“It’s been less than a week since I returned from a recent MOI retreat and I am still processing everything I learned and experienced. It is without exaggeration that this was the most profound experience of my life. I was already on a journey of self improvement over the past year or so, but it quickly became clear to me I had been playing in the minor leagues. Although the work I had done contributed to my willingness to receive the healing, understanding and acceptance of what I was experiencing, I had no idea I would literally go through a spiritual rebirth. For years I had suppressed deep, emotional pain that I covered up in public with a variety of “masks” to hide what I was really feeling inside and in a single medicine ceremony, all that pain I had been ignoring was released out into the universe and for the very first time in years, I felt peace in my heart that I no longer felt possible. I felt the love of every man there, who was ready and able to lend a hand, share some kind words or just tell me they loved me. I had no idea that kind of vulnerability was allowed among men, but it was incredibly liberating. Even as I write this, I can feel the warm, powerful energy in that house!
Whether you are looking for a wholistic transformation or simply want to be a better man for your wife/girlfriend, kids, parents, friends, etc., you will find and receive it at this retreat. Michael and Yoni are seasoned professionals that know what they’re doing. They walk the talk and provide whatever level of comfort or accountability you need to accomplish your goals while there. The forms you will fill-out prior to the retreat are equally as informative to Michael/Yoni as they are to yourself. They will help to draw out what areas need the most attention and therefore will assist you in setting your intent for the trip. The food is outstanding and each day is packed with opportunities to learn ideas and concepts that you may not have previously been exposed to or will reinforce what you have already learned. You will discover that this is an environment where there is zero judgement and an air of openness that invites you to remember who you are!
If there is even a whisper inside of you nudging you to go, jump in with both feet! If you come with the right attitude and intent, you will walk away with the answers you were looking for; I did, plus, a hell of a lot of questions I can’t wait to find answers for. Do it! It will change your LIFE!
With overwhelming gratitude!”
— Man in his 50’s
“Going into the 4-day retreat I was certainly skeptical having only gone on one medicine journey years prior. The medicine tells you when you’re ready and shows you the way. Truly feeling reborn I am so excited to start my new life. A life now for the first time which feels limitless considering what I was able to create and achieve while distracted by the toxicity of alcohol & societal stresses of day to day life. Every man can benefit from the tools gained through enlightened knowledge gained on breath work, meditation, nutrition, proper cohesive hydration, affirmation thinking and energy awareness. And the energy is real. My god I didn’t know just how much energy is in everything…..including myself. This experience allows you to see and tap into that font of energy to show you who you are and what you believe to be the real truth. With no labels you can truly become reborn. I would highly recommend this truly life altering weekend for those who struggle especially with addiction, loss, or anger or in my case those filled with love. The aforementioned is hidden deep within filled with scars and for the first time in decades I remembered who I was. A person filled with love. I am forever reborn anew and so thrilled no longer survive with my wife and young boys, but LIVE with them. SELF = LOVE \ BOOZE = NO LOVE FOR SELF. Earn it! Surrender and do the work. The world around you will thank you for the outcome.”
— Man in his 40’s
“MOI, stands for its ethics and the persistence of integrity, starting from its leaders who are fully committed to transfer morals and, most importantly, integrity to us. As we expose our life struggles, no matter how minute or severe they are, this retreat showed me and helped me acknowledge how empty “I WAS”. The help provided is very kind. This is a one-to-one quality service and support. This is a group of men with highly moral ethics with full illustrations that covers the side of man and how important is to respect the female energy and family, illustrations of nutrition and the importance to feed our bodies well for a balance and healthy life. MOI, fully shows, fully displays their efforts and dedicated work with love towards me. I am now at peace with myself, admitting that I have been pouring into other cups where my own is empty. I have been extending my hand to others where my own hand had been closed to accept and received help and nutrition for my life and spirit. Giving my thanks to MOI is short compared to the immense task, work, and setup that is being laid out and presented to us. Showing my efforts to better myself and help improve others around me will be my humble and grateful blessing to MOI.”
— Man in his 40’s
“I entered into this process an anxious skeptic. I knew I needed something to help me find myself again. I wanted to feel normal; I wanted to feel like the man I used to be before the things that happened happened. I was unaware of how much I was holding onto, burying inside myself trying to be a “strong man.” Mike and Yoni’s methods broke that dam. Everything is clear now. A lot has fallen into place, and I understand now the things I need to do for myself, my family and friends, and my community (both old and new.) The MOI retreat gave me the tools to get up off the floor and begin to live again. I found a happiness I never thought I would feel again. I don’t believe I’m an atheist anymore. I can’t thank Mike, Yoni, the MOI support team and the entire community enough. Aho!”
