A personal welcome from Matt
Welcome
Life is stitched together by a series of choices, and this is a choice that you’ve made, for one reason or another. Each of you have your own reasons for choosing to come on this retreat - you’re at a crossroad in your career, you feel stuck, you realise how disconnected from yourself and life you feel, or you’re just ready to let go of some unhealthy behaviours and belief systems.
Whatever your reasons, know this.
This is a call to adventure
This retreat is not really a retreat. This is a call to adventure. A call to something greater. A call to you choosing to go on an adventure and explore the unknown. This is really about you answering the call in your gut and intuition. A strange knowing that you needed to explore greater horizons beyond the ones you’ve known.
And it was also your choice to say yes - to answer the call. Sure, I might have helped you make a decision, but you still had to pay the money and fill out the form. Step one, complete. You’ve answered the call to adventure. Let this choice ripple throughout the rest of the choices you make in your life and become the way you make choices going forwards to. Now, like all good adventures, it’s time to get prepared.
Preparation
Before you step into this adventure, I’m going to prepare you as best I can. And that’s what this page is for.
Please do not share this page with anyone else that is not coming to the retreat - this is just for you
Disclaimer: feel free to share this with your partner or close friend - their support before, during and after this experience will be major support to your growth and evolution.
Key Details
Each retreat is different, and for this one, we’re heading to Amarant in the Yarra Valley - a stunning 25-acre property nestled amongst the hills and surrounded by lush forest.
Arrive between 7pm - 8pm, Wednesday 2nd October
Please arrive in this window - dinner will be provided when you arrive
Depart by 12pm, Sunday 6th October
Please do not plan to leave before this time
I strongly suggest you make no / minimal plans on the remainder of the Sunday
(if possible, I’d also advise you to take Monday off if you can)
Location: Amarant Retreat
Address: 1475 Don Road, Don Valley
Search for ‘Amarant Yarra Valley’ in Google Maps and you should be fine (don’t use Apple Maps or Waze)
Please note, the last part of the drive is on a gravel road
When you arrive, please park in the gravel carpark below the house and we’ll come get you
All meals will be provided and intertwined within the retreat
Please ensure you’ve provided dietary requirements via the form
Bedding
You will be shown where you’re sleeping on arrival.
Please do not bring any of the following:
Drugs
Alcohol
Personal food / drinks
Technology Free Weekend
This also a technology free retreat. You will be invited to hand in your phone, watch / Apple watch / computer etc. on the Friday night. This is so you can be fully present for the experience. Please prepare your friends and family for this by telling them also, and know that if you absolutely need to, you can access your phone.
Please share my mobile number with your family or friends - they can contact me if they need to get in touch in case of an emergency (note: checking in on you, isn’t an emergency)
Contact Details
Matt Defina - 0450 626 526
Retreat Structure & Flow
Every Retreat is different, and the structure and flow below is subject to change on the experience based on what the team believes is needed for the group. However, this is the overall structure and flow you can expect:
Wednesday night
Arrive 7pm-8pm and connect with the group
Nourishing dinner
Opening circle
Thursday
Activities and games designed to connect the group
Gaining clarity on your intention for this experience (your why)
Time for reflection on why you’re here (your story)
Friday
Nourishing breakfast, lunch & dinner
Group activities designed to help you grow and evolve (the challenge)
Saturday
Nourishing breakfast, lunch and dinner
Time for reflection and debriefing from the day before
Guided exercises to help you gain clarity on where you’re heading next in your life (your vision)
Guided activity to acknowledge and honour each other (honouring)
Celebration dinner and fire (celebration)
Sunday morning
Final breakfast
How to integrate the experience / what next (integration)
Packup bags, checkout circle and head home
Leave by 12pm
The Team
Adam Pipakis
Guest Facilitator
‘Pipa’ is a holistic health and wellness coach committed to helping men live in alignment with their heart’s center and embrace their true power. Currently studying holistic health and wellness under the Chek Institute, Adam integrates a wealth of knowledge from his extensive experience in movement, breathwork, and bodywork. As a certified personal trainer, he focuses on building functional strength, improving mobility, and correcting posture to foster strong, happy, and healthy men.
Adam is a certified Rites of Passage instructor, guiding men through life transitions and helping them release limiting stories that no longer serve them. As the founder of The Warriors Way Men's Retreats, Adam creates transformative spaces where men can reconnect with their innate strength and cultivate emotional awareness to become better partners and members of the community.
Matt Defina
Retreat Leader
Matt is a transformational coach, facilitator and Organisational Psychologist who specialises in creating change and growth in people, teams, organisations and systems.
After trading his corporate consulting career in for social impact work, Matt never looked back.
Matt has trekked to Mt Everest Base Camp, Mt Kilimanjaro, completed a Vipassana Meditation Retreat, Scuba dived around the world, completed an Ironman Triathlon and so much more. Matt brings with him a wealth of experience in creating and participating in life-changing, Rite of Passage experiences.
El Norris
Retreat Co-Leader
El has been traversing the depths of her own heart, body and mind ever since she reached a point where she had enough, enough of the emotional outbursts, uncontrollable anger & frustration, nervous breakdowns, numbing of any hard emotions through substances, always doing something, working ridiculous hours, feeling like there was more to life than what she was experiencing.
It really started when she broke her wrist and was forced to sit still and heal. During this time, she worked through childhood trauma that had been deeply repressed.
Shedding layers of old patterns, belief systems, fear, anger, grief and sadness. Breathwork and other healing modalities, particularly sitting in ceremony, has profoundly changed her life and most importantly her health.
Preparation
What to bring
General
Warm, casual clothes (comfier the better) - it gets cold at night
Exercise clothes (that you’re happy to get wet)
Walking shoes / runners
Toiletries
Wet weather gear (Raincoat)
Drink bottle
Bathers
Earbuds (for sleeping)
Any other items that are going to help you feel comfortable
Important
An outfit that you makes you feel like a million bucks - something that makes you feel great - a celebration outfit if you will.
An item / photo / moment that is sacred to you (eg. a rock from your favourite beach)
An item / ally that assists you through challenging experiences (eg. a crystal, teddy bear)
How to prepare
A few notes to help you prepare:
Reflect on WHY you are choosing to come. Why do you want to attend this weekend?
Reflect on a challenge or choice you’re facing at moment - how can this retreat help you with this? What do you need to let go?
What chapter of your life have you been in? What would you call this chapter?
What chapter of your life do you want to step into next? Who do you need to become to step into this life?
Inform your family and friends that you won’t be contactable for the weekend - pass on my mobile number in case they need to get in contact with us in an emergency (Matt - 0450 626 526)
Keep your schedule clear for Sunday (and Monday if you can) - I strongly suggest you don’t plan anything major on the Sunday and ensure that you can return home and rest
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me!
I’ll see you there on Wednesday night.
