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COME TO
YOUR SENSES
Cultivating
Sensuality in Tuscany
a program for gay men
June 7-14, 2008
We invite you to the vacation of your dreams – a week of sensual delight in beautiful Italy. This retreat offers more than simply the opportunity to get away from ordinary life. During the week we will spend an entire day exploring each one of the senses: sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch.
We believe that in today's fast-paced world, where hard-working people spend their days harnessed to computers and cell phones, it is spiritually rewarding to take time to refine simple pleasures.
This retreat offers more than simply the opportunity to get away from ordinary life. We are inspired by the ancient philosophy of Epicureanism. Dating from the 4th century B.C., Epicureanism taught that the pleasures of the senses offer an immediately verifiable standard of truth and therefore can serve to cultivate wisdom, justice, and happiness.
If you are eager to expand both intimacy and self-awareness in the company of other open-hearted men, this is the experience for which you've been waiting.
During the weeklong retreat, we will spend an entire day cultivating each one of the senses. You will be invited to really see what you see, taste what you taste, smell what you smell, hear what you hear and touch what you touch – really slow down, savor your sensory impressions and replenish your skills of discernment.
In a setting that is both safe and inviting to gay men we will help you remember the joy of life in a body!
COME TO YOUR SENSES is rich but gently structured. Daily exercises
will guide participants through inner exploration and community dialogue.
Our days together give us time to tour the ancient and beautiful land
around us. We will sample hill towns, monasteries, a local winery and
other places. but this is more than simply hitting the highlights from a
guidebook. We'll learn a bit about the history and texture of the region
to gain greater understanding and to more fully appreciate its vibrancy.
We can't help being aware of Tuscany as the cradle of the Renaissance. How
does the food, the culture, the sunlight inspire such an outpouring of
vision and artistry? What are the roots of creativity? We stay in an
authentic Tuscan farmhouse in the midst of a working vineyard and olive
grove near a tiny village just outside of Siena. Our chef will prepare
classic Tuscan breakfasts and dinners (including wine) each day.
The retreat also provides the opportunity to experience the camaraderie of
other men. By sharing fun and self-exploration, we'll grow in
self-awareness and make new friends. (The size of the group is limited to
10 participants.)
Some of the retreat will involve light touch and informal massage, with the option of being undressed.
Participants should be comfortable with physicality and respectful
touch.
Men of all ages and physical types are welcome, but having a positive sense of your physical self will be helpful.
Some of the workshop will involve walking or light hiking; if you have mobility problems, you will want to check with the facilitators for more information.
For more information on the program, including photos and testimonials, click here.
To register, go here.
For some thoughts on traveling to Europe in a difficult economic climate,
see here.
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