As a son, we learn what it is to be a man from our fathers. If the father is absent, either physically or emotionally, our idea of what it means to be a man comes from other men we have observed, or our mothers.
The father/son relationship is crucial in our development as men. We unknowingly re-enact the negative lessons that our fathers taught us. For example, if we were put down, ridiculed, or never touched by our fathers then we become afraid to trust other men.
To change, we must do the inner work that our fathers did not know how to do. We celebrate the deep masculine core of social, spiritual, and psychological qualities of being a man. When we connect with the deep masculine, we learn to find a comfortable balance in being strong without oppressing, being powerful without overpowering, and in taking control without controlling.
| The father-son retreat is designed to strengthen the bond between father and son by working together to understand the problems that exist in the relationship and clarify what the relationship should be. Through the Soul Awakening retreat both individuals work to understand more clearly their own goals and how their father-son relationship can be enhanced when they are both more available emotionally. We learn that being loving and forgiving are enjoyable traits. |  |
 | At the father-son retreat we will creatively explore the father and the son, both real and symbolic. We will explore what it means to be a man in the twenty-first century - wild and gentle, strong and loving, angry and sad, willing to grieve and rejoice as he stands up for what he believes in. |
A three-night Rites of Passage Retreat is a perfect way for a father and son together to celebrate the child's "coming of age." It will yield a bond that lasts a lifetime.
Strengthening the father-son relationship also enhances the other relationships within the family, with the mother and siblings.
For more information on the father-son relationship go to our All Seasons Healing Publications page.
