Bear Your Soul - Summer Camp 2026
Workshops or activities marked with a * may include nudity and/or some level of erotic touch. Participation is always optional, and consent and personal boundaries will be respected.
Wednesday, September 2nd – ALUMNI DAY
6:30 pm–7:30 pm – Alumni Dinner – Great Room
7:30 pm–9:00 pm – Heart Circle – Great Room
9:00 pm – Jackbox Games – Great Room
Thursday, September 3rd - ALUMNI ONLY
8:30 am–9:30 am – Breakfast – Great Room
12:30 pm–1:30 pm – Lunch – Great Room
Thursday, September 3rd– START OF FULL PROGRAM
5:00 pm–6:00 pm – Welcome Reception – Deck
Meet your fellow attendees before dinner with non-alcoholic beverages, cheese and crackers, and some fun icebreakers, including Social Bingo. You can also submit forms for Bear Games.6:00 pm–7:00 pm – Dinner with Our Houses – Great Room
Meet your small group for dinner.7:30 pm–9:00 pm – Opening Circle – Great Room
Gather to hear about all the exciting things we have planned and set our intentions for the retreat!9:30 pm–10:30 pm – Cuddle Pile with Jay Freeman – Temple
A warm and fuzzy clothing-on, non-erotic guided group snuggle and relaxation experience. This is a great way to ease into the retreat with some connection and warmth!
Friday, September 4th
7:30 am – 8:30 am:
Morning Yoga with Tim Cooley – Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced Yogis & Boo Boos.12-Step Meeting – Hunter Reynolds Room
All traditions welcome.
8:30 am–9:30 am – Breakfast – Great Room
9:30 am–10:15 am – Small Groups – Various Locations
Please attend your small group and be on time.10:30 am–12:00 pm:
From Shame to Shine: Reclaiming Self-Love and Brotherhood with Scotty & Max – Great Room
We all carry silent messages about our bodies and our worth, messages that keep us isolated and insecure. But shame can’t survive in the light of community! Step into a safe, supportive space where we uncover these shared insecurities, break down the barriers holding us back, and cultivate deep, lasting bonds. Discover the profound relief of being truly seen and accepted, and leave with renewed self-confidence, a lighter heart, and a stronger sense of belonging.Improv Playshop with Andrew Deitch – Temple
Andrew will take you through some fun improv/theater games and some Meisner techniques. This improv playshop will teach you to think on your feet and allow you the freedom to be anything your imagination can come up with. Hilarity will ensue! Because who needs reality nowadays?
12:30 pm–1:30 pm – Lunch – Great Room
2:00 pm–4:00 pm
Loving Our Bear Bodies with Goldenheart and Jay Freeman – Temple*
A chance to affirm the beauty of your body and erotic self. Through touch exercises, we will give and receive support and appreciation with our brothers. The workshop involves nudity and erotic touch. This is a core Bear Your Soul workshop. It is not required, but it is recommended that newcomers attend, If you are interested but apprehensive, speak to your group leader or a host.Vision & Voice: Sharing Our Stories, Shaping Our Future with Ace Ricker – Great Room
Through guided reflection, vision board creation, and meaningful small-group dialogue, this workshop invites participants to reconnect with themselves while building deeper connections with one another. Together, we'll reflect on the experiences that have shaped us, celebrate where we are today, and create a vision for where we hope to grow. As we share our stories in a welcoming and supportive community, we'll strengthen self-trust, foster a greater sense of belonging, and discover how our individual journeys enrich the Easton Mountain community. Whether you're seeking clarity, inspiration, or simply a space to reconnect with yourself and others, this workshop offers an opportunity to find your voice, envision your path, and leave with a renewed sense of purpose, authenticity, and community.
4:30 pm–6:00 pm:
Introduction to Massage with Tam – Great Room*
Touch is a skill like any other, and refining it can bring new ways to connect. In this workshop, you will be guided through a full-body massage and practice on each other. Tam will demonstrate real massage techniques while you follow along, exploring touch as a way to give comfort and pleasure. Nudity is welcome, allowing for increased connection through vulnerability. This massage will NOT include erotic touch. Sign up requiredThe Trust Within: A Blindfolded Journey into Connection with Wayne Leiss – Temple
This experiential workshop explores what it means to lead and be led. Participants pair up for a guided, blindfolded trust walk that brings awareness to communication, surrender, and intuition. The exercise fosters a powerful sense of embodied trust, both inwardly and in relationship with others.
