ABOUT THE FLOW IMMERSION
The Flow Immersion is a adventure retreat experience for conscious men seeking to pair one of their primary flow activities (surfing, skiing, biking, trail running, etc) with cutting edge neuroscience backed peak performance protocols that inspire one to level up, move beyond paralyzing stories, uncover purpose, tap into flow and optimize performance and lifestyle.
It’s a retreat experience for hard charging guys in their sport, life and work who know the value of standing shoulder to shoulder with other men focused discovering the keys that unlock their full potential.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
Honed through a true lifetime of global action sports and self development experiential education, I architect tailored experiences that seamlessly put guests through the flow cycle while packing it full of individual and group flow triggers. Each experience leverages the capacity of the location to bring about a challenging, but rewarding adventure while also making loads of space for active recovery and the deep work that many come to do. Purposefully surrounded with a team of qualified men who are more than able to shoulder their weight and yours, the alchemy of the work inside the group experience unlocks even the deepest rooted fears to allow for exponential expansion.
FLOW STATE CONSCIOUSNESS EDUCATION
Led by Peak Performance Coach and Flow State Expert, Colin Boyd, guests can expect a full educational break down of flow state consciousness. The course will cover flow state basics including what flow is, the flow cycle, flow triggers, flow blockers and neuroscience backed peak performance protocols. We don’t just learn about these things in a classroom, we learn the models, then live them throughout the immersion, then most importantly, commit to applying the principles to one’s life once the retreat is complete.
PEAK STATES ACCESSED BY ACTION SPORTS ADVENTURE
Action sports offer a unique doorway to flow due to the flow triggers inherent in the sport itself. Typically those who pursue these sports due them for autotelic reasons, which translates to, the regular act of engaging in the sport is rewarding and fulfilling enough to continue it's pursuit - no extrinsic motivators are necessary. I've been riding boards since the age of seven and have had my deepest flow experiences along with the most intense competitive experiences of my life here. Now, I use a sport which my clients love and have, unbeknownst to them, used to access flow for many years, to upgrade their mindset on how to get into deeper and more consistent states in their sport, while also translating these tools over to their work and family life.
MEN’S WORK
There are fewer moments in life that can ritualized as rites of passage. Studies of large populations of men show how they naturally drift apart and become more isolated over time in comparison to women. As men age and the work/family responsibilities pile in, we give up friendships, hobbies and sport, but by doing so, we slowly lose the fabric of ourselves and can get lost in the monotony of living in complacency. Once one becomes aware of this or any other personal challenges, finding someone to open up to can be daunting. This is why these groups are currently designed for men - to open up and hold, listen and challenge each other, to witness each other's struggle and pain without judgment. Throughout the experience there are many opportunities to connect 1:1 and swap tales along with guidance on how to approach the current life challenges - often forging more meaningful relationships that are stronger than superficial relationships that have been in place for decades.
NUTRITION
I understand those who are likely coming to this immersive experience are hard charging guys who don’t know just how important recovery is for their performance. So, rather than focus solely on a peak experience, I build active recovery into the program throughout each day to teach how important it is and the various ways in which to recover. Although each immersion is unique some of my favorite protocols are saunas, ice baths and breathwork.
MEDITATION
From our cell phones, targeted advertising, 24/7 work demands and social media, the world is constantly vying for our attention. Without intention and training we are susceptible to go from thing to thing without the capacity to focus intently for hours on end on projects that align with our mission. Flow follows focus, so without training focus on the present moment, we will lose our capacity to access flow states through the loss of our ability to control our attention. Over the weekend I offer an introduction to meditation and may have an invited teacher come to facilitate a longer session with Q&A.
SAUNA
Used as a key aspect of our active recovery regime, sauna's purge toxins from our body and create a physiological state change that we can leverage when we are stuck in our thinking minds. I use the sauna to teach about active recovery while advising clients to witness their own physiological state changes before/after. Depending on the flow immersion location and experience, access to a sauna is not always available, however we will always go out of our way to create this experience.
ICE BATH
Used as another active recovery protocol, the ice bath is typically paired with the sauna or hot pool experience to allow for clients to oscillate in extreme temperatures, speeding their recovery and access to a physiological state change. The ice bath may come in the form of a plar plunge in a winter body of water, or a specific tank full of ice, but regardless, overcoming the mental doubt of doing something really uncomfortable allows us to access that type of strength in our day to day challenges. Along with the studied health benefits of cold exposure, this is a protocol that anyone can experience and build into their home routine with merely turning the tap to cold for the daily shower.
