Waking up to crisp air, frost laden grass means one thing in the mountains of New England - that peak foliage is near. The autumn here is nothing short of magic. The trees shedding their annual outfit leaf by leaf creating a fiery storm all over the earth and draped in the arms of trees above. Growing up here, it was a time where the mountains called. Hikes were easier to manage out of the hot sun and the moments in time felt all the more memorable. Packing in those last Indian summer adventures before the abrupt change to dismal grays and a forced pilgrimage indoors.
This was my inspiration for the 2021 Fall Flow Immersion - to mark a moment in time prior to the doldrums of winter by creating an intentional pause to reflect on past and future by living in the presence of a crew of world class men. Hosted at our White Mountains retreat center, Oak Hill Farm, we had a great mix of indoor/outdoor living and unparalleled access to the Whites.
Due to the limited capacity of indoor sleeping arrangements, we capped the crew size to ensure a tight knit group for ease of travel and maximum impact for those that attended. This time around we had men aged 28 - 75 hailing from around the country. Some I had known for most or large parts of my life, some I had never met before and others were new friends. Yet all beckoned the call to show up, unplug, get educated on flow and dive head first into a one of a kind immersive experience that had the capacity to completely alter the trajectory of one's life.
Preparing for the arrival of the crew is one of my favorite moments in the retreat. For one, I get to live the retreat experience myself, waking up before dawn, running, stretching, ice bathing and meditating prior to moving into my day. I access flow immediately by setting up clear goals around space design, tidiness, food quality, atmosphere, music and ensuring every detail is just right. I live my own In the last hour before guests arrive, I allow myself the time to recover and set my own intentions around being 100% present and available for the men who chose to invest in themselves on that weekend. It's an honor and privilege to have this role and it's one that I take very seriously as I have experienced the transformative power of unlocking huge growth potential and also having witnessed others due the same over the course of my Flow Immersions.
When the guests arrive my body and mind relax and I make the switch from anticipation to presence. I make introductions, hand guests a warm cup of cider, invite them to check out their gift bags of books and goodies for the weekend and most importantly - to relax. By the time everyone arrives, the conversation has mutated beyond the surface and the men are easing their way into forging fast friendships knowing they'll need each other for the journey ahead.
Under candle light and surrounding a meal fit for kings, I welcome these men into a tight circle of trust and confidentiality for the weekend. I share my purpose, my goals and objectives and WHY I decided to commit to this work. Passing the conch shell, men share their gratitude along with their reason for showing up. Some more pointed and vulnerable then others, but sharing their inner worlds amongst a company of strangers is a hurdle that many don't often ever have the chance to jump. It's a critical step for group flow as we begin to blend our ego's by understanding each other's worries and concerns noting our own experiences and how by just listening without judgment we are providing new fertile grounds for growth and transformation.
The first night winds down with our first active recovery session using the ice baths and sauna until everyone has been flushed, renewed and prepared for the weekend ahead. Late at night I note the experiences and prepare for all the logistics for the following day. The 4 AM wake up, the pre-sunrise silent hike above tree line on one of New Hampshire's most iconic peaks and creating space for personal growth and lots of recovery. I crawl into my simple bed, sleeping on the floor with a thin mattress connecting to my first 10-day silent meditation retreat experience, sleeping in a similar fashion.
This is the warrior's path. It requires one to confront themselves amongst a brotherhood who can hold you accountable when you can no longer hold yourself. Clarity is created through the process and with clear goals, fresh insight and an embodied connection to oneself, men who have gone through this immersion often leave and take bold steps that drastically transform their lives. One guest in particular ended up leaving a full time position that was described as cancerous and in doing so has completely re-oriented his day to day to align deeply with his own mission and purpose.
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See you on the road.
- Colin
