Mindful MenLiving: Meditation Retreat
What this weekend is
Open to all men.
You’ve had ten thousand evenings. How many do you remember? We move through our days at speed: screens, schedules, the constant hum of things to do. Whole seasons blur past without us. This weekend is built on a simple premise: slow down enough, and time gives itself back.
We slow down, get quiet, and notice how thoughts are a constant distraction to being in the present moment. With simple mindfulness sitting practice, walking meditation, and movement like Qigong and yoga we can become more aware of our inner world and let things slow down like the silt that settles at the bottom of a pond, providing more clarity to what lies beneath the surface. This also allows us to look honestly at how we were shaped as men and how those patterns show up today. With awareness, we can release what no longer serves and choose what does.
We call this retreat The Longest Night, not because of the calendar, but because a night is long when you’re finally awake for all of it. Silence stretches time. A distracted week vanishes; a silent hour expands. Two unplugged days in the snow-quiet Wisconsin woods, far from the beaten path, with the whole retreat center to ourselves: that is the antidote.
The container
This weekend will be in noble silence, and it moves in an arc. We arrive talking: Friday evening, including dinner, is an opportunity to connect and settle in. We open with connection men’s work in the spirit of the MenLiving mission and vision of healthy, intentional, connected men. Noble silence begins Friday night and holds through Saturday: we will not talk, including during meals. The silence is very intentional and creates an environment in which the normal chatter of our complex lives can begin to fall away. Saturday night’s fire breaks the noble silence, but stays quiet: a hushed release ceremony, not an open chat night. We return to silence afterward. Sunday late morning we break silence for good and come back to where we started: MenLiving-style connection, integration, and a circle of men.
Saturday night: the fire
All weekend the silence gathers; Saturday night it walks with us to the fire. Each man burns, without a word, something he wrote earlier that day: whatever he’s ready to release. Then, lighting a candle from the same fire, he speaks his first words of the evening: a word or a phrase for what he’s carrying forward. Only after every man has been witnessed does the circle open into quiet conversation, still inside the hush of the weekend. It’s the turning point of the longest night: what you’re done with behind you, a lit candle in your hand.
How we practice
- Seated and walking meditation, mindful movement, and intentional pauses
- Clear guidance for newcomers and depth for experienced practitioners
- Open time outdoors on the grounds
- Simple agreements for confidentiality, respect, and phones off
Who it’s for
Men new to meditation and long-time practitioners who are willing to sit, listen, and engage respectfully.
Schedule
- Friday: arrive and register by 4:30 p.m., dinner at 5:30 (in conversation), opening circle and connection work at 6:30; noble silence begins at night’s end
- Saturday: practice blocks, movement, optional nature time, evening fire ritual: burn something you’re ready to let go of, light a candle for what you’re carrying forward, then a short window of quiet conversation before we return to silence
- Sunday: morning practice, break silence late morning, connection circles and integration, depart at 2:00 p.m.
Comfort
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Bring a cushion or bench if you use one. Chairs are available. Bring shoes and warm clothes for walking the grounds and an outside fire Saturday evening; you may want a small notebook.
Investment
- Double occupancy: $545
- Single occupancy: $595
Includes two nights lodging with private bath, towels and bedding, meeting room, and six meals starting Friday dinner. If on-site rooms sell out, nearby hotels are available and retreat fees will be adjusted. No donation is requested. Registration price covers all costs.
Host: Tony Schmidt, Meditation coach, MenLiving facilitator, and Qigong enthusiast.
Register for the event here:
