Sacred Art of Living Center enthusiastically offers this five day formal male initiation which takes men’s work to the next necessary spiritual level. The program and team leadership are based on the wisdom, experience and teaching of Richard Rohr, OFM, an international leader and mentor in the movement to redefine the men’s work in society and religion. While inclusive of all spiritual paths, these teachings are based on Judeo-Christian rituals of Passover and have met with very positive response by hundreds of men worldwide.

Every so often we get the chance to make a dramatic change in our lives. The question is always: Do we have the courage to leap? What men find at the Rites of Passage is that the leap is worth the risk. So much of what we fear is that we are alone on the spiritual path. What we learn at the Men's Rites of Passage is that we have many brothers on our journey.

Maybe this quote from a recently initiated man will give you an idea why:“One of the things I notice is that I am less anxious about the future. I feel less pressure to make everything happen, or that nothing good will happen unless I do the right thing. I have more of a sense that somehow things will come together.”

This is not about religion, but about spirituality, about age old traditions that guide us into manhood, about coming to trust that there is something much greater at work in our lives than we could ever imagine.

The program is a five day-four night deeply prayerful experience that builds on the classic patterns of male initiation through teaching and rituals that will be both simple and moving. Each day will include group prayer, a major presentation about central themes of male spirituality, quiet time for reflection in the desert and sharing in the context of a ‘home group.’ In the words of program’s founder, Father Richard Rohr, “Men are asked to come with a willingness to participate from beginning to end and not as an observer. All participants begin at point zero with no agendas to live up to or down to”. All that is required is for a man to come with a ‘beginner’s mind’ and the readiness of a young novice seeking wisdom. Ultimately, initiation, like life itself is not a spectator’s sport.

What the Program is NOT:

• A traditional lecture-based retreat
• An informational workshop about men’s spirituality
• A sensitivity training or deprivation experience
• A threatening process that requires participants to engage in anything strange or unsafe
• A test of physical stamina

What the Program IS:

• A personal discovery about masculine spirituality and ‘the Holy Mystery’
• A time to savor the healing power of nature
• A process to address issues of loss, grief and relationships with father and other men
• An opportunity to examine life’s priorities and ask courageous questions about your ‘next step’
• An invitation to listen to the ‘quiet voice of God’
• An chance to return to life with a renewed commitment to your gifts