— Man in his 50’s
“As I sit here writing this, I have a smile in my heart and soul that is as bright as the sun. MOI is the recognized fact that men do not do right by their mental health, and a secure safe space is provided that delivers time to approach masculine divinity from a safe space. You enter into a community with facilitators who have been in the work themselves and are its continuation. I personally recognized the shortcomings in my life come from my poor mental health. This space and the decision to join this group is the single best choice I have made in my life. My closest friends and family have recognized the changes in me and my approach to the world. My coworkers and colleagues now refer to me as their inspiration to approach life and work. The open-hearted ceremonies of men doing work together with knowledgeable facilitators will set you on a path of personal growth inside and out. I found a self-supporting community of brothers who are working together to bring back healthy masculinity into the world. I will be a part of MOI for life. In my future, I see revisiting the process as a customer and supporting this community as a facilitator assistant. If you get the chance to read this review, you are already on your way to making one of your best life decisions as well.”
— Man in his 40’s
“As someone somewhere said, “10 years of talk therapy reduced to 4 days” . I now understand that. Specifically, I gained clarity and deep insights into myself. I awoke to realize my connection with the world around me and a knowledge that everything is and will be ok. I learned to trust myself. I learned I am you. I learned how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I am no longer agnostic.
Michael and Yoni were extremely supportive and tender with me in my first such experience in over 23 years. Thank you!!!
The food was exceptional. The house they chose was fabulous. Being in a hot tub in the rain and snow was amazing in late June. My advice to those reading this is to trust that everything will be ok and just do it. I am so very grateful to you Mike, Yoni, as well as the rest of the group. It was revelatory and I am forever changed.”
— Man in his 50’s
“You will get what you need, whatever that may be for you at the moment you arrive.
The MOI retreat invites you to step fully into what it means to be healthy, what it means to be true to yourself, to your ambitions and to your relationships. You may not realize where you are feeling like you are coming up short in life, you may not be able to put your finger on what it is you need – but the MOI retreat will help you discover the keys.
The questionnaire that was provided did an excellent job pointing and guiding me to where I was coming up short in life, and I did not know what that was until the end of it. Do the questionnaire as fully and completely as you can, as honestly as you can and with real intention of doing hard work on yourself, and you will have a clear picture of why you are there. Even if you don’t you are likely to discover something profound about yourself, but the questionnaire will truly help facilitate the work you do.
Brotherhood will be a strong component, as you go through this together and learn about each other you will come to find amazing friends whom you can trust and allow yourself to be vulnerable with.
I learned a great deal about how to live and eat healthier, which gives me more driving purpose in my daily existence. I took very strong lessons about relationships at home with me, how to be in balance and not just how to repair trust when it is broken but truly recognizing WHEN and HOW it is broken. I feel more equipped than ever to be what I consider the very definition of what it means to be a good, strong, balanced man in our age.
Consider reading every book recommended, before or during or after the retreat -it will truly build upon the work you do here.”
— Man in his 30’s
“I went into this thing not knowing any of the participants, or fully understanding what I was expecting to get out of it. I have had a hard life, I saw a lot of addiction and abuse but somehow managed to drag myself away from all of it and create a new home and a successful career for myself. I didn’t enjoy this for long before both of my parents where taken from me. My fathers passing was the result of hard life of drug abuse, while my mother was a victim of brain cancer. The experience of taking care of my mother as she was dying in palliative care, witnessing her pain and fear in the face of death and being powerless to stop it was something I never thought I would be able to heal from. Being without them I felt so lost and alone. I felt I would carry this crippling pain with me for the rest of my life. Yet after five days on the MOI retreat, doing the hard work with a group of men, who started out as strangers but became like brothers to me, I was able to glimpse the divine, and to find peace and equanimity I thought unattainable. I came to the understanding that my parents were at peace. I realized that all of us came from the eternal and with death would return there, only to be reborn anew, again and again. I can truly say this experience changed my life, that I was freed of this crippling pain I have been carrying all these years, that I am ready to give life my all, that I am ready to be the best partner I can be, and the best father I could be. Mike and Yoni are onto something that is truly on the cutting edge, something that can change the world. It has already started. I hope my story helps you if, you are reading this I want you too know, I love you, and wish the best for you. Aho!”
