Fifty men came together this May, at Red Fern, Tennessee, for the Soul Camp at Red Fern. Men traveled from as far away as California, Michigan and Rhode Island to be a part of this first-ever gathering in the rolling green hills of middle-Tennessee. Hosted by KIVA—a Nashville men’s group—and Jim Singleton, owner of Red Fern— a beautiful, isolated, 300-acre property, west of Nashville—the Soul Camp at Red Fern provided an opportunity for deep personal work, community and celebration.

The Soul Camp was originally conceived because the men of the Nashville KIVA—a number of whom have attended Men’s Leadership Alliance events—wanted to serve other men in their community and throughout the region by providing a regionally accessible, affordable opportunity to attend an MLA gathering. KIVA was delighted when MLA agreed to collaborate in pulling the event together. Tom, Jeffrey and Keith, who have led MLA’s gatherings for more than twenty years, said they all wanted to facilitate the weekend. Knowing that all three of them rarely conduct trainings as a team outside of Colorado, KIVA believed that their presence would provide men with a strong incentive to attend the Soul Camp—particularly men without the means or time to attend one of the Colorado events.

A Soul Camp Committee that included KIVA members (Neal Ashmun, Simon McCain, Dan Surface, Jamie Collins, Ryan Stoney, Dale Rogers, Gary Kiev, and Doug Thoresen), as well as Jim Singleton, Frank Evans, and Shawn Gallaway, organized to provide logistical support. John Dandurand, MLA’s new Executive Director and Mable Stewart, MLA’s Operations Director, provided invaluable marketing and administrative support. While Soul Camp committee members personally contacted hundreds of men about the Soul Camp, MLA promoted it through its website, emails and mailings. MLA handled registration and fees, enabling the local committee to concentrate on the camp logistics.

In undertaking an event for the first time, one always takes a deep breath, plunges forward and hopes for the best, never certain of the outcome. Initially, response was favorable, with more than twenty men signing up by the end of March, and with the last-minute registrations and the inevitable cancellations, Red Fern prepared for the energy and intentions of fifty men.

The Soul Camp was held from Thursday, May 15th through Sunday, May 18th. Those of us, the facilitators, MLA staff and Soul Camp committee who came on Wednesday, were immediately struck by how quickly the men arriving on Thursday settled into the energy of Red Fern and the weekend. With our concerns about “transition time” alleviated, we came together for the first time in Red Fern’s imposing wooden pavilion “lodge”, under cloudy skies, cooler-than-usual temperatures, and intermittent rain that descended so powerfully at times that a refreshing mist bathed our meditations as we sat in circle. Spirit and Red Fern were speaking to us then, as it spoke many times in many ways throughout the weekend.

The rain ended on Friday, the sun shone and Big Barton Creek bathed and anointed us with cool musical waters. The owls hooted, the Red Fern Fireflies danced and the ticks and chiggers reminded us to take care of ourselves. We danced in shadow and in light. We slowed down to listen to the breathing of the trees. We blessed and were blessed by our ancestors. We laughed and cried. We screamed and sang. We did our work. Many departed fulfilled. Some left frustrated. Blessed Be.

The Soul Camp at Red Fern was co-created by fifty men and by Red Fern itself, lovingly tended and prepared by Jim Singleton. The energy and spirit was immediate and palpable. This was a gathering waiting to happen— perhaps waiting for a thousand years, when men first walked this land. Blessings to Benjamin “Bluejoy a’ Singin’” Walker, our cook, and his able assistants Frank Evans and Ryan Stoney, for feeding our bellies and our spirits. Blessings to Jim Singleton, for the gift of Red Fern and for reaching out to so many men. Blessings to Tom, Jeffrey and Keith for their wisdom and their hearts. Blessings to John Dandurand and Mable Stewart of MLA. Blessings to the KIVA men and their ancestors. Most of all, blessings to all of the men who came and connected to the land, to their brothers and to themselves. We hope this is the first of many sacred soul times at Red Fern.