Men’s Circle & Breathwork

Free men’s circle with breathwork and optional dinner—an honest, supportive space to connect, share openly, and build brotherhood.

Men’s Circle & Breathwork

There aren’t many spaces where men can drop the pressure, speak honestly, and just be real. This gathering is about creating exactly that.

This is a free event, with an optional plant-based dinner available for $15. While there’s no obligation to stay for dinner, sharing a meal together offers a meaningful way to strengthen connections.

We will bring together the power of breath with a traditional men’s circle—creating a space where you can arrive fully, grounded and present. Beginning with guided breathwork, we shift out of the noise of the mind and into a deeper state of clarity, allowing you to enter the circle with honesty, depth, and intention.

From this place, the circle becomes a space for real connection—where men can speak openly, be heard without judgment, and grow through shared experience. It’s not about having it all together, but about showing up as you are and building strength through authenticity.

Structure of the Circle

• Arrival & Breathwork: The session begins with a short, guided breathwork practice to help participants arrive, ground, and connect inwardly.
• Gathering in a Circle: Participants sit in a circle to symbolize equality and unity.
• Talking Object: A sharing stick or object is placed in the center. Only the person holding the object may speak, ensuring uninterrupted sharing.
• Open Sharing: Anyone may choose to share while holding the object. Sharing is optional, and passing is always respected.
• Active Listening: While one person shares, others listen attentively without speaking, interrupting, or offering advice. The focus is on witnessing and being present.
• No Judgments or Advice: Participants refrain from judging or offering unsolicited advice, creating a safe space for authentic expression.
• Closing: The circle may conclude with a group reflection, a moment of gratitude, or a simple acknowledgment of the shared experience.

Circle Agreements

• Supportive Environment: We are here to uplift and support one another, fostering trust and brotherhood.
• Focus on the Present: Share what's alive for you now, focusing on your emotions and experiences to deepen emotional awareness.
• Use "I" Statements: Speak from your personal perspective using "I" statements to promote authenticity and responsibility. Avoid generalizations like "we" or "us."
• No Judgment or Fixing: Refrain from judging others sharing or offering unsolicited advice, ensuring a safe and non-critical space.
• Confidentiality: What is shared in the circle stays in the circle. You may discuss your own experience outside the group, but keep others' details private.

Andre and Sri Jiva co-host this circle with a shared passion for creating authentic, supportive spaces where men can connect deeply—offering this gathering simply because they believe in its importance.

Join us after this free event for an optional plant-based dinner and dessert for only $15 (or $5 for students).

Meet Andre and Sri Jiva, your hosts

Andre has been immersed in men’s work since the age of 13, when he first experienced a rite of passage in Golden Bay. That formative experience sparked a lifelong connection to circle work, which he later deepened by returning as a mentor. Over the years, Andre has come to value the power of sitting in circle—of men coming together in honesty, vulnerability, and presence to witness and support one another. A multi-instrumental musician, poet, and pranayama (breathwork) facilitator, Andre also brings his passion for ecstatic dance, philosophy, and authentic connection into his offerings. He is deeply inspired by the question of what it means to be human—how we can more fully experience our aliveness, our depth, and reconnecting with the beauty of life together.

Since childhood, Sri Jiva has been fascinated by meaning, purpose, and authentic life fulfilment. This, among other things, led him to join a monastery at the age of 19. After years of monastic training, he chose to marry and pursue a career. He felt called to use his monastic experience to help others understand themselves, and to find wisdom, meaning, and purpose in their own lives. Inspired by this calling, he went to university to study counselling. Now, Sri Jiva and his wife live near Wellington, where he works with a small team of counsellors, supporting clients individually and in groups.