My dear ninja friends-
I’m thrilled to personally invite you to the first ever “Deep Retreat”!
Do you feel a hunger for more excitement and meaning in your daily existence? Are you ready to take the next step in your own personal evolution? Or are you just drained and need a digital detox?
In life, there are no short cuts, but there are catalysts that rapidly accelerate our progress; this weekend is one of them.
It’s like rocket fuel for your self-development, and it will be both hard work and fun, imaginative, even liberating. You’ll laugh, cry, tap your inner power like never before, and feel like a kid again. Then you’ll return home feeling like a hero, with more clarity, gratitude, and inspiration for the amazing adventure that is your life! That is my personal guarantee.
Just Imagine….
What if there was a magic ritual that allowed you to answer any question with astounding accuracy?
Not sure if you should leave your job? What about buying that apartment? And why can’t you stop doing that self-destructive habit?
I will personally help you create a clear intention/question for the weekend, and together we’ll discover the equally clear, direct answer – with real magic.
The sky’s the limit.
What’ll We Do?
Go upstate, camp under the stars, cook over an open fire, have a storytelling circle, play games, go hiking, share secrets, sleep deeply, and get in touch with our inner story-teller. Then we’ll get to share a really beautiful purification ritual – a sweat lodge ceremony – co-lead by my dear friend Peter Blum aka “Owl Flies True”.
No camping experience is required, and you’ll be guided throughout the entire adventure… I’ll even be in your dreams, calmly reassuring you everything is OK. (Too weird?)
What is a Sweat Lodge?
A sweat lodge can be summed up as follows: very intense and totally worth it.
Together, we’ll build a fire, chop wood, and cover the lodge (a small structure made of wood), and be led in prayer, singing, and ceremony. Inside the lodge, hot rocks from the fire will be put in a hole in the ground, water will be poured over the rocks, and our guide Peter will lead us on an inner journey. Together, we’ll dive deeper into our current reality and life story, to gain clarity on who we are, where we are headed, and what we need to do (or stop doing) in order to get there.
You will be encouraged to honor your boundaries/limitations and to take a break from the lodge if at any point you feel too hot. Additionally, you don’t even have to be inside the lodge to be a part of the ceremony – you will gain a lot just by being present for other people and helping prepare the lodge.
Epic adventure awaits you in the wilderness!
Who is Leading the Lodge?
Peter Blum aka “Owl Flies True”, who has been leading sweat lodges aka “pouring the water” for over 20 yers and has studied with several lodge-leaders from many native tribes, most notably the Lakota, Cherokee, Seminole. I’ll be gently assisting Peter and supporting everyone’s experience.
Peter writes:
I have taken teaching and been in lodge with Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona (Black Elk Lakota lodge), Grandfather Harry Charger (Lakota), Donna Coyote Rain (Sun Bear Chippewa), and Calvin Pompana (Canadian Dakota). Mostly my lodge protocol was learned from David Happyface, who led a multi-cultural “Rainbow” lodge based on the Medicine Wheel and the four directions. David was a student of Scout Cloud Lee, a Seminole woman who I also met and sweated with.
Who Should go on the Deep Retreat?
I’m so glad you asked, because its really not for everyone! But I personally sent you an email, so of course I’d think you are the perfect fit for this adventure – I’m only inviting friends, family, and students/clients that I think will really have a blast. (So please do not share this page with anyone – if there is a close friend you really want to bring, please email me.)
Everyone is being pre-screened for awesomeness! That being said, this might not be the right moment for you to follow a ninja into the woods, so here are things to consider:
- Are you committed to personal growth? Yes, yes you are.
- Are you willing to try new things and be radically honest? It takes courage!
- How do you feel about saunas? The lodge will be very hot and wet. Highly recommend you read about the risks and then fire away with any questions you have.
- How do you feel about camping? It’s not always comfortable.
- How do you feel about fasting? We won’t eat for half a day leading up to the lodge, otherwise you risk throwing up. We’ll break fast at an amazing farm to table restaurant, and it will be fucking amazing – one of the best meals you’ve ever eaten, guaranteed.
- How do you feel about adventure? It always indicates real danger. We’ll be as safe as possible, but real transformation requires facing fears, and that requires confronting the unknown, and that requires both danger and courage.
What Should I Expect?
Frankly, you should expect to have an amazing time, and quite possibly, that in a few years from now you’ll look back on the weekend and think “wow, that was really awesome, I’m so glad I did it… I feel like I’ve grown so much since then.”
All that from just a weekend in the woods? Well no, because we’re not JUST camping on a beautiful mountain – although that is epic by its damn self – you’ll also be guided through a fun story-telling ritual that will empower you to change your personal narrative i.e. personal mythology.
You are the author, you are the pen, you are the force pushing pen to page… own it!
