YOUR ONE WILD and PRECIOUS LIFE: A Weekend Retreat for Men in Nature: Centering, Gathering, Connecting, Releasing, Serving
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?– from a poem by Mary Oliver
These Five Touchstones of ILLUMAN mark the path upon which we journey together as men. Creation, that ongoing act of God’s love holds the radiance and splendor that illuminates our way. The natural world is filled with forms of life who are our companions for the journey. The Sacred Scripture written in each species of life on this the garden planet of our solar system touches the Sacred Scripture of our lives as we claim our birthright as earth men. With time to be still, reflect, pay attention to the astonishing story of creation and to one another’s stories, we will sing and dance our joys and sorrows and our prayers just as men have always done before we forgot how.
Event Dates & Time: 7PM on Friday, October 7 until Sunday, October 9 at 3PM
Location: Pilgrim Park Camp and Conference Center (26449 1340 N Ave, Princeton, IL 61356)
Led By: Br. Joseph Kilikevice, OP, Dominican Friar, Director of The Shem Center for Interfaith Spirituality and retreat guide for Male Spirit retreats.
Cost: $180 per person – includes full program, presentations, cabins and 5 meals.
Note: Out of respect for all who attend and for the sacred work we will be doing together, you are asked to make a commitment to the entire retreat from the opening session at 7 PM on Friday evening to the closing session on Sunday at 3 PM. Late arrivals and early departures change the necessary, respectful atmosphere we create together for
our sacred work.
Reconnect, Realign, Reengage
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, … we also groan within ourselves.”
As we and the world struggle to emerge from this powerful global initiation called Covid, it’s time to reconnect physically, brothers, at our first in-person Soularize since 2019.
We do this in order to attune to the spirit that guides us in what is ours to do: ours individually and ours as a brotherhood of men on a collective journey of transformation, seeking life-changing spirituality.
We gather because we need to realign to the core vision, values, and practices of a whole and healthy masculinity defined by Fr. Richard and the brothers who established Illuman ten years ago. We remember we need to continue the work of healing our wounds and becoming whole men. We do this so we can reengage as re-invigorated contemplative activists who bring beauty and healing to a desperate world.
Soularize continues in the pattern familiar to so many who have gone before: deep connections and inner work based on ritual, nature wandering, sharing story in council, poetry, drumming, and song — in groups both small and large.
Our intention for this time together is to awaken to new possibilities, for our lives and for the world.
Whether you are new to Illuman, or already an initiated man, please join us in walking shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of your brothers, experiencing the depth and substance of a new kind of masculinity. And invite any other men you might know who are looking for similar renewal, support and community.
DETAILS
WHAT: A three-night, four-day conference for any and all male-identified persons who want to deepen their inner work, their connection to ultimate reality, and their relationships with like-minded men.
WHEN: 6pm, Thursday, November 3 – 1pm, Sunday, November 6
WHERE: At the beautiful Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa on the Santa Ana Pueblo, just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
LODGING
Click here to reserve your room at the Soularize group rate.
If expense is a potential barrier, we recommend arranging to share a room with another attendee (or offering the extra bed in your room to someone who couldn’t otherwise afford it), Please indicate when you register whether you would like to be added to an online group where you will be able to request, offer, and arrange shared rooms. Also, while staying on-site at the Tamaya is strongly recommended, there are other affordable lodging options nearby if needed, including the Coronado Campground (3.7 miles from Tamaya) and the Albuquerque North/Bernalillo KOA (5.5 miles).
TRAVEL DETAILS
The Hyatt Regency Tamaya is located at 1300 Tuyuna Trail, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM 87004, 27 miles north of the Albuquerque airport (ABQ). Shuttles between the airport and the hotel will be available throughout the afternoon on Thursday, November 3 and Sunday, November 6.
Given current rapid rise of airfare rates, we encourage you to book your flights to Albuquerque as soon as possible.
CANCELLATION POLICY
You may cancel up to 4 weeks prior to the event (before October 6) for a full refund. If you must cancel your registration after October 6, a $50 cancellation fee will be assessed and the remaining value of your registration fee will be refunded to you. You may also opt to forgo the refund and either transfer your registration fee to another man by name or donate it to our general scholarship fund.
If we are forced to cancel the event due to COVID restrictions or for any other reason, you will be offered a full refund.
COVID PRECAUTIONS
Out of love and care for all Soularize attendees and those we come into contact with, we require that all participants must be either FULLY VACCINATED (defined as a minimum of all primary doses of the approved vaccines plus all booster doses when eligible to receive them) or have natural immunity due to a prior infection and recovery from COVID-19. We strongly encourage (but do not require) all attendees to take a PCR or rapid test prior to departing for the event. Unless mandated by health authorities, the individual’s decision to mask or to not mask during the event will be honored.
There are no manuals for the construction of the individual you would like to become. You are the only one who can decide this and take up the lifetime of work that it demands. This is a wonderful privilege and such an exciting adventure. To grow into the person that your deepest longing desires is a great blessing. If you can find a creative harmony between your soul and your life, you will have found something infinitely precious. You may not be able to do much about the great problems of the world or to change the situation you are in, but if you can awaken the eternal beauty and light of your soul, you will bring light wherever you go. The gift of life is given to us for ourselves and also to bring peace, courage, and compassion to others.
~ John O’Donohue, excerpt from Eternal Echoes ~