Welcome and thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. The intent is to gather information about what topics and activities will be included in our upcoming retreat. "What retreat?" you ask...please read below to learn more about the Black Obsidian Men's Group.

Created out of the fires of the earth, Black Obsidian is formed from the rapid cooling of lava. It is said to be an excellent stone to aid in healing work and a powerful cleanser of energy. It has properties that serve to ground an individual to Mother Earth and connect with ancestral lineage. This black stone can assist in the release of disharmony built up in our day-to-day lives. It serves as a symbol of our effort to restore our wholeness.

There is healing power and wisdom in all of us. Those forces can better thrive when they can be shared in an environment of trust and mutual respect. We hope to co-create that environment for men who identify as Black in two stages:

Stage 1-- Design, develop, and implement an annual retreat that fosters transformative healing and growth for Black men.

Stage 2 -- The development and support of ongoing practice circles of men holding space for one another at the community level. The goal will be to help Black men build and facilitate their own ongoing healing spaces in the communities where they live. We want to expand the capacity of men to live full and healthy lives throughout the state of Connecticut.

To that end, we are building an experience that will offer leadership and facilitation tools as well as an opportunity to slow down and be more in tune with our own being.

Your help is requested via this survey to help inform WHAT THE RETREAT will specifically look like. The general format will include workshops, open group discussions, and restorative healing practices such as meditation, yoga, and massage. Your input ensures that we can design a space that serves and supports the specific needs of Black men in the journey of healing and wholeness.

 All services will be provided at no cost to the participants.