I SEE MYSELF

Bodywork4Men | 2027 Residential Retreat Series

SALT → BONE → INNER KING → RITE TO PASSION

I would position these four retreats as one progressive journey of masculine self-discovery, where each weekend explores a different dimension of being a man.

Each retreat stands on its own, but together they create a deeper journey: from seeing myself, to understanding what holds me together, to owning my personal power, and finally to living with passion and freedom.

I SEE MYSELF

Before Connection. Before Embodiment. Before Freedom. I See Myself.

An invitation to men who are ready to meet themselves.

When last did you really SEE yourself?

Not the man you show the world.
Not the man others expect you to be.
Not the man you pretend to be when life demands that you have everything under control.

But the man beneath it all.

The man with desires, fears, dreams, insecurities, strength, vulnerability, and a story that deserves to be acknowledged.

SALT is an invitation to come home to yourself.

To step away from the noise, expectations, labels, and performances of everyday life.

To explore who you are when you no longer need to impress, explain, prove, or hide.

Through honest conversations, self-reflection, movement, body awareness, meaningful touch, nature, and brotherhood, we create a space where you can begin to see yourself differently.

Not to fix yourself.
Not to reinvent yourself.
But to recognise, accept, and honour yourself.

Because before you can truly connect with another man, you must first be willing to meet yourself.

• WHAT DO I WANT FOR MYSELF?

  Before you decide to attend this retreat, I invite you to ask yourself something.

  What do I really want for myself?

  Not what my partner wants.
  Not what my family expects.
  Not what society tells me a man should want.

  What do I want?

  Perhaps I want…

  • To understand myself better, without judging everything I discover.

  • To feel comfortable in my own skin.

  • To stop apologising for who I am.

  • To let go of shame, comparison, or the constant need for approval.

  • To understand why certain people or situations trigger me.

  • To feel my emotions instead of constantly analysing or suppressing them.

  • To discover what genuine male connection feels like.

  • To explore my sensuality and relationship with my body.

  • To be seen and accepted without having to perform.

  • To find the courage to express my needs and boundaries.

  • To give myself permission to be vulnerable, playful, imperfect, and real.

  • To experience a weekend where I can simply be myself.

  And perhaps my deepest desire is something I have never said aloud:

  I want to look at myself and genuinely like the man I see.

  SALT is an opportunity to explore these questions.

  There are no promises of instant transformation. No expectation that you must share everything or participate beyond your boundaries.

  Just an invitation to be curious about yourself.

  Because the most important relationship I will ever have is the one I have with myself.

  Before I ask another man to see me, am I willing to see myself?

  SALT | I SEE MYSELF.

• Has spent much of his life being what others needed him to be, but has forgotten what he needs.

• Appears confident on the outside, yet sometimes feels uncertain, lonely, disconnected, or unseen.

• Has learned to hide his emotions, desires, vulnerability, or authentic self.

• Struggles with body image, shame, self-worth, or accepting his masculinity.

• Craves meaningful male connection and brotherhood beyond superficial friendships.

• Wants to explore intimacy, sensuality, and the relationship he has with his own body, without judgement or pressure.

• Is questioning old beliefs about what it means to be a man.

• Has been the strong one for everyone else and wonders who holds space for him.

• Wants to understand his boundaries, emotional needs, desires, and personal truth.

• Is ready to stop comparing himself with other men and start accepting his own uniqueness.

• Simply wants to experience what it feels like to BE, without performing.

You don't need to be broken to attend SALT.

You don't need a crisis, a diagnosis, or a dramatic story.

You don't need to have all the answers.

You only need a little curiosity, an open mind, and the willingness to look at yourself with greater honesty and compassion.

Whether you identify as gay, bisexual, straight, questioning, or prefer no label, your story has a place here.

SALT is not about the man you SHOULD be.

It is about the man you ARE.

Before connection.
Before embodiment.
Before freedom.

I SEE MYSELF.

How much of your life have you spent trying to be the man you believe you are supposed to be?

The strong man.
The successful man.
The responsible man.
The masculine man.
The attractive man.
The man who has everything under control.

And somewhere along the journey, have you forgotten to ask:

Who am I, when I no longer have to be any of those things?

We live in a world where men are often taught to achieve, provide, protect, perform, and remain strong.

But very few of us were taught how to truly SEE ourselves.

To acknowledge our emotions.
To accept our bodies.
To understand our desires.
To recognise our wounds.
To honour our needs.
To embrace both our strength and vulnerability.

