A friend asked me recently, “Why would anyone want to go on a gay retreat? That sounds like work!”  
So I asked  Howie Holben from Spirit Journeys  to elaborate on his gay retreats… 

” We are frequently asked if our gay travel retreats or gay vacations are “fun”. There are  two basic answers to this question.
 
First, there seems to be the conception that taking a “spiritual journey” (whatever that means to you) is “work”. Nobody wants to work on a vacation!  That’s why we take a vacation in the first place, to get “away from it all” for awhile, to escape. We seem to frame the concepts of spiritual and personal growth with thoughts like: “I need to do this” or “I should do that” because “it would be good for me”. With those ideas as a background, it’s no wonder that so many of us think of spiritual and personal growth as “work”. When we’re on a vacation, we want to leave all the “need to’s” and “should’s” of daily life behind us, for at least a short time. 
 

My personal experience has shown me that the “work” done at a Spirit Journeys event is not “work” at all; it is a joy. I meet and connect with people at a level simply not possible on a typical vacation. The connections I make with others at a Spirit Journeys event adds immensely to the enjoyment of my time away. To be able to sit and have a real conversation with someone; for me to be listened to with genuine interest; for me to listen to others with my heart; the importance of these things cannot be measured and bring a deep sense of fulfillment.
 
Second, somewhere along the way, we seem to have been taught that in order to be spiritually connected to the world, the people around us and to ourselves, we must act in a “serious manner”, almost to the point of being somber, or at the very least solemn. Somehow we’ve come to believe that laughter and play are “irreverent”.
 
In actuality, I have found just the opposite to be true. When I am awake and aware of my surroundings, in other words “spiritually” connected, my experiences are amplified and intensified. I am able to experience more of the world around me and experience it at a deeper level. I have found that this amplified experience actually makes my adventures more “fun” because all aspects of my travel are intensified; I can play more, I can laugh more, I can relax more fully and I can even shop more!




Little children are a wonderful example of this. They are enthralled with the world around them; everything is new, everything is a wonder. Discovering and learning new things is not “work” to a child. They find joy in all that they encounter; everything is a new toy to play with.
 
Also, sometimes people confuse the experience of being awestruck as being serious or solemn. When I travel or vacation with conscious awareness there can be times when I will be “deeply moved” (awestruck) by something I encounter. It could be the hospitality of a family I meet; a genuine smile; the grandeur of a sunrise or simply the revelation that I am blessed to be alive. Personally, even after countless visits to Monument Valley, I am still moved tears while I am there. But these are tears of joy, humility and gratitude.”


UPCOMING  RETREATS – GAY COUPLES RETREAT IN BELIZE!  We join together on an island off the coast of Belize for eight days of celebrating our togetherness. There are only enough rooms on the island for ten couples. This very special retreat, intented for the male gay couple, will be filled with activities to help us grow even closer together as couples. Whether your time together has been two months or twenty years, this is a chance to connect deeper with the man you love, as well as a chance for relaxation and play. With one foot planted in the Central American jungles and the other dipped in the Caribbean Sea, Belize blends the best of both worlds. Snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, hand fishing and  mainland adventures, from caving to visiting Mayan ruinApril 24, 2010 to May 01, 2010. *$1695. Almost sold out – space for 2 couples left!



The Wonders of Egypt – 2010 …Egypt and the Nile, May 02, 2010 to May 15, 2010, This Journey is for Gay and Bi Men, $4095.00.
Come experience Egypt as few people ever will as we make special arrangements to be allowed inside the Great Pyramid and to get up close and personal with the Sphinx, things that are off limits to the public and have been for many years.

– A private visit to the King’s Chamber inside the Great Pyramid…
– A private visit to the Sphinx to stand between it’s paws, to place your hands upon it…
– A private visit to the Isle of Philae and the Temple of Isis at sunrise…
– Eight days cruising the Nile on our own private dahabiya (a luxury sailing yacht)…
– A small, intimate group of fellow journeyers (a maximum of 16)…
 All this, and more, make this is a very special Spirit Journey indeed, one that can truly be called “a journey of a lifetime.”

Explore the World. Explore your Self.
Rest, relax, rejuvenate and play!   Spirit Journeys



New Gay Travel Guide