On a beautiful retreat property in scenic Leipers Fork...just outside of Nashville...where the creeks run and the goats roam...

We will convene for a magical evening of Union

between the masculine and feminine.  

Come and nourish the body and soul in deep communion

for an afternoon and evening.

What is the Union Dinner? 

The Union Dinner is a 5 and a half-hour experiential deep dive workshop on masculine/feminine relating, for both women and men, that includes a 4-course, chef-prepared meal. 

The experience is highly interactive, sensual, revealing, and healing. So much more than could be offered in a lecture format. It’s deep soul work, organically woven into the fabric of an intimate fine dining experience.

No previous experience with this work is required. It’s both a great place to begin and the right place to deepen.

What can you expect from attending? :

• A better sense of what is meant when we talk about the masculine and feminine
• More clarity about what feminine/masculine-identified people in your life want and need from you
• More clarity about what you want and need
• An enhanced ability to communicate about all of the above
• Great food
• A warm environment for deep connection with some new friends you’re soon to love

Who is this right for?

This event is for curious people across the spectrum - single, partnered, men, women, non-binary, of all sexual orientations. All adult ages welcome. 

You will need an open mind and a willingness to connect with others, but, beyond that, we've got everything covered. 

It’s great for newbies who are just exploring these ideas for the first time and even for the seasoned veterans who teach them. The format is based on connecting deeply with others, so your level of exposure to the material is always just right. 

It’s not necessary to have a partner to join. We take care of making sure we have a balance of masculine and feminine aspects at the table.

For this event, we have a very limited number of seats for dinner. We do have space for one couple to come and stay with us on-site. Take advantage of the opportunity for a deeply-supported time out to strengthen your connection to each other. We'll handle the chocolates and flowers, so you can put your full attention on each other. 

*Not all aspects of the property are accessible to people with mobility concerns, but the dining room in the Clubhouse, where the dinner will be held, is fully accessible. 

Coming As A Couple

This event is for curious people across the spectrum - single, partnered, men, women, non-binary, of all sexual orientations. All adult ages welcome. 

You will need an open mind and a willingness to connect with others, but, beyond that, we've got everything covered. 

It’s great for newbies who are just exploring these ideas for the first time and even for the seasoned veterans who teach them. The format is based on connecting deeply with others, so your level of exposure to the material is always just right. 

It’s not necessary to have a partner to join. We take care of making sure we have a balance of masculine and feminine aspects at the table.

For this event, we have a very limited number of seats for dinner. We do have space for one couple to come and stay with us on-site. Take advantage of the opportunity for a deeply-supported time out to strengthen your connection to each other. We'll handle the chocolates and flowers, so you can put your full attention on each other. 

*Not all aspects of the property are accessible to people with mobility concerns, but the dining room in the Clubhouse, where the dinner will be held, is fully accessible. 

The Venue

Featured on the popular PBS television series, “Inn Country USA,” Sweetwater is a Victorian complex of two carefully restored Victorian-era mansions (the McKenzie House and the Cushman-Colson House), charming guest cottages, a modern reception hall, and beautifully sculptured gardens. At every turn, one can see a true testament to the finest in preserved Victorian Florida. Historic conservation is an important aspect of the goals of Sweetwater Inn’s owners. In addition, sharing the beauty and comfort that are a hallmark of Sweetwater’s reputation is a high priority.

Dinner will be held in the Clubhouse. 

November 23, 2024

3:00 - 8:30pm 

Come as early as 2pm and explore the grounds. 

 *Further details on arrival and parking will be shared after registration. 

About Our Co-Host

“All I want to do as a personal chef is inspire people to gather together, eat well and love each other." - Charles Hunter III, The Salted Table 

We work with talented local chefs who share our vision of bringing good food and deep communion together. We love the way this allows us to not only create exquisite dining experiences but also to literally share the wealth with other small businesses and creatives. 

We feel the same way about our florists, farmers, venues and other vendors!

About the Food 

“All I want to do as a personal chef is inspire people to gather together, eat well and love each other." - Charles Hunter III, The Salted Table 

We work with talented local chefs who share our vision of bringing good food and deep communion together. We love the way this allows us to not only create exquisite dining experiences but also to literally share the wealth with other small businesses and creatives. 

We feel the same way about our florists, farmers, venues and other vendors!

A little about me (your dinner facilitator and magical concierge)...
 

My name is Kianga Ford, and I’m the very real woman behind Love + Freedom Education.  Just about a decade ago now, I transitioned from the world of scholarly research and fine arts practice into the zone of transformational experience design. And it's been everything I could have wanted. 

Life, after all, is the highest form of art. 

At that time, I was a university professor and a fine artist, running one of the top fine arts programs in New York City. I’m now a full-time entrepreneur, with a life coaching business that focuses on helping men and women to unlock the full potential waiting within each of us. To do that, I help people understand how to master and use the twin forces of creation that are masculine and feminine energy--the hard and the soft; the ambitious and the receptive; the giving and the receiving. 

Over the years of working with men on reclaiming healthy masculinity without apology and helping women recover from the burnout of living in masculine overdrive, I've seen how important it is to connect across the divide and to really see with compassionate eyes  what things are like on the other side.

The Union Dinner was actually born organically from within a men's retreat I was hosting. As I saw it, the highest need that group of men had was to truly see and be seen by an honest and receptive group of women. 

It's probably the format of which I am most proud, because it allows people to engage from just where they are, even if they've never thought "personal development work" was for them.

I have a PhD (abd) in cultural theory and an MFA in fine art. I’m also a certified life coach and an ordained intuitive. But what really qualifies me to do this work is that I’ve walked this walk in the real world. I've been out there on the mean streets of Bumble and in the intimate moments of being human with others who are also unskilled but genuinely hungry for true connection. 

I’ve parlayed decades of work as an artist and educator into a refined expertise in curriculum and experience design. What results is a context for you to have your own personal and direct communion with the magic of creation.