— Man in his 30’s
“I have been doing introspective, self therapy work for the last five years, both guided and on my own. When Michael and Yoni reached out about leading a weekend of it, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve known them for years, and I still walked away in awe of their capacity and talent for creating a safe, welcoming, positive energy environment that is truly conducive to self-realization and improvement. They facilitate a group energy that is deep and assuring all at once. I am truly grateful for the weekend they provided and would recommend it to anyone that feels called to it. You will not be disappointed and you will walk away from the weekend a better man than when you walked in.”
— Man in his 30’s
“I just returned from my second MOI retreat and it was a wonderful and meaningful experience. The retreat was well run and you can tell how much love and effort they put into the planning and execution. The accommodations were top notch and the food was really good. It was such a great opportunity to explore my inner self using this ancient medicine that nature has provided. I felt safe and protected, which allowed me to really surrender and get the most out of the experience. The presentations about nutrition and relationships are packed full of useful information that was easy to take back into my daily life. The group chats were helpful to identify and integrate the things that I learned. I used the retreat as a break from the routines in my life. It was a great time to make some changes in my diet and to start some new, healthy routines. I came home feeling open and energized. I received wonderful feedback from my wife and the people close to me about how much calmer, happier, and open that I seemed. I met some other great men on the retreat and formed some friendships that I am sure will last a lifetime. This retreat might be one of the best things that I have done for myself. If you are feeling the call to try this yourself, I highly recommend that you listen.”
— Man in his 50’s
“The first time I attended MOI, I learned about what I needed to do to become a better man. When I came back for the second time, I had been putting in that work leading up to it. I made a lot of changes, I reflected deeply on myself, and I put in the effort. My time and effort was not only affiremed through the second retreat, but it was celebrated. I felt as though I had ascended, that I’d made it to the next level and that I had built the foundation for even more growth to take place. To challenge myself even further. The growth never stops, and I am so excited to take on this next level. I witnessed brothers achieving incredible transformations, who decided to quit their drinking habits cold turkey. Witnessing their transformations reminded me of why this work is so important. On the outside, we men may appear to have everything and have it all together. The beautiful wife, the wonderful kids, the great job. We may appear to have everything. But even these men with their seemingly perfect lives, if they dare to peer into the shadows of their hearts and selves, they will find something they never knew was there. Something in the way; something preventing them from ascending to the next level of their greatness. MOI is the place where we are given the tools, knowledge, ceremony and ritual to begin that ascension.”
— Man in his 30’s
“My experience on my first, but hopefully not last, MOI retreat brought me deep senses of gratitude, connection, and hope. With the wisdom, support, safety, trust, and guidance of the MOI facilitators and other participants, I gleaned insights from my expanded experiences for how I will manifest improvements in myself, my relationships, and other important aspects of my life. I am blessed to have found the courage to open myself to the new (to me), beautiful, and powerful experiences and growth MOI has to offer.”
— Man in his 30’s
“Attending the Men Of Integrity retreat led by Michael Tierno and Yoni Havana, has changed my life. I had not realized how much throughout my childhood, young adulthood, and my life now as a 49 year old man I allowed the hurts, disappointments and traumas I’ve experienced to rule the way I reacted to difficulty in life. I was essentially complicit in my own emotional bondage to these events. This retreat was exactly what I needed to set me free.
The MOI retreat was challenging. It was also very comfortable given the absolutely beautiful location and the attention to detail, such as the healthy and satisfying meals provided, and the educational workshops we participated in together.
The hosts are both amazing individuals and skilled in their respective disciplines. The lessons I learned will serve me immensely both as an individual, and in all of my relationships. I was witness to the transformation of three other men and I know the gift that was given me will be with me for the rest of my life.”