When We Change Our Story, We Change Our World.
Because the stories we tell ourselves determine our behavior, and our behavior determines our destiny and/or dysfunction, depending on their content.
“Telling one’s own story is an ancient art. Nowadays, we have forgotten how to listen and how to tell. Yet the very survival of our species depends on our ability to communicate with each other in such ways as to be mutually enriched by the telling and the listening. If we cannot tell with expression, our life is mute.” ~ School of Lost Borders
Most powerful of all are the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, what we believe, and our place in universe. Most of us sell ourselves way short – we’re actually way tougher, wiser, connected, and stronger than we tell ourselves we are.
Thanks to the “wussification of civilization”, and our cultural addiction to luxury and comfort, we get insulated from this fact–that not only is life meant to be uncomfortable sometimes, its more rewarding because of it. Like that amazing feeling after you finish your leg workout and think “Halleluiah its done and I hath strengthened mine body!”
Hence the sweat lodge, which is a beautiful, powerful, quite uncomfortable yet deeply empowering experience. Again, you’ll be encouraged to honor your own limitations and step out of the sweat lodge for a break if you feel even a little overwhelmed or light headed.
How Fit Do I Need to Be?
You should feel comfortable hiking 5 miles and ascending 1,000 vertical with a light day pack in a half a day. That might sound like a lot on paper, but if you workout somewhat regularly, you’ll be just fine. We’ll most likely do the Labyrinth and Lemon Squeeze, on Sunday morning, which is a fun hike in New Paltz with rock scrambling, ladders, and narrow spaces to squeeze through.
What About Gear?
You are welcome to bring your own – we’ll provide a packing list – but otherwise we’ve got you covered. Once you reserve your spot (by paying for the adventure), you’ll be sent a little survey to assess what gear I need to get for you. You’ll be given an exact list of things to pack yourself, and anything you don’t have I’ll rent for you.
What about the Weather?
There is no such thing as bad weather, only unprepared humans wearing inappropriate clothing! The average high is normally 63 and the average low is 41 for this location and time of year.
What About Bob?
Bob’s not coming and that movie is mediocre at best.
Not That You Need Another Reason But…
The leaves will be epic! It should be right in the middle of peak foliage, and we’ll be camping in a beautiful state forest in the Poconos.
Still Not Sure if This is For You? Come Hang Out & Meet Some of the Tribe on Thursday Oct. 2nd 7-9pm
I get it, everyone is afraid of the dark. And being in the dark with a bunch of weirdos in the middle of “nowhere” might be the worst thing ever. So instead of camping with strangers, come meet your new friends/fellow adventurers!
Some of the trips I’ve lead in the past for friends have led to some close friendships, that’s why everyone is pre-screened for awesomeness – with the right crew, everyone will receive way more than they had expected.
Come over for some light healthy snacks and drinks on Thursday Oct. 2nd 7 -9pm at my apartment, even stop by for 15minutes and get a better sense of the crew and ask questions, or hang out the whole time and bring your favorite beverage or snack to share.
Pre-Retreat Hangout Details
- This Thursday at my apt: 259 w. 21st # 3, btwn. 7th and 8th ave.
- Stop by even for 15minutes to meet some of the other adventurers and ask questions.
- Please RSVP to Ninja@TrainDeep.com,
Date, Time, Other Retreat Details:
- Friday, October 17th 2pm to Sunday October 19th 4pm
- We’ll all leave from my apt. in Chelsea, after our opening circle, and will be dropped off there too. The ride to the campsite is 2 hrs.
- Energy Exchange: $447 if you need gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad), $347 if you have your own gear. Everything is included except both lunches, which will be out of pocket.
- Space will be limited to 7 people max.
Jonathan will be assisted by his dear friend and ninja student Carolyn Faye Kramer.
General Guidelines:
- Funcomfortable- yup. Things might get a little weird (in the best kind of way) and secrets may even be shared, but it will be fun, even when its a little anxiety provoking.
- Co-creation- together we collaborate and as a group create an amazing experience together. We’ll work as a team to build the campsite, collect firewood, and cook over the camp fire. No prior camping experience needed, you’ll be guided through the whole experience.
- Play and Spontaneity- we will play different games that get you out of your head and into your body, and it will feel so good to connect with other humans in such an innocent and natural way. The best games are ones where everyone laughs.
- Cellphone Detox- During your free-time, go nuts, but during the guided encounters, we ask you disconnect completely from facestagram and connect to the present moment – fully.
Ready For Blast Off?
Awesome, lock down your spot by making payment (click the link below), and then I’ll send you our Adventurer Intake Form, and hopefully see you for the pre-adventure Deep Retreat Meet and Great on Oct. 2nd!
Lock Down My Spot
I’ve Got My Own Camping Gear (Tent, Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Pad)
