Welcome to the Conscious Pathways Sweat Lodge Tantra Retreat for Men Who Love Men: "The Ceremony of Embodiment."

Each Conscious Pathways retreat is unique and open to both newcomers and returning retreat participants, singles and couples.

This Sweat Lodge Tantra Retreat "The Ceremony of Embodiment” will be an exploration of how the power of ceremony can draw us into conscious presence and embodiment, and how this can bring us to the experience of authentic intimacy with ourselves and others. During the weekend we will dive deep into what these things mean to us and the many benefits they can bring into our lives.

Retreat Elements will include:

• Participation in a Native American Sweat Lodge ceremony to help us connect with the sacred.
• Tantric meditation to help us find and deepen presence.
• Daily Heart Circle to foster conscious communication in safe space. Topics will include: Embodiment, Intimacy, Self-Awareness, and Authenticity.
• Tantric intimacy and embodiment practices to help us embody what we are learning, and to help us connect with ourself and others on a deeper level.

Meditation Mentor and Intimacy Facilitator Grant Shepherd will guide you in these retreat elements. All practices and exercises will be shared in a simple, effective format so you can take them home with you after the retreat to experience the many benefits they can offer you in your life. Exercises will be interactive and fun; bring your sense of curiosity and play!

The Sweat Lodge Ceremony, a traditional Native American purification ceremony, will be an integral part of the retreat. Ceremony is central to many spiritual traditions. The Sweat Lodge is known by the Native American Lakota people as the Inipi ceremony, and it is a ceremony of renewal that brings deep spiritual and physical purification.  Taking part in this sacred ceremony brings healing and new beginnings into our lives. Each Sweat Lodge ceremony takes us deeper into our understanding of ourselves and our true nature.

TeRangimarie and Rob Carter will be our ceremony facilitators for the lodge. For many years they have been participating in and leading ceremonies under the guidance of respected elders and teachers from North America, Canada, Alaska, and here in New Zealand. TeRangimarie and Rob have a personal commitment to honouring their elders and teachers, and they received blessings from their elders and teachers to continue taking on the responsibility of offering these ceremonies in a nurturing and safe place, Manu Wairua retreat. This ceremony is a very enriching and powerful experience that has touched many people in very deep ways. TeRangimarie and Rob will skilfully guide us on each step of the Sweat Lodge journey.

The entire event will be shared safe space. The exercises will be clothed, consent based, and respectful.

Ceremony and Etiquette:

Please try to arrive on time – if you can’t make the 6 pm start time please let Grant know so we can welcome you when you arrive. You are welcome to come earlier to settle in. This will allow us time to make introductions and offer preparatory teachings before beginning the retreat.

Ceremonial medicines: Tobacco is one of the traditional plant medicines used in the purification sweat lodge. Tobacco is the plant medicine traditionally offered to the Elder running the ceremony. It is used by the Elder as an offering to the Creator and the Spirit Helpers asking for healing and protection for themselves and those attending the ceremony. Tobacco holds a spiritual energy and is known by some Native Elders as “The Grandmother who brings ‘the honouring to the ceremony’”. It is customary to gift a pouch of tobacco to the Lodge Elder as an honouring for hosting the ceremony. If coming as a group one pouch is acceptable, handed to the Elder before the ceremony on behalf of those attending. This will be taken care of by Grant on behalf of the group.

About Manu Wairua:

Created as a spiritual retreat 22 years ago, the accommodation space is a renovated and comfortable woolshed with fully equipped kitchen, bathroom with shower, outdoor outhouse toilets, and a large outdoor deck with BBQ. It sleeps up to 15 with a combination of beds, couches, and air mattresses on the floor, or you are welcome to bring a tent and camp on the land—please note if camping you will still be charged the accommodation fee.

Things to know:

· The property is alcohol and drug free. Please refrain from drugs or alcohol at least 48hrs before and after the ceremony.

· What to wear into the lodge. Our teachings are from traditional ways. Men wear shorts or sarong; a t-shirt is optional; please refrain from nudity.

· Please bring your own bedding (we supply bottom sheet, pillow with pillowcase.)

· Please bring a towel for a shower after the lodge.

· Please bring shared snacks for the time you are here.

· Please bring a white sage smudge stick as your personal offering to the sweat lodge. You can find these online or at spiritual bookstores.

Financial contribution: $445:00 per person (all-inclusive of tuition, accommodation, meals, and wood and resources for ceremonies.)

Please note that at times retreat registration may rise slightly due to price increases in food, tobacco, fuel, accommodation etc. Winter events will include a surcharge for heating costs. These events will always be fairly priced to help people attend, observing the guideline of "right livelihood" in service to the LGBTQ community. In alignment with the values of Classical Tantra, these events are created in the spirit of service.

Please contact Grant directly for registration payment details.

If you wish to attend, but the registration fee at this time is an issue for you, you are most welcome to contact Grant directly to discuss options and possibilities.

If you wish to sponsor someone, you are most welcome to do so. Please call Grant to discuss this.

Email: newconsciouspathways@gmail.com

https://www.consciouspathways.net

We warmly invite you to join us for this Conscious Pathways Retreat: "The Ceremony of Embodiment".