SAGE EXPERIENCE
A GUIDED JOURNEY OF THE MASCULINE SOUL
SCOTLAND | JANUARY 17-25, 2025
ALL MEN MUST RECKON WITH MIDLIFE
The time comes for every man where he realizes the morning of his life will soon turn towards afternoon. There is just as much behind as there is ahead, and the passage into a new season is about to begin. But many men have little sense of what this new season could or should entail, and we struggle knowing how to navigate it. We lack a vision for what it means to become a godly "Sage."
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Once in a Lifetime Trip
9 day guided experience through the fierce and stunning country of Scotland
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Pilgrimage with Purpose
Engage the core narratives of your life in order to enter your second half with clarity, purpose, and resolve.
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What's Included
All accommodations, most meals, entrance fees, in-country transportation, facilitated discussions and 1 on 1 storywork
The manhood journey is cyclical rather than linear, and the further along we travel, we find ourselves once again at the beginning. To truly become a Sage, we must go deeper and in reverse to recover those parts of us we exiled, forgot, lost, or never fully knew. Men who successfully navigate midlife emerge with a vision for who God originally made them to be.
But men who go on living their lives without an awareness of their own deep need for this intentional work simply grow old, believing their best years are behind them rather than ahead. To become a Sage is the highest calling of God on men. It is the pinnacle of manhood, and yet the vast majority of men settle for a too-small story as they pass the midlife mark. This passage into the second half is God's invitation to His bigger story.
"If the task of the first passage is to find the man within the boy and call him forth, the task of the second passage is to find the boy within the man and bring him home."
-Chris Bruno, Sage: A Man’s Guide into his Second Passage
THIS EXPERIENCE IS FOR YOU IF…
You are a man aged 35 years or older.
You are a follower of Jesus.
You have already done some personal work on your own story.
You recognize the tremors of midlife starting in your soul.
You want to engage the next season of your life as a man and navigate midlife with purpose.
You are not currently in crisis-mode. This is not therapy.
[If applicable] You have spoken with your wife and she agrees to send you on this journey.
You love to travel off the beaten path in small groups, not large buses or on tours.
You aren't looking for sightseeing (though we will visit amazing places), but rather an exploration of your heart.
You are ready for a different kind of trip.
ITINERARY
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Day 1: Arrive in Inverness
Arrive in Inverness - the gateway to the Highlands - for our Welcome & Orientation Dinner. We will gather over a hearty Scottish meal, get to know one another, and prepare for the soul journey ahead. A mixture of European city, ancient history, political fire, and thick accents, Inverness is a place of paradox and beauty.
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Day 2: Travel West
Today we head toward the Highlands, stopping along the way to consider one of the most iconic sites in Scottish history. We continue our journey further into the Highlands to take in the spectacular vistas and the vast openness. The landscape mirrors the interior landscape of a midlife man, and invites us to consider the paths both behind and ahead.
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Day 3-7: The highlands and inner Hebrides
Challenged and inspired by Scotland's most fierce landscapes, we explore the narratives of our lives with thoughtful reflection and facilitated conversation. Along the way we encounter some of the most breathtaking and fierce spaces on earth. As this is not a site-seeing tour, but rather an expansive invitation to the landscape of your own heart, we have curated a spacious yet adventurous experience where you can engage the past, present, and future of your own story. Specific details are intentionally kept quiet to allow you to lean in and focus on your self.
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Day 8: The Best of The Highlands
After a week full of reflection, wrestling, and pursuit, we return to Inverness for a day full of joy and hearty Scottish-ness. We feast together, visit important and impactful sites around Inverness. Our final evening together will be marked with words of gratitude for all that has taken place and words of blessing over all that is yet to be.
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Day 9: Departure
Having come to this spacious island to explore our stories, find our hearts, connect with God and each other, and move with intention into the second passage of our lives, we say goodbye to one adventure and embark on an even greater one: we return as different men as we come home to ourselves.
“It was transformaTIONal on every level — heart, soul, mind and strength. A highlight experience of a lifetime.”
-2023 Participant
PRICING
SAGE EXPERIENCE: $4,995
$500 non-refundable deposit required to register.
Remaining balance will be charged in full on October 1, 2025.
Cost includes all items listed above, but does NOT include airfare to/from Inverness, lunches, and alcoholic beverages.
See refund policy below.
After making the initial $500 deposit, you can receive a $100 discount off the total price if you pay the remainder by check.
Space is limited to 15 men. Last year the trip filled in days. REGISTER NOW
FAQs
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-All in-country transit and transportation
-All accommodations (based on double occupancy)
-All breakfasts and dinners (lunches are on your own)
-Tours and activities
-Small group conversations and large group sharing
-Lots of space to reflect and explore the landscape of your own heart
-Signed copy of Sage: A Man's Guide Into His Second Passage, by Chris Bruno
-Daily personal reflection prompts and small group guides
-Facilitated small group discussions and one-on-one Storywork
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You’ll need to arrive in Inverness, Scotland at the designation hotel for a Welcome Dinner on Friday evening, January 17, 2025.
You’ll Depart from Inverness, Scotland on the morning of January 25, 2024.
You’re responsible for travel to and from Inverness.
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Deposits are non-refundable.
Cancellations initiated by the participant received in writing to Restoration Project before October 1, 2024 will receive a 100% refund of their payment minus deposit (i.e. if $4,995 is paid, $4,495 will be refunded).
Cancellations initiated by the participant received in writing to Restoration Project before November 1, 2024 will receive a 50% refund of their payment minus deposit (i.e. if $4,995 is paid, $2,247.50 will be refunded).
No refunds after November 1, 2024.
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We’d love to chat more with you if you have any questions. Please email Jeremy at jeremy@restorationproject.net