BREATHWORK
Depending on the modality of the breath, we can deploy protocols to access peak states, down regulate our parasympathetic nervous system or bring intense energy to the task at hand. It is a tool that practitioners have been experimenting with for millennia. We will provide an introduction to various types of breathwork and deploy the practice at key moments to illustrate what's possible through focused training, awareness and manipulation of the breath.
YOGA / MOVEMENT
One of our final pillars of active recovery is movement. Yoga is our preferred methodology, however we may use other forms of slow movement to ground into the present and leverage a sense of embodied awareness. Where appropriate a yoga facilitator will be brought in for the group of men to slow down the class to the pace of the group and really illustrate what's going on in each pose. The goal is to refine your skills by learning how to express a couple poses really well.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Ryan | Climate Policy
White Mountains Fall 2021
I met Colin at the peak of relationship issues for both of us, and I was inspired from him to pursue all kinds of books, podcasts, practices, and even a 10-day silent meditation retreat. But this weekend really felt like a closing of the loop... synthesizing so many practices I've spent time in, or dabbled in, and pulling it together under the umbrella of our outdoor/adventure mission. I knew this was all connected, but this experience really brought it home for me. And while I took on this weekend in part just to see where Colin was at with this new work in his life, I was sincerely so impressed. Every part of the experience was so intentional and served its purpose masterfully. And Saturday afternoon brought me a lightning bolt of clarity around what I want to do with my career that has been evading me for the past 5 years. That asynchronous events at school have popped up around this weekend affirming this direction of focusing on team forming for innovation have only further confirmed the power of this retreat.
What a thrill to be able to experience you, Colin, delivering such an incredible experience in complete alignment with practices and a vision that you've worked so hard to realize. And to be in presence and relationship with all y'all as you moved through the experience towards your own awakenings and dawnings.
Jimmy | Founder Poem Surfcraft
Joshua Tree, Spring 2021
Spending a few days in the wilderness committing to mindfulness and meaningfulness, and combining that with adventure—I can’t think of a better endeavor. It’s soul medicine. It’s what I wanted out of partying but could never quite find or hold on to long enough. Better than any “bachelor party” anyway.
Devin | Entrepreneur
Joshua Tree Spring 21
I never met Colin, but was recommended to do this from a close friend. I drove 12 hours to be here and showed up recently divorced, with three kids and having recently sold my business. To be honest, I was struggling, lost, searching for answers or a path towards where my next mission in life should be and I couldn’t have been happier with the experience. I had some experience with meditation, gratitude, breath work and flow, but the way in which the materials were presented opened my eyes to cement my idea of what I don’t want to be and foster who I seek to become.
Matt | Founder OceanSide Surf School
Joshua Tree Spring 2021
This experience was so beyond the expectations that I had. I barely understood what “Flow Immersion” meant, but once I was integrated in the experience, it was one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done. I’m going home with more understanding of myself, my own purpose and how to show up fully as a new husband inside of my marriage. The tools we were given and exercises we went through together gave me a clear sense of how to apply and integrate these tools into my life.
Grant | Filmmaker
White Mountains Fall 2021
Where do I start? Colin is the real deal and this experience is about more than flow: the weekend is a kind of defibrillator for the human spirit. That sounds abstract, so let me explain. Colin curates a series of concise experiences that become stacked together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. The Sauna/Cold plunge combo, silent hike starting in the still of night, the breath work, plant medicine, excellent meals, and supporting, kind group culture all amalgamate into an experience that has the force of an initiation. I don’t say that lightly. I come from a background in the Men’s work started by Robert Bly and can say that Colin is blowing fresh breath on old embers, ushering in a new generation of men’s work that is visceral, embodied, and frankly fun as hell. I consider myself hugely averse to all the New Age programming out there that lacks grit and substance - I almost didn’t attend the weekend because of this aversion. Thank god I didn’t let that concern get the best of me. This experience is continuing to enrich my life as I hope it will enrich yours. Colin is not presenting himself as a guru – he’s just a good man sticking his neck out to share tools that have enriched his life. I can’t recommend this program enough. I will absolutely be back.
Rhett | Founder Arbor Construction
Joshua Tree Spring 2021
For a person that wants to work on themselves, come once to just check it out. Then you’ll understand why this is a mandatory quarterly or yearly pilgrimage. Not only is it a fun time, but it’s incredibly valuable.