And perhaps most importantly, to accept ourselves without constantly trying to become someone else.

This is where SALT begins.

Not with another man.
Not with a relationship.
Not with touch, intimacy, or sensuality.

It begins with YOU.

BEFORE CONNECTION

How can I truly connect with another man if I am disconnected from myself?

At SALT, we explore the masks we wear, the roles we play, and the stories we carry.

We learn to recognise the difference between seeking connection because we need someone to complete us and choosing connection because we are willing to show up authentically.

BEFORE EMBODIMENT

How can I fully inhabit my body if I constantly judge, compare, hide, or reject parts of myself?

Through movement, breathwork, body awareness, mindful touch, and experiential exercises, we explore what it means to feel at home in our own bodies.

Not to achieve the perfect body.

But to discover that our bodies deserve respect, acceptance, and appreciation exactly where we are today.

BEFORE FREEDOM

How can I experience freedom if I am still imprisoned by other people's expectations, my own shame, fear, and the need for approval?

Freedom begins when I recognise that I have choices.

I can choose honesty over performance.
Acceptance over judgement.
Presence over avoidance.
Authenticity over pretending.

And I can begin to take responsibility for the man I choose to be.

WHY SALT?

Because sometimes we need to step away from our familiar surroundings to see ourselves more clearly.

Sometimes another man's story becomes a mirror for our own.

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.

Sometimes a respectful touch, an honest conversation, or simply being witnessed without judgement allows us to experience something we have been missing.

Over this residential weekend, SALT offers an opportunity to explore yourself through reflection, conversations, movement, embodiment, nature, meaningful connection, and brotherhood.

You will be invited to challenge old beliefs, explore your boundaries, honour your body, and discover new perspectives on who you are.

Participation is always grounded in consent, respect, and personal choice.

You do not need to arrive as a confident man.

You do not need to be comfortable with vulnerability.

You do not need to know exactly what you are searching for.

You simply need to be willing to meet yourself.

And perhaps, when the weekend ends, the greatest gift will not be discovering a new man.

It will be recognising the man who has been there all along.

I SEE MYSELF.

Not someday.
Not when I am thinner, stronger, richer, younger, or more successful.
Not when someone else finally chooses me.

I choose to see myself NOW.

Be prepared to do solo work sustained by the group, but with duos and trios and group work throughout.

An open mind. A sarong, beach towel, hand towel, sandals, walking shoes and toiletries, we will forward you a more complete list once you’ve purchased a ticket.

Comfortable, loose clothes or sarong during the retreat and something warm for the evenings. During the retreat, we request that you refrain from using perfumes or deodorants.

No previous experience of massage, yoga or bodywork is needed but would be an advantage eg. Aquabliss or a Massage Exchange

Nudity will be part of the progression of the re – treat. The True Self is free and without identity. Clothing, labels and technology mask our True Self. We, therefore, invite you, if you feel comfortable, to shed these layers or masks and experience the weekend with no restrictions.

This event is open to men regardless. Often we can give ourselves a hard time on how we think we look to others, and this is an opportunity to go beyond that, to be vulnerable and to let others accept you just as you are. With open hearts, with an openness to accept everybody, let the magic of touch take you to new parts of yourself you never knew existed. Read more if you have any more questions.

*From ZAR7035-00 per person sharing (A concession for South African citizens only apply after we receive application form) – venue, lodging and food prices are based on 2027 in Gauteng.

** Please note – different prices in different areas and venues

All inclusive* retreat experience includes:

• Lodging – 2 nights

• Food and Beverage (soft drinks and juice) – Vegan and vegetarian meals are available on request

• All retreat activities, classes and teachings

• *Airfare and transport to and from retreat venue are not included

We strive to deliver a fully inclusive weekend with all details attended to. You simply show up and enjoy.

Different payment options are available: 

• Local & Forex Cash Accepted

• EFT (Bank Transfer) ZAR or Euro

• PayPal (5% handling fee will be charged)

• Credit Card (5% handling fee will be charged)

The full schedule is yet to be published, but check out a sample schedule from a Saturday last year below.
Dependent on weather, we will also have a fun in the rock pool – naked.

Week-end retreat starts on the Friday 15:00 – Sunday lunch time – Registration starts from 15:00 on Friday (Sometimes we ad a combo retreat and the duration might be longer)

Safe parking and the facility is accessible with a normal car that is not too low.

There are no prerequisites for this Retreat, and you are most welcome to try any other events: