriarchal World
This immersive men’s gathering invites brothers into a deeper, embodied exploration of masculinity beyond performance, domination, or withdrawal. Rooted in inter-spiritual wisdom, depth psychology, and somatic practice, the weekend offers space to reconnect with the heart, strengthen the spine, and cultivate a grounded, life-giving presence.
Through ritual, council, contemplative movement, and archetypal teachings, participants will explore what it means to live as men shaped by tenderness and strength, awareness and devotion. Together, we will examine how patriarchy has impacted our bodies, relationships, and souls—and how a more integrated masculine can emerge in service to self, community, and the world.
This retreat is for men seeking authenticity, connection, and a mature expression of the sacred masculine—one rooted in presence rather than performance, and in blessing rather than control.
Presented by Ryan Schmidt, Andrew Miller & Joshua Boulter
Guided meditations by Terry Frisbie & Hunter Close
We do not want the cost to prevent any man from attending. Scholarships are available. If you would like to request a scholarship, please email illumanoftexas@gmail.com
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 $200.00, there is a daily Park Fee of $6.00, which you are responsible for paying 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 six (6) cabins, numbered 1-6 on the park map. Each of these accommodates four (4) participants in either bunk beds or four single detached beds.
We want to support those who cannot sleep in tents due to physical or medical issues. Therefore, as you complete the registration form, indicate that you require indoor accommodation.
We have five (5) campsites, holding a total of a maximum of 8 men per site (40 men total).
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 x 16 sq. feet).
McKinney Falls State Park
The Blessing of the Masculine
Holding power without burning what we love: a men’s retreat on strength, rhythm, and wisdom.
Father & Son Weekend
Come away for a weekend with your son in nature! Share fun activities and meaningful conversations in the company of other dads/sons. You could be surprised by how much you learn about each other and how your bonds are strengthened. (Granddads and grandsons also welcome.)
As important as sports and regular family activities are, something magical happens to men and boys in the wilderness. Aided by a wild expansiveness, night darkness illuminated by millions of stars and planets, and guided conversation around a flickering fire, men experience being alive in the enchanting, self-organizing mystery into which they were born.
In this setting, men and boys become open to new ways of seeing, thinking, and being. Both have time to connect, explore, and step outside of their regular routines and distractions. Prompts and rituals encourage conversations that go way deeper than the typical "How was school today?" convo in the car. It's amazing what boys and dads can discover about each other. We also offer ways to maintain this level of communication when you return to your daily life. We also provide ways to maintain this level of communication when you return to your daily life.
This is a rustic, camping weekend in nature. Dads and sons should bring tents, sleeping bags, and outdoor gear. Healthy meals are provided.
$450 per pair
If you have questions, please email youngilluman@icloud.com.
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.
Illuman SoCal Silent Retreat
Registration Now Open!
Retreat Leader: Jim Clarke, Illuman Weaver
This is a wonderful opportunity to set time aside to just BE! To allow your mind and heart to wander, as you physically wander through the beautiful grounds of the retreat center and beyond in the upper desert landscape of the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the Antelope Valley.
Retreatants will have five short inputs and have the option to participate in monastic prayer and Eucharist.
Time in silence is abundant.
All meals included.
Retreat Fee and Lodging:
Private room: $500.00
Double Room: $300.00
We have 19 rooms, and we hope that they fill up quickly to have the monastic setting for ourselves to enjoy.
$100 deposit will hold your room, whether you want a private or shared room. Payments in advance are requested so that all the rooms are paid for by February 1, 2026.
Make your plans to enjoy this special opportunity!
March still has some wintertime, during which it often snows and brings beautiful, brisk weather to the desert retreat.
2026 Winter Retreat - Gifts of the enneagram An Exploration of the Lenses through which we experience the world - by Brad Pickel
What is the purpose of this retreat?
To further participants understanding of the Enneagram in general and as a spiritual tool, their Enneagram type, and how other Enneagram types show up in them through an interactive investigation of each type. To answer the questions, “who am I and where did you come from?” To build compassion for people of all Enneagram types by exploring how each type shows up in ourselves.
Why would I want to come to this retreat?
To advance my understanding of the Enneagram and see how my biases impact how I experience the world and my connection to others. To learn tools to more clearly recognize when I am not present to myself and others. To develop my spiritual gifts in service to myself and others. To connect in an interactive exploration of the Enneagram with others on a spiritual journey. The Retreat is an immersive investigation of the Enneagram that includes ritual, teaching, small groups, music, movements and mediations, time in nature, and video clips for each type.
The retreat will provide numerous opportunities for exploration- whether you are new to the Enneagram or have been using it as a tool in your spiritual practice for years since foundational information will be shared for each type to set the stage for deeper conversations. All that is required for participation is a willingness to be present in your body, have a curious mind and bring an open heart. We would recommend each participant taking an online test and reading the descriptions of each type before coming if they do not already know their type. A basic free version can be found at:
http://www.9types.com/rheti/index.php
Or you can pay $20 for a more robust online test at: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/rheti/
Please note that finding your type is part of the exploration of the enneagram so do not feel concerned if you aren’t sure which is your dominant type based on the online tests.
Retreat Leader:
Brad Pickel has been studying the Enneagram for over 20 years and is a passionate communicator of its wisdom in both group settings and in one-on-one coaching sessions. Since initially being introduced to the Enneagram through Fr. Richard Rohr's teachings, he pursued training through the Enneagram Institute, led by Don Riso and Russ Hudson, two of the most respected teachers and prolific writers on the Enneagram. He has completed the Enneagram Institute training program and attended additional workshops focusing on the Essential Qualities and Higher Aspects of each type that highlights the spiritual components of the Enneagram. In addition, he has searched out teachings from other Enneagram teachers to further investigate what lies beneath the question of “what number are you?”