6:30 pm–7:30 pm – Dinner – (Circle at 6:20 in Great Room)
8:00 pm–10:00 pm – Bear Games: 3-Way – Great Room
Join our interactive game show night! Start thinking about what you might want to share or participate in. We will have forms to fill out for some of the games at the Welcome Reception. The evening will feature:Dirty Laundry: Submit shocking facts about yourself and the audience will guess who they are about!
Mad Lib Madness: Help create and act out a funny scene based on gay classics!
Hookup Theater: Submit your funny hookup stories. You can remain anonymous. Someone will narrate your story while others act it out!
10:00 pm–??? – Sauna/Bear Den/Board Games
Our wood-fired sauna will be running, and space in the Temple will be open to connect, discover, and play! There is also a closet full of games you can play together in the Sun Room, or you can take a walk through the Labyrinth.
Saturday, September 5th
7:30 am – 8:30 am:
Morning Yoga with Tim Cooley – Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced Yogis & Boo Boos.12-Step Meeting – Hunter Reynolds Room
All traditions welcome.
8:30 am–9:30 am – Breakfast – Great Room
9:30 am–10:15 am – Small Groups – Various Locations
Please attend your small group and be on time.
10:30 am–12:00 pm:
Rainbow Scratch Boards with Mister Larrie – Great Room
Whether you are an experienced artiste or a novice crafter, a simple, inexpensive way to express your creative side is always a good time! With wax crayons, acrylic paint, and a little self-reflection, you will develop a one-of-a-kind work of inspirational scratchboard art that can serve as a reminder of your personal affirmations, goals for the future, and much more.The Four Agreements: Rewriting the Stories We Tell Ourselves with Andrew Deitch – Temple
As GBTQ men, many of us have inherited stories about who we're supposed to be: how our bodies should look, how masculinity should be expressed, what makes us desirable, and where we belong. Even within communities that celebrate bigger bodies, many of us still carry the weight of comparison, shame, perfectionism, or the need for external validation. Using the wisdom of The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, this interactive workshop explores how we can challenge those inherited beliefs and replace them with agreements rooted in authenticity, compassion, and self-respect. Through guided discussion, personal reflection, and practical exercises, participants will leave with tools to quiet their inner saboteur, strengthen their relationships, and cultivate a healthier relationship with themselves and their bodies. Note: This is not a therapy session or a lecture; it is a community conversation.
12:30 pm–1:30 pm – Lunch – Great Room
2:00 pm–4:00 pm:
Massage à Trois with Tam and Adam – Great Room*
Join us for an erotic massage experience. We will work in trios, each taking a turn on the table, building individual and communal erotic energy. Nudity and erotic touch are required for this workshop. Space is limited, so sign up!The Journey Home to Yourself with Wayne Leiss – Temple
What would change if you stopped abandoning yourself? In this interactive workshop, Wayne Leiss shares stories from selling his home, traveling across the world, losing possessions, reclaiming his voice, and learning that freedom does not mean saying yes to everything. Through reflection, movement, and witnessed conversation, participants will explore what they are ready to release, what they want to reclaim, and one courageous step they are willing to take toward a more authentic life.
4:30 pm–6:00 pm:
The Threads That Bind: Crafting Our Story with Scotty & Max – Great Room
Imagine a space where your story matters. Where the shared history of your community isn't just something you hear about, but something you experience. In this engaging workshop, we’ll explore the vibrant tapestry of chosen family and the personal milestones that brought each of us to this retreat. Your story started long before this weekend. With each new voice and shared memory, we add a thread of understanding and strength to the fabric of our community. In this workshop, you'll have the chance to share your own experiences in a way that creates deeper connections and meaning. We’ll map out the path of your life and honor the family you chose. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to connect with other bears in a transformative way. Join us and discover the threads that bind us all.Bollywood Dancing with Shaan Prokopton – Temple
Shaan will lead you through a high-energy session where you will learn the basics of Bollywood dance, with a focus on Bhangra and Mujra styles. Shaan will select vibrant songs and inspire your self-expression, openness, and creative interpretation. The session will end with an exhilarating dance performance.
