#eastonmountain

[giovannidimola]

#tbt September 2014 @eastonmountain The quote has been a favorite since @svanyc by one of the fathers of photography Minor White. Am grateful to have been given the gift to photograph this work on a fall weekend 8 years ago. This is the same place that I volunteered, spent life changing time & documented through video and photo decades ago for several years on many retreats thanks to my mentor & life coach Harry Faddis and head of Easton John Stasio with Tim Cooley as my guru for life! #eastonmountain #gratitude #retreat #community #inclusive #lifechanging #availablelight #nofilter #minorwhite #reflection #portrait #photography #photographer #giovannidimola (at Easton Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc6UpPmvDU-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thetarotman]

Another #photograph from my recent visit to Easton Mountain in #greenwichnewyork The #flora at @eastonmountain during #BearYourSoulSummerCamp was an especially rich green. It felt good to see all this beauty in #mothernature which was accompanied by so many #beautiful #gaybears #gaychubs #gaymen I look forward to returning, as soon as I can. #gaytribe #gaymalebears #lgbtqiaplus #diversity #inclusivity #eastonmountain https://www.instagram.com/p/BnCblYXgkvb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1w3d45dovnlzh

[wallyplanell]

#nemkr #nemfkr19 #nemfkr #eastonmountain (at Easton Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3DCRCWnazJyXZI26oe8djzXTfUZrpWQF65wU40/?igshid=1h39xuq272ytb

[modernlopi]

Spring signifies a period of rebirth and growth for me. Thank you all for reenergizing me this weekend. You know who you are. #mskr #eastonmountain (at Easton Mountain)

[lgbt-hq]

Thank you @EastonMountain / Nerdvana at Table A37, for supporting LGBT HQ's interactive programming at FlameCon 2017! Easton Mountain has donated to the vendor raffle program at the LGBT HQ booth, B-41. Come join in the Fun! #flamecon2017 eastonmountain.org/events/nerdvana

[cunyappliedtheatreblog]

Featured Alumnus, Week 2: Wil Fisher ('11) Part of our countdown to the January 11 program application deadline!

"Sometimes it takes a gorgeous feather boa to help someone discover that inner hidden diva," said Wil Fisher ('11), talking about his work as Executive Director of Easton Mountain, an LGBTQ retreat center in upstate New York. "Easton is a place for folks to come in to the best version of themselves. That includes the most self-expressed version of themselves."

Easton Mountain was founded over 15 years ago by gay men whose partners had died of HIV/AIDS, as a place to heal and find community. About 15 people live on campus full time. Hundreds visit annually, for programs ranging from meditation to erotic work, and even a retreat for gay geeks.

In 2008, Wil was working as an organizer in the LGBTQ community in New York City, for organizations including the Ali Forney Center and Scouting for All. However, Wil had trained in theatre, he missed it, and he knew he could connect theatre with social justice. He found and pursued the MA in Applied Theatre. Out of his work in the MA program, Wil created a number of successful projects, including hands-on workshops for health classes on homophobia and gender nonconformity. Wil also began facilitating at Easton. From there, he developed many workshops, led weekend retreats, and ultimately was invited by the board into his current position this summer.

As Executive Director now, Wil mostly develops systems and talks with people to keep Easton running smoothly. On the face of it, that is not applied theatre. However, Wil teased out a philosophical connection: "The question of how to hold space and how to facilitate. That was a big thing we learned in school: what relationship do you want between people, and how do you achieve that?" In his first weeks as Executive Director, Wil spent over 40 hours meeting with members of the community about their relationship to Easton. "I asked, 'What is the reciprocity here? What are you gaining, what are you contributing?'' We aren't basing ourselves on a corporate model [at Easton]...we're looking at new models of employee/staff structural relationship. That was pretty big."

Wil is also guiding the organization to serve the broader LGBTQ community--or, as he puts it, he's queering up the place. He has fostered two LGBTQ youth programs and he is collaborating on a camp for gay men of African descent (with alumnus Cardozie Jones ('11)), among many other initiatives. He is also giving leadership roles to young people, women, transgender, and gender nonconforming people. Is this applied theatre? Not obviously. Is Wil's work aligned with the field's core values of social justice, creativity, and inclusion? You can bet your boa on it.

