Awakening the Masculine Heart: A Men’s Mindfulness Retreat
WHEN:
January 23-28, 2026
WHERE:
Mandali Retreat Center
Lake Orta, Italy
TEACHERS:
Evangelos Diavolitsis
and Jeoffrey Feller
TO REGISTER:
"“Freedom begins the moment you stop running
from yourself.” - Evangelos
Meditation, Dharma, Embodiment & the Art of Living Awake
There comes a point in every man’s life when outer success, status, and striving no longer satisfy. The old maps stop working. The strategies that once protected you now keep you small. What remains is the invitation to wake up — to turn toward the truth of your own experience with courage and curiosity.
This retreat is for men who are ready to meet themselves fully — in stillness and in movement. Through the practices of meditation, self-inquiry, and embodied awareness, we explore what it means to live as a whole man: grounded, awake, and connected to heart, purpose, and freedom.
You are not here to perform masculinity. You are here to embody it — as presence, integrity, and fierce compassion.
What to Expect
This meditative retreat is a deep dive into the Dharma of the masculine heart — a journey of awakening that unites stillness and fire with strength and tenderness.
Through guided meditation, Dharma talks, mindful boxing, dyads and men’s circles, you will:
Cut through the stories that keep you small, defensive, or disconnected.
Condition your inner and outer self with Mindful Boxing — a moving meditation where body meets mind and effort meets ease. In the ring of awareness, pressure becomes the teacher. Each breath is a doorway from reaction to non-reaction — from defense to vulnerability.
Transform reactivity into pure awareness, anger into aliveness, and fear into conscious choice.
Learn to hold boundaries with an open heart — firm yet fluid, strong yet kind.
Cultivate the art of relational presence, learning to stay open even when triggered or challenged.
Discover your innate leadership — not through dominance, but through awareness, authenticity, and service.
**Expect periods of noble silence, embodied meditation, deep sharing, and honest reflection. This is not a retreat of escape but of return — to your own center, your body, your values, and your truth.
Evangelos and Jeoffrey’s work is grounded in direct experience, not belief — a path of awakening through embodiment, awareness, and the living intelligence of the heart.
Freedom begins the moment you stop running
from yourself. - Evangelos Diavolitsis
How you fight is who you are. - Jeoffrey Feller
The Invitation
To awaken the masculine heart is to remember that strength and tenderness are not opposites — they are allies. To live awake is to move through the world undefended, rooted in truth, and open to joy, creativity and love.
This retreat is an initiation — a call to integrate what you already know to be true. To live from your center. To lead from the inside out. To meet the edge of freedom — and step through
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Men seeking a profound spiritual odyssey grounded in real life, not spiritual bypass.
Men looking to integrate power, warm-heartedness, and purpose with awareness.
Men navigating transitions — in relationship, work, fatherhood, or life vision.
Men longing for authentic connection with other men and the courage to be fully seen. (In this modern world of intense loneliness, men greatly benefit from spending time in the company of other men)
Men ready to stop running and finally meet themselves.
No meditation or movement experience is required — only a sincere willingness to show up.
PRACTICES INCLUDE:
Silent sitting meditation
Conscious movement and somatic exploration (Mindful Boxing)
Dharma talks and guided inquiry
Embodied men’s circles and hot seat work
Partner and small group exercises
Nature walks and contemplation
Taking radical responsibility for your life and your relationships as they are right now
Getting out of your victim mindset that blames the other person for how you feel and what choices you think you have
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Increased self-awareness and peace of mind.
Embody stillness and calm and learn to easily access these energies when life inevitably speeds up and gets more active.
Return to daily life with a resourced and integrated center body.
Access the spacious, effortless, openness of your authentic self.
Increased skill and ability to interrupt the habitual grasping mind.
Cultivate compassionate communication through group - relational development.
Radically reduce tension and anxiety.
Increase vitality & creativity.
Sleep without interruption or body stress.
Eradicate inaction and sluggishness.
Easier to make difficult decisions
Warning: You may feel so empowered and light after this retreat that your friends might not recognize your grounded new self. You might finally have the courage to make that bold decision you have been delaying for years.
Arrival Day
14.00 - 17:30 Arrivals - Free Time - Enjoy your own rhythm
17:30 - 19:00 Open Session
19:00 - 20:00 Dinner
20:30 - 22.00 Evening Session
Daily Schedule
07:30 - 08:30 Morning Meditation
08:30 - 09:30 Breakfast (in Silence)
10:30 - 12:30 Session 2
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
15:00 - 16:45 Session 3 (Mindful Boxing)
17:00 - 17:30 Tea Break
17.30 - 19.00 Session 4
19:00 - 20:00 Dinner
20:30 - 21.30 Session 4
Departure Day
07:30 - 08:30 Morning Meditation
08:30 - 09:30 Breakfast (in Silence)
By 10:00 Check Out
10:30 - 12:30 Closing Session
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
14:00 - Departure
Accommodation - Included:
Workshop, Material and Teaching Fee
Accommodation for 5 nights
Coffee/tea/snack service daily at 5pm
All meals (vegetarian)
Herbal teas, coffee, and fresh fruit throughout the day
Filtered water + in-room tea service
Spa facilities (swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room)
Excluded:
Travel cost to Mandali Retreat Center
Optional massages
Local Taxes
ARE YOU READY TO JOURNEY FORWARD?
