This year was my first time attending the North Coast Men’s Gathering at the Mattole Camp and Retreat Center in the beautiful lost coast town of Petrolia. Huge thanks to the organizers and participants over the last 33+ years who have contributed to such an incredible event! I was blown away at the quantity and quality of men that came out of the woodwork who might not normally have a chance to connect on a day to day basis around town. Most men’s groups I’ve been a part of in the past have been dogmatic and fixated on ideas around masculinity, while this group was organic and inclusive. The gathering is a DreamMaker project of the Ink People Center for the Arts.

Group photo at the North Coast Men's Gathering
Not in the back row for once!

It was a mix of free solo time, workshops, groups, and 1-on-1 connection. We were able to go deeper with people we only knew superficially, make some brand new friends, and build relationships that would last beyond the weekend. The river was easily accessible for epic dips and the lodge was nice for journaling and chatting between meals. What stood out in my own experience was that halfway through the weekend I felt an urge to leave and head back home, but I actually wasn’t able to because my car was blocked in by a sound bath happening on the lawn. This ended up being perfect, delaying my decision to leave, and working through that little bit of familiar habit energy. I got to experience that sound bath the following day after sticking around along with my first sweat lodge which was powerful. Hope to make it back again in the coming years!