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Join us in the mountains of Northern New Mexico for a relaxing, rejuvenating, life changing and life affirming retreat. The Summer Retreat is a chance to really "get away from it all"; to really recover from the stresses of daily life; to make new connections with other men. There is extraordinary power to be found in a community of gay men gathered together for seven days in such an intimate setting. With the loving encouragement of brothers, we are able to see ourselves more clearly and empower each other in realizing our life's potential, taking small steps and sometimes leaps, toward living life to the fullest. "...the tears have again welled-up and flow freely from my eyes. The Summer Retreat was perhaps the most important, moving, and loving retreat I have ever been on. My mind has been cracked open. My heart is full and overflowing, radiant and grateful." - John, Maywood, NJ The shifting light on the red rock walls of Jemez Canyon, the sounds of the Jemez River, the natural hot springs, the new friends you are about to meet and the endless stars overhead, all welcome you. Here you can "unwind" to the core and go home truly renewed. Click here to see a video of Jemez Canyon and the Bodhi Manda Zen Center.  The Summer Retreat is much more than a summer vacation, focusing on activities that encourage relaxation, recovery and inner reflection. Our days can consist of insightful group sessions, yoga, meditation or shamanic ceremony, and of course lots of laughter and play. There is also plenty of free time just to "chill out". You may discover deep levels of intimate connection with other participants and lifelong friendships can be born. Greater self-acceptance and clarity of future direction often spring from this sacred time together.
"The retreat was extremely important event in my life. It has changed me in so many ways. I dream differently, I treat people differently, I have lost my guilt, sins and scars from past events. I have gained courage to take risks and not be afraid. I feel like I know who I am again." - David, Fort Myers FL The daily schedule incorporates a balance of group sessions and leisure time. These sessions are designed to help you downshift, step back from daily routines, and provide the means to examine various facets of your life including relationships, career, creativity, sexuality, and spirituality. Movement exercises, guided visualizations, topical discussions, journaling, personal contemplation, group sharing, interrelating in groups of two and threes, are just some of the group activities offered during the retreat. None of the Summer Retreat activities are "mandatory", but everyone is encouraged to participate to the best of their ability.  No previous experience is necessary for any of the activities planned. Instruction, guidance and support by qualified facilitators is provided throughout the retreat. The Summer Retreat consistently remains fresh and alive due to the particular combination of participants, facilitators, and activities blended together. The overall energy and experience is always unique. A few of the planned highlights of this year's retreat might include........
 SWEAT LODGE is a purification and healing practice taking place in a dome-shaped hut (representing the womb of Mother Earth) filled with natural steam created by hot rocks, water, and herbs. By sweating away physical, emotional and psychic blockages, personal healing and visions may occur. Chanting, singing, and praying are part of this timeless and sacred tradition found across the world, throughout human history.
TRANCE DANCE also has an origin as old as recorded history and is used as a devotional practice, healing ritual, and a means for personal insight. Blindfolds, global music, and movement are used to assist participants in connecting with the subconscious and bringing them more fully into their authentic nature. We use these rituals for the purpose of accessing intuition and opening ourselves to fresh possibilities.  SHAMANIC CEREMONIES drawn from the Toltec tradition and other indigenous wisdom teachings of the world, help us experience our living connection with the world around us; release limiting beliefs, reactions, and habits; and harness the deep powers of joy, creativity and inspiration within ourselves to create lives of beauty, awareness, compassion, and mastery.
TEMPLE OF MAN where we explore our erotic nature and the things that keep us from experiencing physical pleasure.  ZEN PRACTICE with Jiun Hosen, the beloved vice-abbess of the Bodhi Manda Zen Center. The sessions with Hosen provide a foundation for understanding basic Zen practice (sitting and walking meditation) and include profound questions and answer discussions. Hosen has been with the Zen Center for over 25 years. Spirit Journeys has a special relationship with Hosen as she has been responsible and supportive of our annual retreat returning to the center these past 16 years. She makes a point of personally getting to know many of the retreat participants. Photo above shows a walking meditation led by Hosen.
