Director's Message for November 2010

November 1, 2010

Greetings Sacred Path Community,

I have frequently heard the words, “this retreat was the best,” following each retreat that we’ve held for the past 23 years. Somehow these words felt different this time, maybe because I witnessed just how extraordinarily profound this event was for so many in attendance. I had remarked during one of my talks that we are not a big operation, but rather we seem to be a “boutique” retreat. We have not endeavored to duplicate our retreat or to take it all over the world. Yet we have something that has endured for over twenty years and holds enough power that it has drawn men back to it again and again, with many men claiming to have attended more than 20 retreats.

The word that resonated for me was “community.” We indeed have become a community of people that have connected in a good way. In fact, the men and the women that support them have found friendship and kinship on a Sacred Path. You can view the pictures and read what many men have said about this retreat. I wish to convey here that the camaraderie and fellowship exuded over the 4 days that we were together on the mountain was rich and overflowing with true support and love.

There were highlights: some of them for me included a heartfelt communication between a father and son; watching one of our disabled men accomplish, with the assistance of his brothers, every task put before him; the candor and depth of the sharing in the community times; how all of the men went full out to stretch beyond their limiting beliefs to create significant breakthroughs; the warmth and sincerity of Grandfather Soldier Bear’s communications in the large group and individually; that which brought the laughter as well as the tears; and, simply, the friendship and brotherhood that was so present.

Comprising the 55 men in attendance, we had those that came from various parts of the country including the east coast. The team of 3 men that facilitated the board-breaking, glass and fire walks came in from Texas. Charles Horton, a fire-walk facilitator, commented that of all of the events that he has led all over the world, “this one was his favorite.” He was blown away by the intensity of the drumming and how all of the men went full out. Another young man offered his services by providing healing bodywork for many of us. The Inipi ceremonies conducted by Andrew and Thomas, including the fire keepers, Vince and Tom, provided a great gift. Scott and the men that assembled and took down the container were selfless in their offering and the container itself continues to develop and go up smoothly under Scott’s creative guidance.

I feel such gratitude to all of the men on the Wisdom Council that held space, and a special thanks to Tom Couper for taking the point on bringing his vision for this retreat to fruition, and to Steve Branker for pulling all of the disparate elements together into a greater sum than its parts. It’s times like this that reinvigorate and lend credence to the overall vision that so many have held for our community. I personally feel that we are called to carry this vision forward as new men find their way onto the Sacred Path. As the dust settles on this retreat and as we turn our attention to the Spring Call to Adventure retreat, it is with a sense of accomplishment that we acknowledge what we have created together. It’s with a sense of awe and wonder that we focus on what will be born out of the ashes of the Phoenix’s descent into the fire and the transformation into what comes next.

There will be a one-day event on February 5, 2011, followed by our Call to Adventure Retreat on April 7-10 (early this year due to Easter and Passover), and then an event with Leonard Orr, the father of Rebirthing, on Friday night, June 3 and Saturday, June 4. Please mark your calendars now; further details will follow.

Charlie Atkinson, Walter’s son, has offered up to $10,000 in matching funds for all donations offered to support the CTA retreat this April. So, please consider making a donation to the Walter Atkinson Scholarship Fund. With $20,000 in our scholarship account we can bring a lot of kids from the inner city to the retreat. Your donation is tax deductible. Checks can be made payable to: Millennium Oaks Institute (our 501c3 not-for-profit corporation) and mailed c/o: MCLA, 21243 Ventura Blvd., Suite 214, Woodland Hills, CA, 91364.

Namaste,
Stephen