— Man in his 40’s
“After finishing the retreat and allowing the following day to settle, it was quite bewildering to look at the experience and moments that occurred the previous days. I am still in the midst of processing everything; however, I came out of feeling loved and reassured of my life (yet a tiny bit fearful but in a good way) despite coming in with countless questions that are now seemingly trivial. The first day was mostly about setting up comfort and familiarity with the group. A bunch of ragtag, lost men coming together to fix their internal issues sounded like a sitcom in my head, but in all seriousness we were all there to better ourselves as men, fathers, brothers, people. The nutrition, setting, and level of comfort were truly outstanding and well accommodated and it allowed me to ease into the purpose of coming to the retreat without worrying about the basic necessities. The second day was quite an interesting day where the deep dive of the medicine took place. I was nowhere near ready for the experience that unfolded beyond my awareness.. To have such an emotional spectrum uncovered within my roots and see the duality of love, harmony, bliss versus pain, anguish, and suffering made me realize the totality and capacity of the human experience was something I never acknowledged as a unified thing.. It was beyond anything I was ready for and it was definitely unexpected and off putting for the moment. However, the vulnerability, acceptance, and support from the group upon sharing the experience was extremely validating. We all shared a moment to recollect fear of the battles we unwillingly, but triumphantly faced. I cannot thank the hosts and facilitators enough with their unconditional support despite losing my sense of self for certain moments of the ceremony. While I am still processing certain moments from this experience, specific things that called to me in the past are now more important for me to accomplish in my life. The third day was probably the most challenging day. I was taught a very powerful lesson to take better care of my body and nourishment. However, in the background of this physical onslaught, something miraculous was occurring as the wavelengths of my mind, heart, and soul gently unified into a singular balance of harmony. In the middle of the night, I woke up and for the first time in my life, I felt true reassurance – self-reassurance that I was doing okay in life and everything would be fine. It was eerily calming and something I shelved long ago as I didn’t believe I deserved it. With that uncovered, I believe I can now work on a better path to self love and worth and allow myself to do good work and provide great purpose to the world around me. I can now genuinely say I deserve certain things and I owe myself to live to my potential capability where I seek to be. The last day itself was truly outstanding. The openness and love of the brotherhood was truly a unification of all the work and the people we met the last few days. To feel stronger, connected, and valued is something I have undying gratitude for. To meet other men that oppose the schemas of what “masculinity should be” strengthened the reassurance I found in myself. To know others out there are doing their best and trying their best is a wonderful sight to see. This community is something I truly want to be a part of, to spread the message, and to help others improve their lives. After doing so much self work the last four or so years of my life and to have it culminate into this experience is something I am extremely appreciative and grateful for and I say that as a strong understatement. If anything I shared here calls to you or helps you, I insist you give yourself that break and allow yourself to heal and get help. I send best wishes to all the people that were a part of this group, and know that experience will remind me to carry it back into my life and spread it where I can with positivity. Aho.”
— Man in his 30’s
“I haven’t spent five days with five men in an exploratory experience since the early 90’s. What an exceptional experience, one I will cherish forever and have gained four exceptional friends in my life. I experienced pain in my gut that had been there since I was a child, unlike some “Aha” moments I have experienced, this occurs like a lifelong quest for optimum health. Michael and Yoni are two of the most centered, confident, compassionate and easy-to-be with men I have ever met. Their teamwork and partnership in every aspect of the retreat allowed me to relax and absorb an incredible amount of information and self awareness. I’ve started a meditation practice that I have been talking about for years. I start my day with the hydration practice and the Good Morning song that I dance to happily and if you knew me before the retreat I was not dancing anytime much less in the morning. The only reason I have not previously quit my job was because it provided a decent living. However, since the retreat my work has seemed effortless and actually enjoyable!”
— Man in his 50’s
“I have been married for 20 years. We have 3 teenage children together, and we have been close to divorcing now for a long time. We tried couple’s therapy and many other strategies over the years, and lockdown really brought our problems to a peak. Our sex life has been quite chaotic and at times absent all together. Our communication together has primarily been frustrated in tone, and distant from our emotions. My wife has been preparing herself mentally for our split, and that has made it more difficult to resolve our problems. My wife insisted on me taking individual steps toward healing and looking at my side of these issues instead of constantly blaming her for the turmoil in our house and marriage. I am not comfortable with the idea of “men’s groups” or more personal therapy, and I honestly am not that interested in reading self-help books that would guide me towards some path toward healing.
The opportunity was presented to me to attend this weekend retreat, and I was still quite hesitant to sign on. Taking time from work is never easy, and I don’t deal well with ultimatums. I am even personal friends with one of the Director’s of the program, and I still was reluctant to take this type of journey. I made a few changes in my schedule, and committed to the retreat to make one last attempt to save my marriage.
I arrived with thoughts of skepticism and a bit of trepidation, as well as a good deal of excitement for this new experience. Michael and Yoni were excellent hosts, and so comforting and welcoming. Their sense of purpose, enthusiasm for helping us, and their deep knowledge quickly alleviated my anxieties. The ceremonies and meditations sessions were very new to me, but I quickly found a comfortable role there, and found more openness within myself than I knew was possible. I have experimented with expanded states in the past, but mostly with the purpose of enjoyment and release. The guided lessons and focus activities that Michael and Yoni showed us, completely changed the type of experience that these expanded states had done to me in the past. I found so much more to learn from and to look for during the journeys. Their guidance completely changed my ability to use that experience for self reflection and introspection. I felt safe during the experiences, and the other men and I were assisted by them several times as the need arose. The pace and timing for the weekend was excellent, allowing us time to recover, reflect, and share our experiences with each other. I left the weekend feeling physically well-nourished, mentally exhausted, and emotionally charged.