While finding value in the Enneagram as a personality typing system, Brad's interest is in the deeper knowledge offered through understanding the Levels of Development of each type, the interplay between instinctual drives and Enneagram type, the relationship dynamics between types, and the spiritual gifts and exercises of each type highlighted by this unique tool. Brad also previously served as the first Administrator for Illuman.
Retreat Details:
The cost of the retreat is $325. If money is an issue some financial assistance is available.
The Retreat begins at 5:00 pm, Friday, January 30, 2026 and ends at 1:00 pm, Sunday, February 1st, 2026. Its all good for you NFL fans…This is the weekend between the playoffs and the Superbowl!
The cost of the retreat includes five meals: dinner Friday night; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday; and brunch on Sunday.
The retreat center will accommodate two men to a room. Each room has its own private bathroom. If you want a single room the cost is $375. Please identify single room requests in comments.
You will need to bring a sleeping bag or sheets/blankets for a twin size mattress and a pillow. Also bring a towel, washcloth, and your usual toiletry items. Additional charges if you need towels and sheets.
All participants are required to complete the Illuman of MN Confidential Medical Form. Please click HERE to complete the form.
If you need to cancel your registration, please do so no later than Thursday, January 22nd. If you cancel after that date, the registration fee is nonrefundable. Cancel by emailing the convener.
CHOOSING PRESENCE | Awakening to God's Peace and Presence
Join us January 23–25, 2026, at the Carmelite Spiritual Center for Choosing Presence: Awakening to God’s Peace and Presence. This men’s retreat offers guided practices, teachings, councils, nature time, and sacred ritual to help men slow down and reconnect with Divine Presence. Open to all men; registration required.
Soul Friends: A Men’s Writing Retreat Inspired by Celtic Wisdom
Join us for Soul Friends: A Men’s Writing Retreat Inspired by Celtic Wisdom, a weekend of reflection, creativity, and brotherhood. Come ready for a relaxed and inspiring time together as we journey as soul friends, writing our way into deeper presence, connection, and joy.
Scapegoating with Bob & Jack
Throughout history and today Scapegoating has been a great social and personal evil. Rather than deal with our own weaknesses and negativity, we find it easier to transfer our guilt onto some other group, person or thing by singling that other out unmerited negative treatment. We seem to need another person or group to be against to form our identity or group.
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.
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
Sober Initiation
12 Steps in 12 Months
Are you thirsty for freedom from addiction?
Are you longing to live more honestly and alive?
Is it time to let go of outdated habits that no longer serve you or the world?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, 12 Steps in 12 Months may be your next step.
If you're ready to commit to “betraying what betrays life” (Stephen Jenkinson), you may be prepared for a demanding initiatory experience of the 12 Steps, where we'll fuse:
nature
recovery intelligence
multiple-step traditions
self-compassion
death practice
community
into potent possibilities.
This Experience is for You if:
You have problematic sexual behavior and want to be free of it
You’ve tried to rid yourself of compulsions only to find them resurfacing
You desire comprehensive freedom
You’re ready to commit to a demanding (yet gentle) initiatory process of the 12 steps
Meet Your Guides
Matthew Ray Lyda
Matthew has been guiding men through the Gentle Path Through the 12 Steps for 7+ years. He is a certified Spiritual Director, Author, Retreat Leader, PSAP (Pastoral Sex Addiction Professional), RAE (Rainbow Advocate Educator), husband, father of three, lover of lands, and pickleball player. He has lived in Bangladesh and India and is trained by IITAP (International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals) and Oasis Ministries. Matthew also serves as an initiator in Men's Rites of Passage work worldwide.
Phillip Noonan
Phillip has been a grateful member of Al-Anon for 8+ years, finding the 12 Steps to be life-saving and transforming. A graduate of the Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation, he has been actively involved in men’s spiritual work for 20+ years. He is a husband, father of three, and grandfather of one. Pictured with one of his greatest teachers, Baxter.
The Approach
The Traumatic // Trauma-Informed
The Somatic // Body-Based
The Compassionate // Hospitality
The Vintage // Ancient Wisdom
The Ridiculous // Embracing the Unexpected
The Organic // Belonging Again
When Will We Gather?
First Monday of the Month
7:30–9:30 pm Eastern
November 3, 2025 – November 2, 2026
What Men Are Saying
“A beautiful step away from the ‘normal’ of life. I love connecting and experiencing wholeness in ways outside the faith tradition I grew up in. Thank you.”
— Ian Beachy, Ohio
“It was a good process... beginning the work that I am sure will continue day by day.”
— Tim Feng, Pennsylvania
“Well worth it. It helped me to have a deeper appreciation for the 12-step process.”
— J.P.
What’s Included
24 hours of live group interaction on Zoom
Online email-based recovery immersion course (valued at $200)
Access to more than 5 hours of exclusive online video teachings
Register
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Illuman NorCal WELCOME: A Gathering for Men in Uncertain Times
We are living in uncertain times. WELCOME is an opportunity to center, gather, and connect with other men to speak and listen to stories and experiences about how to survive and thrive in times like these.
What: A gathering and picnic for all men seeking a deeper spirituality and those interested to learn about Illuman.
When: Saturday, September 27, 2025, 9:30 - 3:30
Where: Joaquin Miller Park, 3590 Sanborn Drive, Oakland - Pinewood Picnic Site
Who: All men are welcome. No previous participation in men's work or Illuman necessary
What to Bring: A hat, a folding chair and (if you have one) a drum
Suggested Donation: $25 includes lunch
Details: This event is for men with a history of involvement with Illuman and for newcomers interested in investigating what Illuman has to offer.
Time together will include drumming, time for meditation, personal sharing, laughter,
small group interaction, a picnic lunch, and an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of
nature.
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.
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.