Not just a typical “conference,” Awaken incorporates the touchstones that make Illuman’s work unique: deep inner work featuring ritual, teaching, nature wanderings, poetry, drumming, song, small group Councils, and open time to just rest, recreate, and connect.

Join us this fall for Wisdom of the Wilderness—a weekend retreat led by guide Steve Thomas and hosted by Illuman of Illinois.

Returning to Pilgrim Park, our beloved liminal home amid the river valleys of northern Illinois, we will step into a full immersion with the natural world—a space of wandering, reflection, and soulful renewal.

In a world that often leaves young men to find their way alone, Youth Rites of Passage (YROP) offers a sacred invitation: a shared journey between a teenage boy and his father or mentor. This 24-hour experience is intentionally designed as a threshold moment—an opportunity to mark the movement from adolescence into deeper maturity through hands-on ritual, storytelling, reflection in nature, and the building of a ceremonial drum.

First Rites: Young Men Rising is a three-day camping experience to guide boys through the essential and sacred transition from boyhood to adolescence. Grounded in the tradition of rites of passage and rooted in the belief that every young man deserves intentional moments of reflection, challenge, and belonging, this experience invites boys to step more fully into who they are becoming.

At certain moments in a man’s life, the path forward is no longer clear, and the call to deeper wisdom becomes undeniable. The Prophet’s Path: Evolution in the Male Journey is an invitation to explore this liminal space—where growth, transformation, and surrender intersect.

For the first time, Illuman’s foundational Men's Rites of Passage (MROP) will be held in Oklahoma at St. Crispin’s Conference Center and Camp. Nestled in central Oklahoma’s rolling, wooded hills and featuring three pristine, spring-fed lakes, this scenic location offers the ideal backdrop for this life-changing spiritual journey.

The Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) is a five-day, four-night experience grounded in the wisdom of ancient initiation. It is not a retreat, lecture, or workshop. It is a sacred threshold—a chance to awaken the soul and remember who you are.

In today’s world of speed, distraction, and disconnection, many men never experience an intentional rite of passage. They move through life without being witnessed, without being challenged, without ever fully stepping into the depths of their own soul’s journey.

Rooted in Illuman’s Men’s Rites of Passage (MROP) and adapted specifically for teen boys, this four-day, three-night experience helps young men ages 16 and 17 take a meaningful step toward maturity. Through nature-based rituals, storytelling, council circles, contemplative space, and trusted elder guidance, YROP invites boys to explore their inner world and take responsibility for the kind of men they are becoming.

At our writing retreat, we will open our hearts to one of the most beloved poets of all time. Rumi may have lived an ocean away, yet his metaphors and vivid images of life, love, and God are as stirring today as they were when he wrote them 800 years ago. We will seek to let this poetic mystic illuminate our lives as we follow his universal call and share the specifics of our own stories. Capturing our thoughts through poetry and journaling, we shall connect with other men throughout this engaging weekend retreat.

For young men ages 18–25, this four-day Rites of Passage is an invitation to step across a threshold and into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a healthy, whole man in today’s world.

Rooted in ancient wisdom and guided by seasoned elders, this journey helps young men explore life’s transitions, uncover their unique gifts, and find their belonging—in the natural world, in community, and within themselves.

• Dates: June 25-29, 2025

• Location: A stunning wilderness region in northern Bavaria, Germany

  • Easily accessible by flight, train, or car

• Contact for Inquiries: mrop25@maennerpfade.org

Join us for the Men's Rites of Passage (MROP), a powerful five-day experience designed to guide men through a significant spiritual and personal transition. This immersive journey is ideal for men who are spiritually searching, have engaged in men’s inner work, and are open to transformation.

Participants should be prepared for physical challenges, including hiking, crawling, and fasting, and must have the mobility and health required for these activities.

The West Coast Men's Rites of Passage (MROP) / Umbrales is a unique five-day ceremonial event designed for men ready for a significant life transition. Rooted in the Judeo-Christian Catholic tradition, this transformative experience integrates elements of ritual, reflection, and wilderness immersion to help men reconnect with their inner self and their journey.

Join us for a weekend retreat where the wisdom of the Enneagram meets the healing and insight of time spent in nature. Through teachings, ritual, music, story, and solo time outdoors, this retreat offers a grounded, embodied approach to spiritual growth.

This immersive experience is set in the beautiful surroundings of Sky Camp Retreat Center, offering a tranquil space for introspection, growth, and connection with other men on the same journey. This is an opportunity to embrace vulnerability, release what no longer serves, and step into a renewed sense of life and belonging.

Are you feeling stuck, restless, or searching for “something more” in the middle years of life? Join 47 – Navigating the Midlife Passage, an online community for men navigating the challenges and opportunities of midlife.

Together, we’ll explore themes of renewal, purpose, and connection through the guidance of Norman Fischer’s Sailing Home and other wisdom traditions.

Join us at Johnsonburg Camp & Retreat Center in Johnsonburg, New Jersey for a five-day intensive that serves those beginning or already on the eldering journey.

What does it mean to be a man and rediscover the passion, romance, and creative power of Eros? How do we step beyond the routines of daily life, work, and relationships that may have left us feeling disconnected or uninspired?

True transformation begins when we remove the armor that no longer serves us. Beyond The Armor is a retreat that invites men into deep self-exploration through the Narrative Enneagram, an approach that emphasizes learning through personal storytelling.