May 19-21, 2006
May 19-21 As gay men, we continue to hear about ourselves from others. Icons in the new century, we have become an obsession of the media, and of religious and political machines. We have endured a lifetime of seeing ourselves portrayed as queer minstrels on the screen, and finally we are seen as real beings in Brokeback Mountain.
But whether we are damned, accepted, applauded, or pilloried, we must not lose awareness of who we are within. Like Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, we are simply who we are — men with hearts and souls, of diverse backgrounds, surviving the wounds of childhood, prejudice, and ignorance — men who bring varied gifts to this world. We have found new ways to touch each other — emotionally and physically — in safe, non-threatening ways.
Many of us live in frustration, still yearning to find that special someone. Some have given up trying, while others live in relationships lacking in intimacy. How can we find or trust someone else when we have not found or accepted ourselves? How many of us truly love ourselves?
In this workshop we honor our gay male wholeness and claim a birthright to be fully sexual and spiritual beings by:
• looking within as well as without,
• reclaiming the souls hidden beneath our personas,
• paying attention to our body’s maleness through which our spirits seek expression of the sacred within,
• recognizing that love begins at home – within ourselves, and
• engaging in walking and sitting meditation, exploring the healing aspect of touch, and hearing each other’s stories.
All gay, bi, and trans men are welcome, regardless of age and HIV status, whether single or in relationship. The only prerequisites to this workshop are generosity of spirit, laughter, stories, your hearts – hidden or open — and most of all, your uniqueness. Come learn about your truest self and discover how you are more than you had ever dreamed possible.
Rob Bauer, LCSW, has been working with gay men for over 20 years. His workshops incorporate the Rubenfeld Synergy Method®, a body-centered psychotherapy, as well as experiential exercises, relationship dynamics, and meditation. His workshops have been presented across America, including Omega and Esalen Institutes, Easton Mountain, and Rowe. He has a private practice in Saratoga Springs, NY.