[eastonmountain]

The leaves are changing and it's a misty day on the #mountain #eastonmountain #eastonmountainretreat #lgbtq #gayvacation (at Easton Mountain Retreat Center)

[thetarotman]

Just one of the many breathtaking views at @eastonmountain And yes, more #videos on my #youtube #channel shall be uploaded about my participation in #BearYourSoulSummerCamp soon. #eastonmountain #greenwichnewyork #upstatenewyork #gaymen #gaybears #gaychubs #lgbtqiaplus #tribe #brotherhood #community #gaymalebears (at Easton Mountain)

[thetarotman]

This is GrandMother Birch. Although she is no longer a living tree, as I would say, "She got powuh!" I had the wondrous honor and pleasure of communing with her when both my life partner/Divine Consort and I participated in "Bear Your Soul: Summer Camp" in August, 2018 at @eastonmountain #GrandMotherBirch #EastonMountain #BearYourSoul #BearYourSoulSummerCamp #GreenwichNY #MotherNature #CommuningWithNature #GooglePhotos #GooglePhotosMemories https://www.instagram.com/p/CSt-hA8HbX_/?utm_medium=tumblr

[thetarotman]

A quick Re-Minder that my four most recent YouTube videos are about my recent participation in "Bear Your Soul: Winter Hibernation 2017" at @eastonmountain . And a new #updates video is already in the works. #bearyoursoul #bearyoursoulhibernation2017 #eastonmountain #lgbt🌈 #lgbtqia #lgbtqia+ #gaymen #gaybears #gay #upstateny #youtube #youtuber #contentcreators #contentcreator #upcomingvideos #robertalvarezthepsychicwitch

[thetarotman]

One of my favorite moments at @eastonmountain while participating in #BearYourSoulSummerCamp was #hiking on the #redtrail and spending time in the presence of #grandmotherbirch I have always had an affinity with the #silverbirch #tree and this was truly one of the best parts of being back at #eastonmountain #gaymen #gaybears #gaychubs #gaymalebears #lgbtqiaplus #transformation #mothernature (at Easton Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnExky0Ap1p/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17ukt4po2vc4

[thetarotman]

More #photos of #flora and #mothernature at @eastonmountain while I participated in #BearYourSoulSummerCamp #gaymen #gaybears #gaychubs #gaymalebears #gaytribe #spendingtimeinnature #greenwichnewyork #eastonmountain (at Easton Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnDl9gRAe9n/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dymic4gi6faq

[thetarotman]

Both today and tomorrow, I shall post the last of the #photographs I took while I was at @eastonmountain participating in #BearYourSoulSummerCamp #gaymen #gaybears #gaychubs #lgbtqiaplus #gaybeartribe #gaybearbodies #transformation #setyourintentions #mothernature #eastonmountain #greenwichnewyork https://www.instagram.com/p/BnCOJEKgwZ5/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15txp7vd1t6e8

[thetarotman]

Here I AM in #albanynewyork and soon at @eastonmountain in #greenwichny for #BearYourSoulSummerCamp The #adventure has begun. #BearYourSoul #BYS #eastonmountain #gaybears #lgbtqiaplus #community #tribe #connect #discover #play #freddyfreeman #goldenheart #gaybearcommunity #gaybeartribe (at Greyhound Bus)

[thetarotman]

Although I have a few other #photos from my weekend workshop #spiritofthebear given my professional schedule this week, I shall make this the last #instagram #post about my participation in said #workshop After I returned, I ran a few errands and at my local #biglots store found this #mug or rather, it found me. Talk about a #clearandevidentsign #fromthedivine #pawednyc #bearyoursoul #eastonmountain #rainbowmountainresort #manhattan #nyc🗽 #eaststroudsburg #pennsylvania #greenwichny #gaybears #weekendworkshops #healing #transformation #autumninthepoconos #lgbtqia+ #lgbtqiaplus #gaymen #gaymalebears