November 7-10 2024,
The Pocket Northern NSW - Bunjalung Country
Online support container for pre cleanse and integration opens 21/3 and closes 5/5
Due to the depth of this work, Alchemy Retreat has an application process.
After 8 years, this process ensures suitability and readiness as our attendees are an integral part of the experience.
Apply for Men's Alchemy
When you enter your name and email you'll land on a page that will guide you through the application. This step helps us filter those who are not serious.
Expansion, breakthrough, self-discovery, love, reflection, & an initiation like no other. That's how I'd describe my experience at Alchemy retreat. I can't recommend Amber, her programs, and her entire team enough. If you're on the fence, jump. You won't regret it.
- Pete Tansley, Online Fit Pro Coach
Do you, as a man, feel the weight of untapped potential, but struggle to unleash it?
Does your sense of purpose falter when you don't receive approval or validation from others or if ‘the numbers’ drop?
Do you often prioritise taking on and fixing others' problems over your own, and experience guilt when you don’t?
Are you weighed down by your own life, despite having a powerful vision and plenty of positive things going on?
Do you crave demand-free moments and enough trust in yourself to finally make the space and time to slow down, step outside your life and actually assess what needs releasing before committing to what’s next?
And right now, are you being asked by life or others to make a decision to let go, change, or stop in order to evolve, and you're a little uncomfortable with the uncertainty of what comes after?
Men’s Alchemy four day Retreat is a place for strong men to enter during a time of transition in themselves and for their life.
Whether life forced a change or you are actively seeking a new level of depth, growth and evolution, Alchemy’s container is a series of rituals, ceremonies, workshops, processes and deep healing to facilitate a potent and permanent shift in the way men walk in this world and hold themselves.
For yourself, your relationships and, truth be told, the future of our world.
After working with men for some time, we began to see the thread connecting the burden and ache to be free that remained beneath even the most well put together lives...
- They had no examples of healthy male, masculine guidance so despite even the best effort, men would eventually succumb to the unhealthy patterns of their fathers, always.
- There was no ceremony supporting the transition from Boy to Man and therefore the evolution of values, priorities and perceiving the world was left up to circumstance and interpretation. AKA The boy stumbling his way into manhood.
IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN
Men will be left finding themselves empty with the pressure to perform all at once. Forced to save and fix rather than support and provide for those they love.
To successfully create a life of purpose in service but also free, aligned with a powerful legacy, leading from a place of integrity, men need to walk a passage.
For tens of thousands of years rites and rituals were in place to ensure the healthy transition from one stage of life to the next. Including that of boy to man.
The indigenous cultures of this world understood without them, men create destruction and chaos in their lives.
Look around us, it is everywhere. The modern man, or any removed from their roots, has been taught to disconnect from the warmth of their heart and fire in their belly for the sake of gain.
Rite comes from the word ritual. Without Rites and Ritual and in the absence of brotherhood and Elders, men are left to do their best to make it on their own.
And while some have discovered how to thrive, to lead themselves powerfully, to bridge the gap with discipline and resilience — any man will know the feeling of missing pieces of the puzzle.
"The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth"
- African proverb
MEN'S
An initiation into a life lived from a place of depth, adventure, healthy power, regeneration, and a legacy that fulfills not only your sense of purpose but serves those who walk this earth and the generations to come.
Apply for Men's Alchemy
When you enter your name and email you'll land on a page that will guide you through the application. This step helps us filter those who are not serious.
Through a four step process of preparation, transition and transformation work (retreat immersion), integration and ongoing Brotherhood connection, Alchemy will teach you how to grow and expand without:
- losing what you’ve worked for
- burning more unretrievable energy
- sacrificing quality time in relationships
- finding a sense of meaning and worth beyond what you ‘do’ for a living
All men reach a point in their lives, whether it's a high or a low, where they stand at the edge of change.
Unfortunately, without the guidance of elders or positive role models of power, success, and leadership, many men fall deeper into the societal blueprint of seeking to gain at the expense of their deeper core values, forgetting to incorporate the 'we' into the master plan, and neglecting the need for restoration to accelerate sustainably.
This prevents them from transitioning fully from boyhood into grounded, conscious manhood.