PLAY DAY is a day during the week that we explore ourselves by exploring the world around us. This year, we travel to Bandalier National Monument. After breakfast, we board our bus and head to Bandalier. We stop along the way at the beautiful Valles Caldera National Preserve for a photo op. Bandelier's human history extends back for over 10,000 years when nomadic hunter-gatherers followed migrating wildlife across the mesas and canyons. By 1150 CE Ancestral Pueblo people began to build more permanent settlements. Reminders of these past times are still evident in the park as are the strong ties of the modern Pueblo people. Once at Bandalier, we will spend a few hours just exploring, wandering and playing together, then return to the Bohdi Manda for dinner. Click here to see a video of Play Day Bandalier. "The Jemez Springs retreat experience still echoes in my entire being. The facilitator team's constant energy cascade of compassion, care, and respect for all of us was healing, and memorable. Each guided exercise and experience was transforming in some way." - David, Tucson AZ   Plan to come with an openness and enthusiasm to fully participate in the group activities as this is vital to the retreat process and the evolution of community. Most of us rarely have a chance to be in the company of other gay men in a setting that lacks pretense and superficiality. One comment that is frequently heard during our retreats is "I can't believe how comfortable and close I feel among a group of gay men that I just met." The foundation of Spirit Journeys' retreats is a remarkable experience of intimacy, trust, nurturing, and honest communication which unfolds among the participants.
The yoga and meditation sessions will be oriented for all levels so do not feel awkward if this will be your first time. Yoga and meditation have become very popular lately and includes numerous styles and techniques. Please understand that the practice of yoga and meditation is not a goal but another avenue for heightening self-awareness. "I've walked away from this retreat much more in touch with my self, my fellow men, and my God...And at the risk of sounding like a Miss America contestant, I have to say you've changed my life - you've broadened my perspective, renewed my confidence, and challenged me to go further." - Xavier, Miami FL THE RETREAT FACILITATORS
Hunter Flournoy, Rob Bruillard, Wolf Martinez and Howie Holben will co-facilitate the 18th Annual Summer Retreat. They have facilitated numerous Spirit Journeys Retreats and international journeys. The Zen practice sessions during the retreat will be led by Hosen, the beloved vice-abbess of the Bodhi Manda Zen Center. 
Hunter Flournoy doesn’t know what he is, and he is completely happy that way! He serves as an apprentice to Love, a Toltec Master in the Eagle Knight lineage, and a pastor for Amigos de Dios, a fellowship devoted to the mystical path of original Christianity. Over the years Hunter has been blessed to spend a tremendous amount of quality time with amazingly wise and loving elders, teachers, and healers in many shamanic and mystical traditions. He has been leading workshops and ceremonies in awareness, creativity, healing, passionate living and personal freedom for nineteen years, and works as a licensed psychotherapist, shamanic healer, hypnotherapist, storyteller and poet-for-hire. To learn more about Hunter’s work, go to www.newdestinies.com.  Rob Bruillard's (pictured left) passion involves interacting as a loving, powerful catalyst for change and as mentor for self empowerment in the gay and bi men's community. A workshop leader, educator, facilitator and sacred ceremony/ritual creator, Rob's "2 spirit" intuitive nature skillfully weaves the traditional arts of Bodywork, Breathwork, Movement Meditation, and Sacred Intimacy into an open-hearted leadership by example. He is a Certified Massage Therapist (creating Bodyworkers of Boston in 1996), Touch Educator and Breathwork Facilitator.
His spiritual teachings include Buddhism,Shamanism, Integral Enlightenment, Sufism, and First Nations ceremonies of Sweat Lodge, Naraya and Pipe. In 2002, during the Spirit Journeys' Summer Retreat, Rob experienced a deep spiritual opening which soon lead him on an 8 month quest to meet the Healers and Shamans of Southeast Asia and Indonesia. ...this profound awakening of his true heart moves him to guide others. He is extremely excited to be back at The Bodhi!  Wolf (pictured right) will once again be supporting the Summer Retreat. He will be offering his "Transformational Body Therapy", a incredible blend of body work and spirit work. He also will be supporting us in many other ways, as only he can. Wolf is a two spirited, third gender, walks between worlds student of life. He has studied extensively with keepers of traditions in the Amazon, Andes, Mexico, and across North America as well as learning the Oriental medicinal practice of Shiatsu from a Japanese Master. Combining the medicine ways of the ancients, along with intuition and spirit, Wolf has developed for 10 years his practice of "Transformational Body Therapy". He has also been given the privilege to lead the Pipe Ceremony and Sweat Lodge.
