Mainely Men 82 — Fall 2022

The Mainely Men 82 Fall Gathering was held October 7–10, 2022.

Mainely Men 82 Workshops

Five workshops were planned around the weekend’s theme of “Kindness.”

How can we manifest kindness in our everyday lives? In the spirit space we create at Pilgrim Lodge, we endeavor to provide a safe, nurturing environment where men of like mind gather to be loved, accepted, and celebrated.

• Be Kind – Give Me a Hug – Hands on activity painting rocks with kindness messages.
• Kindness in the Technological Age – Showing a gentler way of communicating electronically.
• Kindness: Nurtured or Inherent? – A discussion whether social and cultural norms are hardwired or nurtured.
• Showing Kindness to Your Frenemies – Learning how to maintain respectful dialogue with someone who strongly disagrees with you.
• What Does Kindness Mean to You? – Showing how acts of kindness have the potential to make the world a happier place.

Below are some of the other workshops from MM82. Workshops are limited only by the imagination and creativity of the participants. Whatever your skills, interests, or issues of importance, we encourage and welcome contributions to our workshops. If you have never facilitated a workshop, this is a great place to start. Mainely Men is an opportunity for risk-taking with plenty of encouragement and support. 

• Aging Issues and Avoiding Guardianship – Discussion about guardianship or conservatorship to protect the individual and his estate.
• Be Kind to Your Body and Spirit: An Intro to Tai Chi – Learn the movements to help reduce stress.
• Experiences Surrounding an Entheogenic Journey – Describing use of entheogens to induce alterations in perception and engendering spiritual development.
• Friendship: What Do Men Really Want, and What Frightens Us About Seeking It Out? – A discussion about how, as adult men, we can reclaim the fearlessness we once had as children. 
• Meditation – A journey through some accessible and effective meditation techniques.
• MM: Designing Our Future Together – An exploration of how successful nonprofits operate.
• Modern Beginner Line Dancing – Modern line dancing with no judgment and no pressure. Music and dances include country western, rock, salsa, soul, and hip-hop. 
• Moving Towards Body Acceptance and Body Positivity – A clothing-optional discussion about how to adopt a healthier narrative about our physical selves.
• Naked Living/Removing Shame Issues – A study of what it means to live naked in Maine or elsewhere. Living a naked life is more than just about dealing with issues around body shame. It can be a way of life!
• Nature Walk – This will be an unstructured, leisurely walk through the trails of Pilgrim Lodge, where some of the nuances of nature will reveal themselves to us.
• Self-Care for Chronic Low Back Pain – Demonstration of stretching and how to treat tight muscles.
• What’s Love Got to Do with It? – A discussion about overcoming fears of expressing love.
• What is Toxic Masculinity? – We’ve all heard the term – toxic masculinity – but what does it mean? An opportunity to define masculinity for ourselves and encourage open discussion among peers.
• What-Would-You-Do-If Bingo? – Using traditional bingo to learn more about yourself and the man sitting next to you.