With one foot in two different (inner) worlds, the other side offers a way of life where you can grow without sacrificing your values.
It's called regeneration. This way of living prioritises growth and success for the benefit of everyone, puts integrity before convenience, and incorporates both rational thinking and emotional intimacy awareness.
Rite of passage work allows space for this evolution in men so they can step off the hamster wheel and activate the manifestation of a life with a direction and purpose they're longing for, to benefit themselves, their communities, and our planet.
THE PROCESS
Below are the 4 steps of the process, with our four day Initiation retreat in the middle.
Preparation
At the same time, giving you time to familiarise yourself with some of the core principles we will be practising that aim to prime you to get the most from the experience.
Transition - The Retreat
The in-person retreat is a specific set of processes, workshops, rituals and ceremonies to support you in moving through the inner binds that have held you back from stepping into a more embodied version of power within yourself as a man. It is initiation work and will challenge you and support you to grow. It simultaneously empties you of the mental content and emotional storehouse that requires a healthy purge while giving you the space to regenerate your energy levels, inspiration and inner fire—the passage, the key's turn that unlocks the dormant potential in a man.
Integration
The integration process is comprised of a support container across a minimum of two weeks with one online group Masterclass a week (we extend the two weeks at no extra cost if we feel there is a need in the group), a video series (available to watch whenever the time feels right), a mini relationships program to move through past challenges and introduce more conscious communication and growth, a library of resources, a simple structure for daily practice and ritual and check-ins in the community with unlimited support within the forum to help apply what was learned during the transition (retreat).
Ongoing Connection and Genuine Communication with Other Men
During the retreat, you will learn a framework you can use to hold genuine conversations with other men. Be it one to one or in community led by the very brotherhood you form at Alchemy. This is how men stay accountable and thrive in their lives continuously. This should be available to all men, for free, which is why we have decided to teach you how to do it yourselves.
“I recently attended the Men’s Alchemy Retreat with Amber and was totally blown away by the quality and depth of the guidance I received. Amber and her staff helped me to understand and integrate my traumas in a very gentle way. With their help I’ve been able to break self destructive patterns, curb addictions and feel in control of my life again. They’ve had a hugely positive effect on my life. Thank you SO much for your guidance Amber.”
– Sam Johnson - Men's Alchemy Retreat Participant
What we Cover, Address and Process
We will uncover the roots of:
You will learn what needs to be done to:
You will practice:
Topics we explore:
We will unpack:
The Four Major Focuses
Processes and Experiences
that shake up/recalibrate/create turbulence/transform deep seated patterns of self centered and core survival behaviors and beliefs that lead grown men to express as a teenager or young boy.
Healing and release
of guarded emotions from previous events that have been smoothed over, purposefully or due to family values, left forgotten.
Alchemy will give you the opportunity to see your distortions more clearly and be guided through processes geared toward clearing from the root cause, so it becomes an embodied shift in you as a man.
Mastery of presence and space holding
Holding space is energetically and emotionally being 'empty' or 'spacious'.
In terms of relationships and communication, no deep listening, no healing, no intimacy, no allowing or communication can happen until you can connect in an embodied way through energetic, emotional, spiritual and physical 'contact'. In the big picture, this embodied, clean presence forms one aspect of a container for our communities to thrive. Alchemy works on the unconscious beliefs and reflexes that cause interference and breaking away from presence, and delivers you a framework to apply and practice until embodied.
Continuing this work outside of Alchemy
During the retreat, you will learn a framework you can use to hold genuine conversations with other men. Be it one to one or in community led by the very brotherhood you form at Alchemy. This is how men stay accountable and thrive in their lives continuously. This should be available to all men, for free, which is why we have decided to teach you how to do it yourselves. You will learn who to empty out, respectfully reflect and connect in community with other men.
Alchemy Retreat and Program Inclusions
- Four days and three nights at Luxury Accommodation at Wybalena Organic Farm, Northern NSW (We begin 9am day one and finish at 4pm on the fourth and final day)
- Access to a sauna and magnesium pool
- Four online (replays available) group masterclasses and coaching calls.
- All meals are cooked by our private in-house chefs. We have vegan and vegetarian options available.