As I returned home, I found a new sense of calm and focus in myself that was not there before. My personal intentions are still clearly in my mind, and my new sense of patience and direction has been noticed by both my family members as well as my professional community. Everybody’s life journey is filled with trauma and turmoil. Many of us finally seek to find greater peace and clarity of mind once things hit a boiling point. I needed my wife to threaten divorce to wake me up to my responsibility to heal and respond to the traumas of my past. This weekend retreat was the perfect fit for me to take time to look inside, to focus on my life path, and to explore my mind in ways that I never had before.
I am very thankful to Michael and Yoni for their professionalism and guidance, and I could not recommend their program any more highly. Each Man’s experience will be quite unique. I guarantee that this will help to open your mind to all of the questions and answers that have been keeping you from being your true self. If you are considering signing on even a little bit, I already know that this is going to work for you.”
— Man in his 40’s
“I came into my retreat weekend feeling a little anxious. I had never been to a retreat like this before. Leading up to the retreat I had been working on myself and learning how to look deeper inside. This seemed like a perfect extension of this work. I felt drawn to this experience, so I decided to go and signed up. I arrived at a wonderful house and began to meet the people that I would be sharing this experience with.
Everybody was very friendly, open, and welcoming. Michael and Yoni provided a great experience. You can tell they have put a lot of effort into planning this weekend. The food was great and the conversation was better. At times, those anxious feelings came to the surface. This was all new territory for me. These guys were great at talking to me about it and helping throughout the experience. I always felt safe and cared for. They are a couple of smart guys with plenty of experience.
The presentations during the weekend were relevant in my life and my eyes were opened to some new perspectives. I came away from the experience feeling energized and connected to the world around me. I made strong connections with everybody who was there. I feel more happy and open than I have in a long time. My wife says she notices a better energy coming from me. I feel like I learned new things about myself and the experience was profound.
If you feel drawn to this, I highly recommend this experience, you won’t be sorry.”
— Man in his 50’s
“I had some reservations around attending my first Men of Integrity retreat. I have some experience with plant medicine work in the past and felt some fear and uncertainty, which kept me from attending a retreat sooner. Now, having just finished my first retreat, I am looking forward to the next one. Yoni and Mike are true professionals and create a safe and comfortable container for us to learn and grow as men. The retreat is definitely not a vacation. You come there to do work. There is plenty of space for downtime, relaxing, and reflection, but most energy is directed towards becoming a better version of ourselves. The work can be challenging, but the food is fantastic, the accommodations are comfortable, the connection and support is ubiquitous, and the event is very well run with a high level of intention. I will absolutely be back for another retreat with Yoni, Mike, and the other men in the community.”
— Man in his 30’s
“I came into this as my first experience doing anything like this. Although I had partaken in some of the activities it was never in this type of setting. I’ve always been a pretty open minded guy but in some ways but some of the labels I’d put on myself prior to this retreat were “a midwestern bro”, “a tough rugby guy”, etc. so certainly going on something like this was a bit out of my comfort zone. Throughout the course of the weekend there were times I was unsure but every time I had a moment like this I would found myself inspired by the leaders and the men attending the retreat and I would then fully re-commit myself to the process. In the end I was completely happy with my experience. The men I met were amazing and I feel I got a lot out of it. My advice to others would be this; if doing something like this is something that you’ve been thinking about for a while but maybe it scares you a bit you should 100% do it. Once you decide to do it just be open and trust the process and most of all, be “all in”. If you do that I am confident you’ll get what you need in the process and meet a bunch of awesome men in the process.”
— Man in his 30’s
“The Men of Integrity retreat was truly a life-changing experience. Notably, one of the most special moments in my adult life. At first, I didn’t really know what to expect and what lay on the road ahead.
We all have our day-to-day lives and issues, and this experience has simply taught me on how to live my life better and how to let go of these things that I hold on to so tightly. The team really makes one feel at home and the experiences are beyond anything I have personally ever experienced before.
I highly recommended this to anyone who wants to elevate their lives and learn how to live life much much better. The information I gathered is mind-blowing!”
— Man in his 30’s