6:30 pm–7:30 pm – Dinner – (Circle at 6:20 in Great Room)
8:00 pm–10:00 pm – Bearz Got Talent – Great Room
It’s time for you to share from your heart with your brothers. You can sing, dance, juggle, read, whatever! Everyone has something to share! Show us what you got! Signup required.10:00 pm–??? – Sauna/Bear Den/Board Games
Our wood-fired sauna will be running, and space in the Temple will be open to connect, discover, and play! There is also a closet full of games you can play together in the Sun Room, or you can take a walk through the Labyrinth.
Sunday, September 6th
7:30 am – 8:30 am:
Morning Yoga with Tim Cooley – Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced Yogis & Boo Boos.12-Step Meeting – Hunter Reynolds Room
All traditions welcome.
8:30 am–9:30 am – Breakfast – Great Room
9:30 am–10:15 am – Small Groups – Various Locations
Please attend your small group and be on time.10:30 am–12:00 pm:
BYS Name Medallions with Mister Larrie – Great Room
Wear your name with pride! In this session, each participant will design a custom commemorative wood-and-resin medallion showcasing his bear name, favorite colors, a mosaic image, or whatever his creative heart is inspired by. We will also explore how creative activity and an appreciation for the arts can be a powerful means to nurture the soul.Calm Mind/Calm Body Meditation with Shaan Prokopton – Temple
Calm Mind/Calm Body Meditation is a gentle, welcoming meditation workshop inspired by Zen practice but open to people of all backgrounds and beliefs. In the peaceful setting of camp, participants will be guided through simple mindful sitting and mindful walking to help quiet the mind, relax the body, and return to the present moment. No experience is necessary, just comfortable clothing, curiosity, and a willingness to slow down. This workshop offers a chance to step away from noise, reconnect with the breath, and feel more at home in the body. Together, we will create a calm, kind space for reflection, grounding, and ease.
12:30 pm–1:30 pm – Lunch – Great Room
OUTDOOR BEARFEST
In addition to the scheduled items below, you can start a yard game, do some body painting, and more!
2:00 pm–3:30 pm – Bearmazing Race with Adam – Meet in Great Room
Ready. Set. Bear! Get ready for a team-based adventure that will have you exploring every corner of the Easton Mountain property. Working with your team, you will put your heads together, and race from challenge to challenge as you solve puzzles, complete fun physical and mental tasks, and tackle creative surprises along the way. Whether you're fiercely competitive or just in it for the laughs, The Bearmazing Race promises plenty of memorable moments, unexpected twists, and opportunities to cheer each other on. Come ready to think creatively, embrace the adventure, and discover just how "bearmazing" teamwork can be!3:30 pm–5:00 pm – Slippy Slide! – Yard
Find out why Moss’s Slippy Slide is one of the most beloved experiences at Easton Mountain!5:00 pm–6:20pm – Bear Your Soul Deck Party – Deck
Join us on the deck for a celebration with wine and non-alcoholic beverages, cheese and crackers, music, and special surprises!6:30 pm–7:30 pm – Dinner – (Circle at 6:20 on Deck)
8:00 pm–9:00 pm – Bonfire Naming Ritual with the Bear Your Soul Team – Fire Pit; meet on Deck
Your chance to step fully into the tribe, claim your name, and celebrate your brother bears. We will head up to the fire pit in the meadow, where we will drum, chant, celebrate, and honor everyone! An important Bear Your Soul ritual you don’t want to miss!Approximately 9:00 pm – Bears in Motion with DJ Shawn – Great Room
Immediately following the ritual, we'll head back inside for our dance party celebration! DJ Sean McLaughlin will get you movin' and groovin' with his big bear boogie! Cooler weather is ready to start creeping in soon, but this party's gonna be HOT! Feel free to dress up, raid the drag closet, come as you are, or strip down as bare as you dare and dance your ass off to a nonstop mix of fresh, fab, and funky flashbacks!10:00 pm–??? – Sauna/Bear Den/Board Games
Our wood-fired sauna will be running, and space in the Temple will be open to connect, discover, and play! There is also a closet full of games you can play together in the Sun Room, or you can take a walk through the Labyrinth.
Monday, September 7th
7:30 am – 8:30 am:
Morning Yoga with Tim Cooley – Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced Yogis & Boo Boos.12-Step Meeting – Hunter Reynolds Room
All traditions welcome.
8:30 am–9:30 am – Breakfast – Great Room
9:30 am–10:15 am – Small Groups – Various Locations
Please attend your small group and be on time.10:30 am – Goodbye Circle – Great Room
An important time to affirm, appreciate, and bid farewell to your brothers before you head home.Noon: Farewell Brunch