- 14 day pre retreat cleanse protocol, with daily schedule of nutrition, gut health guidelines, evening routine, breathwork and emotional regulation practices.
- Six weeks of unlimited facilitator support in our private online community
- Lifetime access to a private membership platform with 2 x integration programs and a library of resources including:
- Post-retreat Integration video series x 4
- Relationships integration online program unconscious dialogue guide, communication and intimacy practice and written enquiry for relational healing (of the past or current relationship/s) to support a smoother transition.
- Over 15+ guided practices and techniques for routines and rituals including breathwork practices, meditation, emotional healing techniques and embodiment practices
- Transport via carpooling from airports or drop off points within 90 minute radius of our venue
Our all inclusive price covers the six weeks of preparation and integration, private forum, a resource library with lifetime access, four live masterclasses (recording available) four days and three nights of twin share accommodation at our private venue, the retreat itself and all the experiences, primarily organic meals cooked by a private chef onsite, and lifetime access to your brotherhood is an all inclusive price of approx 4.8K with generous payment plan options.
Apply for Men's Alchemy
When you enter your name and email you'll land on a page that will guide you through the application. This step helps us filter those who are not serious.
No two Alchemy’s are the same.
We shape each retreat to the needs of the men in attendance.
We have three core facilitators as your go-to's the entire time. With up to another five who move in and out for extra support.
We prioritize depth over distance, so sometimes we will drop, swap or sub in other experiences to best serve the flow of the group.
Amber Hawken is an amazing human and such a beautiful soul. Ambers grounded approach to yarning allows authentic, genuine connection to achieve the desired learning outcomes at every session.Yarning with Amber, allowed me to first identify limiting beliefs, concerns and issues. Amber then guided me to go deeper into the emotion and held space and lead the journey for me to identify my own answers and way forward towards healing. Amber then explains means, teaching and learning from her own journey to help find deeper meaning and ways moving forward. Explaining the methodologies that create sustainable ways of healing. Amber has helped connect me to pathways and methodologies to continue the healing process and enable growth in my journey."
- Maurice Woodley, Musician, Mentor and Founder of Picqui Arts
Workshops and Ceremonies
- Traditional Sweat Lodge
- Strong daily hatha yoga practice
- Daily breathwork sessions for regulation, energy boost, balance and deep rest, emotional release and grounding
- Traditional Brazillian Incantaria body, rhythm, dance, and embodiment workshop
- Therapeutic conscious connected breathwork journeys
- Deep listening partner process work
- Cold exposure, ice bath and plunges in nature
- Soul retrieval, inner child and regression process
- Nature exploration, outdoor adventures
- Cathartic and dynamic meditation workshop
- Soundscapes, meditation and inward journey work
- Traditional sacred shamanic Rapé ceremony
- Noble silence and solo sections
- Integrated, Feminine and Masculine embodiment practices
- Integration, ritual and scheduling practices workshop
- Fire circles, drumming and community connection
- Seeing you at Source workshop
Our Facilitators
AMBER HAWKEN
Amber has been facilitating deep healing as a holistic therapist for 12+ years. Her background includes a Bachelor in Medical Science, extensive studies and training in rites of passage, modern attachment and development models, and bringing with her over a decade of training under master teachers from around the world whose wisdom is rooted in their ancient cultures and earth-based healing modalities. Amber's approach combines years of professional training and applied experience of running over 40+ retreats and events in the last 10 years, and is both intuitive in nature and deeply respectful of the wisdom and innate in those she holds. She co-facilitates Rites of Passage retreats and facilitator trainings, immersions, and programs. Through the lens of ritual and ceremony, myth, and breath, she facilitates a pathway to embodied presence as a practitioner, and embodied process work and deep healing for groups and individuals
KURT IWANINA
Kurt has been described as an ‘extra-ordinary channel’. He is a meditation teacher, medicine man, intuitive energy and sound healer, musician, spiritual mentor, reiki practitioner and earth warrior.
As a seeker, he has journeyed through extreme rites of passage, particularly in the medicine world. Including 10 sittings with only medicine, 30 days fasting and 6 month dietas.
For Kurt, the other world is just as tangible as the world we’re all experiencing. Kurt holds a significant level of embodied wisdom that’s not only his in this lifetime. It is beyond.
