Hail the New 24-25

Schedule

Saturday, Dec 28th

6:00 pm - Dinner (Circle at 5:50)

7:15 pm - Opening Circle
Gather to hear about all the exciting things in store and set our intentions for the retreat!

9:00 pm - Crystal Bowl Sound Bath - with Rod Love - Great Room
While laying down comfortably, experience the powerful and soothing vibrations of a "sound bath" as Rod Love plays a set of 7 chakra-tuned quartz crystal singing bowls. As the ethereal tones reverberate through the air, they gently envelop you, creating a harmonious resonance that resonates deep within your being. These bowls are crafted from quartz crystal, and tuned to resonate with the chakras, aligning and balancing the energy centers within your body. The crystalline vibrations wash over you, clearing energetic blockages, releasing tension, and restoring a sense of harmony and well-being. Allow yourself to be cradled by the soothing embrace of these sacred sounds, as they guide you towards a state of deep serenity and inner bliss.

10:00 pm - Late Night Activities
Sauna, Games

Sunday, Dec 29th

7:30 am - Yoga with Tim Cooley - Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced yogis!

OR - Silent Meditation with Intentional Journaling - with Shaan Prokopton - Temple
Shaan will guide you through a calming, reflective experience of silent meditation and journaling. Step away from the noise and reconnect with your inner voice. Through thought-provoking prompts and simple techniques, you’ll learn how to start a daily meditation practice. No experience needed, and people of all beliefs are welcome. As a student of Zen meditation and a practitioner of Stoic philosophy, Shaan offers thoughtful guidance on this journey to everyday serenity

8:30 am - Breakfast

9:30 am - Daily Heart Circle - with Goldenheart - Great Room
We have created an optional space for people to check in and share from the heart after breakfast!

OR - 12 Step Meeting - Hunter Reynolds Room

11:00 am - New Years Resolutions - A Stoic Philosophy Workshop - with Shaan Prokopton - Great Room
Start your new year with a solid plan. Learn how to integrate personal excellence in your everyday life. This session will introduce you to the basics of Stoic Philosophy. You will then be able to incorporate the ideas of Stoicism (Dichotomy of Control, Four Cardinal Virtues, Role Ethics) to plan for the new year. This workshop is beginner friendly. No previous knowledge of philosophy or Stoicism required. Please bring your favorite writing instrument and a note taking device

OR - Angelic Eros - with Lee Stern - Temple
This workshop is dedicated to intimate, expressive and sweetly erotic touch. After inner/outer circle encounters, and a musicalized undressing ritual (to nakedness or underwear) we will move into a gentle self-caressing and then partner dance segment, followed by a communal 'angel walk'. Music as a conduit for lyrical touch is a theme of this workshop. This is for the shyly erotic or experienced, and is about eros as joyful self-and-other-care, NOT objectification or possession.

12:30 pm - Lunch

2:00 pm (until 4:30) - Sensual Massage Workshop - Tim Cooley - Great Room (Sign Up Required)
An opportunity to exchange conscious touch through full body massage. No prior experience required. I will give a brief tutorial on suggested massage techniques and safety issues (what not to do). This is sensual, not erotic touch. Boundaries will be respected.

OR - Stories of Glory and Triumph - with Harry Faddis - Temple
What is something fabulous or exciting that happened to you as a teenager that nobody knows about? A time when you stepped forward and just shone, a time when you did something extraordinary against all obstacles, a time when you just completed some great task? We all have stories of our sad days of childhood. We appear to be somebody’s victim. We were bullied; we were picked on; we were overlooked, disrespected, and erased. We are not looking for these stories this time. In this workshop we are going to focus exclusively on STORIES OF GLORY AND TRIUMPH. Come with one of your stories, prepared to share it in a group. Everyone is required to have a story and be willing to share it. There will be no observers. All in or not in. Many of you may be familiar with “The Moth Radio Hour.” This is a similar event in storytelling. Some of you may, in fact, have taken a workshop here at Easton called “Coaching For Life,” presented by Michael Cohen and me, 15 years ago. We did this event on STORIES OF GLORY AND TRIUMPH and were ahead of our times. Here it is again. Remember: EVERYONE HAS A STORY. We will all be inspired!

5:00 pm - A Brotherhood of Song with Jonathan Comisar - Great Room
Come gather around the piano. We will sing songs that tell stories and uplift the spirit.

OR - The Masks We Wear - with Scott Alexander - Temple
In this dynamic 90-minute workshop, we’ll dive into the rich world of Commedia dell'Arte, an Italian theatrical tradition known for its bold, exaggerated characters and their iconic masks. We’ll explore how these archetypes—such as Harlequin, Pantalone, Il Dottore, and Columbina—represent different aspects of the human experience and we’ll also explore how they can be found in modern story telling, in our workplaces, family relations and yes, even here at Easton Mountain. Through guided exercises and creative expression, you’ll discover how these characters mirror the various masks we wear every day, and how we can use them as tools to reflect on our own self-perception versus how others see us.

7:00 pm - Dinner (Circle at 6:50)

8:30 pm - Appreciate Your Journey - with Nhojj - Great Room
As we enter this new era, let’s pause and appreciate our life’s journeys. Gratitude is a powerful state of being, and the next phase of our journeys may ask us to embody powerful states of being. Join Nhojj for a this special interactive workshop and performance.

10:00 pm - Late Night Activities
Sauna, Games

Monday, Dec 30th

7:30 am - Yoga with Tim Cooley - Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced yogis!

