Scholarships available by request and Early bird discount.

A weekend for men offered by men who are curious to embody the map to wholeness (as described by Bill Plotkin). Using mythology, ritual, movement, music and wilderness we will embody the resources of the four archetypes of human wholeness, namely; The Wild Indigenous one, Soul Muse; Sacred Fool/Trickster/Innocent sage and the Nurturing Generative Adult.

Led by Jaime Howell and Elder Les Gray

The four facets of wholeness are powerful resources. Each archetype has a gift. Some men will benefit from reconnecting with their wildness, it will help them to reclaim their power and find freedom outside of conformity. Others are hungry for the creativity that can come when connecting to the muse, the mytho-poetic conversation with Soul. Others will gain resources to support their self regulating inner generative adult. We work with the understanding that it is in our vulnerabilities that we may find the key to living our gifts, core wound to sacred wound.

Our communities need men who are doing the inner work to mature their egos (survival strategies) so they may be in service to life. This is a long weekend for men who are ready to move beyond their comfortable self to nudge the possibilities that exist when men show up with courage, care and curiosity.

This course can be considered a professional development opportunity for men who work with men of all ages (including boys) who are wanting to do the inner work necessary to understand and hold space for the development needs of each life stage. See the map on the home page (www.centreforthegreattruning.org) by Bill Plotkin .

This retreat is about growing self awareness, learning to feel, asking for support by mentors and communities of men. We will lean into mythology to help us reconnect the inner child with the resources of an instinctive and creative adult who is generative and in touch with their Soul.

The Centre for the Great Turning is a registered charitable Trust, Jaime Howell is the founder and director. He has been the producer of Animas event in Aotearoa New Zealand.

If you want to know if this unique and rare mens event is for you, we suggest watching the following video about Bill Ploktins' work.

https://youtu.be/S25UKlLq5m8?si=zChx9igGJaJn7WcL

It is very helpful and when combined with Open Floor it makes for a powerful event.

If you are wanting a scholarship please email Jaimeopeningminds@gmail.com

About Jaime

Jaime has been a director for the Tracks rites of passage programme and been involved for 15 years. He has hosted Bill Plotkin and studied with Animas valley. Jaime is a producer for their events in New Zealand. Jaime is a long standing member of a mens group in the South Island. He has organised and guided mens events, weekend gatherings and other professional development courses for men. He carries a gift for helping men get in their bodies through dance.

Jaime is motivated to develop maps and inquiries that support the flowering of human creativity, wisdom and care for the generations of all life to come. He supports men in particular to awaken their ecological self, the innate sense of belonging to the natural world. Jaime has a Masters Degree in Education, he is a wild poet, a student of mythology and plays a mean blues guitar. He lives in community and knows that the sacred and the ordinary are both necessary . A friend to shadow, bruised and bumped with a heart still open. A recent new father and peaceful warrior to bring the right kind of trouble to a world waking up.

About Les Gray

Les began doing specifically Mens work in 1980 with the For Men collective, conducting a number of workshops around the north island. With that collective in 1984 he coconvened the first national hui to address men's violence to women and children. He went on to be one of the pioneers of Stopping Violence group programs, serving on the national executive committee founding Men for Nonviolence and in turn serving as convenor of that committee. Les was known to the Karaka Tribe and Jim Horton of the Tui Community in Golden Bay. Les has a long association with the Essentially Men community, serving as a trustee and as an Elder in the Pathways to Manhood programme. Within that context he developed a 7 day Pathways to Elderhood programme. Currently Les regularly attends EM events and co-facilitates an annual Old Blokes gathering

This is a new generation of mens work…it will be safe enough, involve your whole body/mind/soul, nature, music and movement and myth.