He works from a space of love, compassion and deep respect and honour for all life. Paying respect to the beauty of Mother Earth and the Great Spirit of all creation.
He truly is an extraordinary channel.
BEANIE TOMKINS
Beanie has a magic touch to find the aspects of the shadow
we wish to hide.
She moves and sways with unconditional love.
Holding a rare gift for working with subtle energies and invites others to move with her in subtle ways.
She is a qualified Kinesiologist, Rehab Trainer, Sound Healer, Teacher and Mentor. Her Dharma in this lifetime is to assist as many beautiful humans as possible to not only see their truth, their worth, their greatness. But also to live a no-bullshit, unapologetic, caring, compassionate and wholesomely awakened life!
Beanie flipped and transformed her own previously unprocessed abuse and 20 years of anxiety, to support over 2,000 people to live a balanced life in alignment with their truest potential.
Her unconditional love is the greatest leverage for profound change in everyone she meets.
RYAN POPE
Ryan can pluck the intangible out of the air and craft it into a palatable framework with the capacity to serve everyone.
He explains set and setting with precision alongside ‘resonant impulse’, to enable one to move through whatever they need.
Officially, Dr. Ryan is a holistic neuro-structural chiropractor, men’s coach and a student of natural health and healing with a giant beard smile and infectious laugh.
He’s spent the last ten years exploring the edges of how to be a man in this world, with an interest in natural healing, yoga and personal development.
His journey has led him to the unforgiving Australian outback armed only with a guide and crossbow, scaling icy mountains in his undies, co- facilitating healing and transformation retreats for men and women and recently supporting a group of pilgrims on the Camino de Portugues through Portugal and Spain.
What sets Ryan apart from many modern health professionals is his unwavering trust in the innate capabilities of the human body to heal and bring forth new life naturally.
Alongside his dedication to his local community through chiropractic care, Ryan’s global mission is to empower men to unearth an unshakable trust in themselves, in nature, in the human body and in life itself, contributing to a resilient, confident, and thriving family ecosystem.
REANNA MEULEMAN
Reanna is a highly sought after acupuncturist (BHSc Acu)
Her strength as a practitioner has come from embodied learning with amazing practitioners, preferring time in presence and practice over words in books.
Reanna is humble and gracious to acknowledge all those who’ve walked the paths of her modalities to enable her to make what she does her own.
She brings an unbiased, honest support to live spaces and a keen listening ear, to transmute what she hears with permission back to her clients.
Inherently, Rea knows we all hold the wisdom and simply plays the role of a welcoming bridge back to oneself.
JOSIANE SANTOS
Josi has the incredible ability to access all of herself. She pulls through all aspects of the masculine and feminine, while tethering to spirit with feet firmly planted on the earth.
She is from Minas Gerais, Brazil and her art is gracefully expressed through movement and knowledge of Afro-Brazilian culture, history, mythology, esoteric astrology, capoeira (Brazilian martial arts), and spirituality.
Through moving, breathing and weaving an embodiment of multiple levels of consciousness, she integrates her journey and understanding of life into everything she brings.
At Alchemy Rites she has supported people to release things residing in their bodies for decades. It is wild, fierce, beautiful and majestic all at the same time.
Her touch is true, essence pure and all in service to genuine human connection.
IAN CARIAGA
Ian’s focus is to help guide those who are willing to make a conscious movement towards making change to where they desire to go.
The knowledge passed onto him from his gurus and teachers over the last 26 years has made him a channel for embodied knowledge.
Ian is willing to share the wisdom learned with anyone open to the science of yoga - the art of acquiring the utmost state of your body, mind, and conscious.
This is the path of living optimally and in alignment with the mind, heart, body and soul.
ADAM KAVANAUGH
Adam has spent the last seven years living off the land, in sync with the land, and sharing what it means to live as safe as possible in wild spaces.
His off-grid lifestyle of hunting, fishing and bushcraft caught the attention of Discovery Channel and he was thrust into the wilderness on the TV show, 'Naked & Afraid', an extremely challenging and rewarding survival experience.
After facing a string of health issues, Adam discovered the potency of stripping life back and getting back into nature for healing.
