MEN AND NATURE CONNECTION  
Spring and Fall Retreats - STAY TUNED
 
THE  ECOLOGY  OF RELATIONSHIP
with Jerry Brodey & David Jurasek
​​
Find a powerful way to connect to yourself,
other men and your creative self through nature. 

You are invited to a Spring weekend of reconnection with nature through mindfulness. This weekend is an opportunity to leave the city and busyness behind, put your cell phone on hold, and be nourished by  Black River Farm & Wilderness. There are 170 acres of field, fresh water springs, cedar and mixed forest on the Black River to explore. We are 10 minutes north of Madoc, Ontario.

By meeting our contractions and expansions in the large pool of life, in presence, in resonance, we find what is truly alive. Find your aliveness by exploring the ecology of our relationships.

 In nature and meditative activities we use walkabouts, music, sitting practice, poetry, journaling and artwork  as catalysts to engage in conversations with our creative selves and one another. Presently we are in a global crisis and this is a time where we are challenged to be proactive, to nurture the deep ecology of all our relations. Using Aikido principles we learn practices that help us turn toward what is challenging to face. Around the fire we can find the questions that help us to connect to the deepest parts of ourselves as men: our joy, grief, longing, and desire to manifest what we truly want in our lives, to become more aware and conscious.

Nature is often our greatest teacher in a uniquely mysterious way if we allow it to penetrate "…every step, an anticipation, a curiosity, a wonder, pointing me in a direction, precisely where I need to go. (J. Brodey)" I believe we must help one another find our courage to plant intentional seeds to grow a powerful vision that will impact our diverse relationships.

How can we manifest what we yearn for when we are not present to what is calling us?
​
Using  nature walkabouts, music, meditation, poetry, journaling and artwork as catalysts we can engage in  conversations with one another about what is happening in our lives and experience the power of our creative selves. There we find the questions that help to connect us to the deepest parts of ourselves as men: our joy, grief, longing, and desire to manifest what we truly want in our lives.   It is our birthright to feel our connection to the life in resonance with what is truly alive. Nature is often our greatest teacher in uniquely mysterious way if we allow it to penetrate “...every step, an anticipation, a curiosity, a wonder, pointing me in a direction...(J.Brodey)”


THE INTENTION of this weekend is to explore mindfulness practices as a way into connection with the world of nature and explore those artful things that feed the soul. We do this for ourselves and for the impact we wish to have in the world.

In 2014 our family purchased  Black River Farm and Wilderness. Being with this Land has changed my life by giving me a deeper meaning and purpose through understanding nature’s ability to transform. For all my adult life I have been delivering many kinds of  workshops for men, women and children about leadership and diversity but never really understood the impact of living in a highly technical and fast-paced world. “The future will belong to the nature-smart (Richard Louv).” Our need to learn to live interdependently with all our relations is a fundamental law of nature, a principle that helps us live with more resilience, kindness and compassion. This is why I am moved to bring this work to others.


 LOCATION: Black River Farm & Wilderness, 41 Lennox Rd., Madoc, ON -  https://bit.ly/2Lls78r

CONTACT: Jerry Brodey   jbrodey@bell.net   647 546 8470

​COST: Sliding scale $400 - $550 
 Simple and nourishing meals. Accommodation included.

TO REGISTER: Send Name, Phone number, Address and Email, with $100 e-transfer or cheque deposit to hold your place made out to:  Jerry Brodey, 41 Lennox Rd. Madaoc,  On. K0K2K0 

​LIMITED SPACE: 6 Participants
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
DAVID JURASEK comes from creative and wild Slavic people in Eastern Europe and Muslims who settled in the Balkans. 

As a child, his family escaped the Iron Curtain as refugees climbing over a mountain. He has lived in more than 34 places and now at age, 43, he finally feels at home in his body and is deeply rooted in the rich soil of his closest relationships.

The unique ways he finds to be creative, build community and help others to grow include: 
  • Martial Art of Parenting (MAP) -- a practice community for parents who want to be braver, kinder, stronger and wiser. www.martialartofparenting.com
  • Powerful And Loving (PAL) -- a mentoring community for men who want to grow their relationship muscle. www.powerfulandloving.com
  • INTEGRITY Therapy -- a clinical space where he works as a registered psychotherapist with boys and men and those who struggle with loving them. www.integritytherapy.org
  • Inspired Playback Theatre -- running an improv theatre company which reflects back real-life stories of diverse people to increase compassion and deeper understanding.  www.inspiredplayback.com