 Howie Holben (pictured left) is owner and caretaker of Spirit Journeys. Since early childhood, he has been drawn to indigenous peoples and their spiritual teachings, traditions and practices. This attraction has taken him on many adventures, exploring the countless ways of "being in the world". His personal journey through addiction and recovery has spawned in him a genuine interest in assisting others on their own spiritual path and he takes great pleasure in introducing people to practices, sacred ways and cultures to help them "step outside their box". A Reiki/Karuna Ki Master and Quantum Touch Practioner, his desire is to help others uncover their potential and set their hearts and minds free.
"I felt that I was being taken down an important and necessary path. David and Hunter are two amazing men. They seem to know exactly what they're doing, and they do it with great courage, compassion, and skill." - Dan, Gaithersburg, MD
 THE BODHI MANDA ZEN CENTER
Lodging at the Zen Center is simple, rustic, and quaint - each bedroom accommodates two to four persons (there are no single occupancy rooms at the Bodhi) with several bathrooms throughout the center. There are enough sleeping areas for everyone to spread-out and be comfortable. The Zen Center recently renovated some of the bedrooms and bath facilities, and completed an exquisitely designed new meditation hall. The Center follows a mostly vegetarian diet. Non-vegetarian participants in past years have been surprised at how easily they adapted to and enjoyed the food. There is no cell phone service at the Bodhi Manda, but wireless internet is available on a limited basis.
THE HOT SPRINGS AT THE BODHI
The Zen Center's natural hot spring pools are accessible 24 hours a day and become a wonderful gathering place for soaking (clothing is optional after dark), conversation and pure relaxation. There are three pools ranging from cool to warm to hot, with a cold rushing stream nearby for refreshing dips. Participants enjoy relaxing and playing in these hot springs at night under the New Mexico's star-studded sky.
 Each year our group comes and finds itself falling in love with the special sacred environment of the Zen Center. One way this is facilitated is through our daily mindful service practice held for 45 minutes after breakfast. It is during this period that we offer selfless assistance to the Center, having the opportunity to contribute to the community and interact with the Center and its staff. Feel free to learn more about the Zen Center by visiting their web site at www.bmzc.org.  "I never felt so loved and supported by the gay community as I did that week. The leadership was also VERY sincere and appeared quite determined to make the event stand out as a life changing experience." - David, Minneapolis MN  The retreat begins at 5:30pm on Sunday, August 8. If you are flying in and renting a car to drive to the retreat, please arrive into Albuquerque Airport no later than 1:00pm. This should give you plenty of time to arrive at the Zen Center by 4:30pm and get settled-in. The retreat ends at 1:00pm on Saturday, August 14. Please book your return flight for 4:30pm or later.
Jemez Springs is located 60 miles from Albuquerque Airport. There is no public transportation from Albuquerque Airport to Jemez Springs. The Zen Center will be providing round-trip airport transfers at specific times, see below for transfer details. Jemez Springs is 1 and ½ hours drive from Santa Fe. The temperature in Northern New Mexico mid-August is delightful, days in the 80's and nights in the 50-60's, making this an ideal time of year for our retreat. Please register early to ensure a place!
This retreat often fills to capacity. AIRPORT TRANSFERS: The Zen Center will be providing round-trip airport transfers for a cost of $30.00. The pickup times on August 8 at Albuquerque Airport going to the Zen Center are 12:00pm and 3:00pm. Please arrange your arrival flights accordingly. The return departure time on August 14 from the Zen Center to the Airport is 1:30pm. Please book your return flight for 4:30pm or later. "I have attended many spiritual gatherings over the years, but this one in Jemez Springs stands out....I do believe it was the energy and open hearts of the men attending that made this retreat so very special." - Bobby, Watkinsville GA Have questions?
Contact us at 800-754-1875 or info@spiritjourneys.com |