Being welcomed and acknowledged in Central Australia by first nations elders and community has refined his relationships to all of the energetic movements of earth and sky.
Meaning both on retreat and in the outback, he is connected to the elements is absolute trust in the process.
BENNY WALLINGTON
Benny is a writer, poet and connection architect designing experiences that unearth the value in individuals and groups.
He believes in better questions are what we need to thrive, whether it's 'was it worth it?' after a big night on the sauce or a series of date night / toolbox / boardroom questions that form the pulse of a resilient team.
Benny’s an accredited peak performance coach, has written a book of questions for better relationships, built an app for a better way to booze and disrupted a few federal elections.
He’s currently learning to farm organically and building a tiny home on Kombumerri Country (Currumbin Valley, QLD) with his co-author and beautiful partner Jacqueline.
BRETT ROBINSON
Described as the happiest bloke on earth. Brett (Robbo)’s journey began in an isolated country town in Australia, called Cobar before joining the AIS as a full-time sprinter for almost 3 years.
Since his time at the AIS Brett has been travelling the World consulting as a Performance Coach and Performance Therapist to Olympic level Track and Field Athletes, Sydney Swans AFL, Various NRL and ARU teams, Redbull athletes, and many other High Performance athletes and teams while also helping top level CEO's, stay at home parents, entrepreneurs and everyday humans tap into their growth mindset and inner excellence.
He’s recently joined world renowned performance company B.E.T with his longtime mentor Nam Balwin.
ALASTAIR EVANS
Alastair is described as sage in his presence and process.
A calm, stable and people focused human. Equipped in the art of Chinese medicine, sticking needles in people and delivering herbs to brew, over wholesome discussion about life, death and consciousness.
Never far from enjoying a laugh, Alastair delights in being of service and holding the uncomfortable space for people to walk their hard yards.
To balance himself he either feverishly rides his bike, strangles people on the Jiu Jitsu mat or cooks a mean pepperoni pizza.
What the men are saying
Apply for Men's Alchemy
When you enter your name and email you'll land on a page that will guide you through the application. This step helps us filter those who are not serious.
Final words
When men are guided how to let down their guard while still maintaining their strength, integrity prevails.
This is your invite to lead a deeply fulfilling life, where you feel both content and free, fuelling you to hold the people and visions that matter most.
It's time to steward your sons and their families to lead a life that values expansion and regeneration of our humanity, evolution and the collective healing of this Earth.
As mentioned above, there is an application process for Alchemy. This is out of respect for the work itself and the men attending. Each person has a role to play and that is why we ask a few personal questions, have a yarn about your intention and get absolutely clear on if this is aligned for you.
It is absolutely normal for you to feel a resounding ‘yes’ and also fear arise at the same time. I believe nervousness is a level of respect for something that is quite honestly pivotal in our lives. If you are feeling called, I invite you to apply.
There is not an interview, there is no test. It is simply a conversation to confirm Alchemy is the best container for you and you for the container.
When you submit you details, you’ll be lead to a page where you can follow a few simple steps and submit an application. I look forward to meeting you soon.
“Amber and her team of incredible humans are nothing short of life changing! After attending a number of her one day events and then her 4 day Men’s retreat I couldn’t recommend her services high enough to everyone, she is actively making the world a better place and I look forward to continue working with her in the future. Please do yourself a favour and explore this wonderful, transformational work."
- Jono Moses - Men's Alchemy Retreat participant
Apply for Men's Alchemy
When you enter your name and email you'll land on a page that will guide you through the application. This step helps us filter those who are not serious.
Our commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Whether you identify as members of the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, or other marginalized communities globally, and regardless of your opinions, preferences, or life situation, you are welcome here.
We have created space for a scholarship for Alchemy Retreat, specifically designed to support individuals who may not otherwise have access to it. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to explore these topics and have a positive ripple into humanity. If this is you, you are welcome to apply for our scholarship program.
If you’d like to apply for a scholarship, please reach out to [email protected] and we will send you an application form. Please know that while we do not get everything right, we are constantly seeking to learn about the impact and changes we can make in this space
“We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land - whose cultures and customs have nurtured, and continue to nurture, this land - and I would like to pay my respects to Elders past, present and future.”