8:30 am - Breakfast

9:30 am - Daily Heart Circle - with Goldenheart - Great Room
We have created an optional space for people to check in and share from the heart after breakfast!

OR - 12 Step Meeting - Hunter Reynolds Room

11:00 am - Evolutionary Energy Healing with David Sklarew - Great Room
Interested in becoming more embodied/present, interrupting behavioral patterns that don't serve you, exploring how much of the emotions you feel are really your own, and learning how to clear your emotions? In this playful and experiential workshop, you will learn about your emotional energy body and practice powerful embodiment, energy regulation, and energy clearing skills. After reviewing the emotional energy system and some of the behavioral patterns that are related to each chakra being dysregulated ( too open or too closed) we will jump into learning a collection of self care skills to put in your toolbox. While these practical tools are empowering for anyone, they are especially helpful for sensitive empathic men.

OR - Pause for Poetry with Jonathan Comisar - Temple
We will gather in an informal circle to read poems together. They will be chosen from a variety of cultures and time periods. The circle is intended to use poetry as a vehicle to delight in the written word, to laugh, feel deeply, and share about life's journey. Come take a pause. Allow yourself -to return to the written and spoken word.

12:30 pm - Lunch

2:00 pm - The 5-Senses Erotic Massage - with David Dunn Bauer - Great Room (Sign Up Required)
The 5-Senses massage is an adventure into a different and very hot way of appreciating other men erotically and being appreciated in turn. Based substantially on principles from the Wheel of Consent, we focus on the reality of who each other is. There isn't time in this workshop to fantasize and score. Rather we have the opportunity, guided by our five senses, to respond to the other men in the room, surprising each other with our own individual erotic fire. This is a powerful workshop. It is naked and it involves full body contact but it is carefully facilitated to maximize physical and emotional safety.

OR - Words from the Winter Heart - with Lee Stern - Temple
Weather permitting, we'll begin with a walking meditation around the Easton land, peppered with 'group haiku' moments, then convene indoors for a 'dyad' poem and group 'I remember’ and ‘winter dreams' poem. We'll finish by writing a prose/poem letter to ourselves, to be delivered later in the new year (by me through the mail), as a reminder of how our hearts, minds, bodies, souls began the new year. We will use our words and memories as paths to continual renewal.

4:30 pm - Bollywood Dance Fun with Shaan Prokopton - Great Room
Shaan will lead you through a high-energy session where you’ll 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.

OR - Hell Yes: Living in your FLAME and not your WAX with Wayne Leiss - Temple
Are you busy but lack a feeling of accomplishment? Are there parts of your life (professional or personal) where you lack fulfillment? Is your flame barely flickering and not burning brightly? Do you want to make a change for the new year? In this workshop we will begin to define our values and learn to make decisions based on them. We will discuss techniques for turning down “opportunities” that are not a HELL YES! (How to say NO gracefully.)

7:00 pm - Dinner (Circle at 6:50)

8:30 pm - Talent Salon (Sign Up Required)
An EM tradition! It’s your turn to share with us. Sing a song, do a monologue, juggle, dance, whatever!

10:00 pm - Late Night Activities
Sauna, Games

Tuesday, Dec 31st (New Year’s Eve)

7:30 am - Yoga with Tim Cooley - Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced yogis!

8:30 am - Breakfast

9:30 am - Daily Heart Circle - with Goldenheart - Great Room
We have created an optional space for people to check in and share from the heart after breakfast!

OR - 12 Step Meeting - Hunter Reynolds Room

11:00 am - Community Forum - with John Stasio - Great Room
Join Community wide discussion led by founder John Stasio to discuss our community and what the future might hold!

12:30 pm - Lunch

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm - DAYTIME SAUNA AVAILABLE
GREAT ROOM CLOSED FOR BANQUET SETUP

2:00 pm - Creativity as Self Care - with Nhojj - Temple
Creating is a superpower. Creativity can help us through challenging times. Together, we’ll discover one small, doable step you can take to bring more creativity into your life.

4:00 pm - (1 hour) Community Eucharist Celebration - with John Stasio - Temple
Join Founder John Stasio for an inclusive and heartfelt celebration of communion in our Temple. Experience unity, connection, and a transformative ceremony in a safe and welcoming space. Come and be part of this sacred gathering that incudes readings and musical offerings from some Community members.

5:30 pm - Fire Lighting Ceremony - Great Room
Join some of the facilitators to set intentions and get the fireplace ready for our ritual!

6:30 pm - Pre Banquet Hors d’oeuvres and Non Alcoholic Beverages - Sun Room

7:30 pm - Hail the New Banquet - Great Room

9:30 pm - 10:45 pm - GREAT ROOM CLOSED FOR RITUAL PREP

10:45 pm - Midnight - Hail the New Ritual - Great Room
Join us for the centerpiece of the retreat. We will gather to mark the passing of the year with words, songs, prayers and silence.

Midnight - ?? - Great Room - Hail the New Dance
Dance into 2024 with DJ Sean!

Wednesday, Jan 1st (New Year’s Day)

8:00 am - Continental Breakfast

9:00 am - Yoga with Tim Cooley - Great Room
Join Tim for a yoga practice emphasizing listening to your body. Fine for beginners or more advanced yogis!

OR - 12 Step Meeting - Hunter Reynolds Room

10:30 am - Closing Circle - Great Room
An important time to reflect, share and say farewell

11:30 am - Farewell Brunch