- The Men's Lodge
Embers of the Soul
An immersive retreat experience where men come together to do the deep work — in brotherhood, in nature, in truth.
Duration
4 days
Format
Residential
For
Men only
Recommended Prerequisite
Tending the Fire
Into the Depths
This is not a weekend escape. It will not be light or comfortable.
Embers of the Soul is a structured, well-held space for real work. Four days. Clear direction. No hiding.
You will step into a group of men who are serious about change. Not just talking about it. Living it.
Guided by Alex MacKain and Dirk Plas, you will work through the layers that shape how you show up. Conditioning. Defence. Control. The patterns you rely on without noticing.
You will be challenged to drop what is not real. To feel what is actually there. To stand in it.
Beneath the roles, there is a man who is more direct, more grounded, and more honest. That is who you will meet.
You will leave with clearer direction. Stronger self-trust. And a group of men who have seen you without the mask.
What the retreat holds
Deep Inner Work
Guided processes to make shifts and meet the parts of yourself you've been avoiding; with courage, compassion, and support.
Brotherhood Circle
Daily circles where men share from the heart. No fixing, no judging, just witnessing and being witnessed.
Embodiment Practices
Breathwork, movement, and somatic exercises that bring you back into your body and out of your head.
Nature Immersion
Time in nature to ground, to reflect, and to let the land hold what your mind cannot.
Integration
Bringing everything together so that what you experience here doesn't stay here, it comes home with you.
Celebration
Honouring the journey, the breakthroughs, and the bonds forged in the fire of authentic connection.
Details about the retreat
What the retreat works with
We look at how you learned to be a man. Where you hold back. Where you give your power away. And how your early life still runs your behaviour now.
Vulnerability is not weakness here. It is what allows you to be real and direct.
Your wounds and blind spots are not problems to fix. They are where your clarity and direction come from.
We ask a straight question: what is actually needed from you as a man, and what changes when you stop avoiding it.
Why join this retreat
Being around committed men changes how you show up. It builds backbone, presence, and accountability.
This is a space where you can be direct, without performance or pretending.
The structure is solid. The environment is grounded. You do not have to keep it together.
You can drop in, settle your system, and be as you are.
Time in nature supports this. It cuts through noise and brings you back to something simple and real.
The Arc of the retreat
Arrival on Thursday
We open the group. Set clear agreements. Meet each other properly.
There is a fire ritual to mark the start.
You name why you are here. No vague answers, but what is actually at stake.
Father Friday
We work with the body first. Movement, breath, presence.
Then we look at power, boundaries, and where you give yourself away.
We go into the father wound. Through direct sharing, gestalt work, ritual, and time alone.
You meet the inner father. Not as an idea, but as something you can stand on.
We close the day with circling and presence work around the fire.
Mother Morning
This day is about intimacy and relationships.
We look at what you carry from your mother and how it plays out in your relationships and connections.
You work directly with this. Speaking it. Cutting what is not yours. Asking for what you need.
You learn to stay grounded while relating.
Nature work supports this. Bringing you back into your body and into contact.
We close with a fire. Stories, poems, and setting direction.
Integration Sunday
You bring it together. Through breathwork, reflection, and writing.
You get clear on how you want to live. As a man, partner, father, and in your work.
You define the next steps. Not ideas, but actions.
The group holds you to it.
We close the retreat together around the fire.
What you will explore
Awakening as intention
What actually blocks your clarity, focus, and follow-through.
Masculinity as nature
How fear, conditioning, and habits shape how you live.
The father wound
Power, boundaries, responsibility, and inner authority.
The mother wound
Needs, intimacy, and patterns in relationships.
Vision and responsibility
Who you choose to be, and what you stand for.
Freedom in connection
How you can you be the man to are in relationship.
What you bring
- A small meaningful object
- A photo of yourself as a boy
- A photo of your father
- A photo of your father
- Tent, sleeping bag, warm clothes
- Water bottle
- Waterproofs or poncho
What we bring
- Food, hot drinks, and water
- Clear guidance and structure
- 30+ years of experience in menswork
- Movement and breathwork sessions
- A solid container for deep work
- Nature-based practices and evening fires
Upcoming Dates
SEP
3–6
Embers of the Soul
SEP 3 5:00 PM → SEP 6 5:00 PM
Closed Community Access
Embers of the Soul — WhatsApp Group
Retreat participants gain access to an exclusive closed WhatsApp group — a sacred space to continue the journey together, share reflections, and sustain the bonds formed during the retreat.
FAQ
There is movement each morning, grounding practices, and time in nature. You do not need to be fit, only willing to participate.
We will ask you to reveal and protect your own limitations.
Absolutely. Our retreat is designed to support both beginners and experienced men. You can engage at a level that feels comfortable for you.
Yes, you can. The only requirement is the willingness to show up.
Join the Brotherhood
Stay connected between events. Join The Men’s Lodge community on WhatsApp.