CIPHER Retreat June 2002
CIPHER (the Center for Insight into Philosophic Health, Education and Renewal) will hold its third philosophical retreat later this month, scheduled to run from Friday afternoon, June 28th through Monday morning, July 1st. It will consist of a series of reading/discussion sessions, as well as a few practical application sessions, on the topic:
Why do we work?
The text for the six reading/discussion sessions will be selected portions of Hannah Arendt’s book, The Human Condition (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1958). No prior reading is necessary. Copies of the selections will be provided upon arrival to all participants who are unable to bring along a copy of the book.
Four structured “work” sessions will be scheduled during which participants will have the opportunity to assist in various development projects on the retreat center grounds. Weather permitting, the projects will include building a new cabin (foundation already complete), laying the foundation for another new cabin (not yet started), and constructing a trail through the woods.
Several periods of free time will also be scheduled, during which participants may go on sight-seeing trips around the beautiful Mendocino coast, take forest walks, play structured games, or just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.
This retreat is specially designed to be attractive to both adults and teenagers. Although it is anticipated that only a small number of teenagers will attend, one of the secondary themes of the discussion sessions will be: how to run a philosophical retreat that will appeal to teenagers. Adult participants in this retreat should therefore be people who are interested in running future retreats that would be designed more exclusively for larger numbers of teenage participants.
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CIPHER is an organization originally conceived in late 1997, as a response to various ideas presented at the Third International Conference on Philosophical Practice, held in New York in July of that year. Its purpose is to sponsor retreats aimed at encouraging balanced personal growth through reflective reading and discussion. Unlike academic seminars and conferences, the retreats aim at more than just enlightening the intellects of the participants. Complementing this focus on the mind is an emphasis on experiencing insights on the physical and spiritual levels—i.e., encouraging “health” and “renewal”, as well as “education”.
For more details on the original nature and purpose of CIPHER, see the (now somewhat outdated) home page located at
http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/CIPHER/
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CIPHER retreats are held on a 10-acre parcel of forestland near Mendocino, California, five miles from the Pacific Ocean. For a detailed “Photo Tour” of the grounds, see
http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/CIPHER/phototour.htm
Further description of the facilities can be found at
http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/CIPHER/facilities.html
Due to the limited facilities in this early stage of the retreat center’s development, this retreat will be limited to a maximum of twelve participants, selected by invitation of the organizer. Participants will be expected to commit themselves to participating in the entire retreat, which will begin with a 6pm dinner on Friday the 28th and end with lunch on Monday the 1st. Further details, including a tentative schedule, are given at:
http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/CIPHER/0206schedule.htm
In selecting participants, the organizer will aim for a diversity of Backgrounds, giving special priority to those who can demonstrate a prior interest in running non-academic philosophical activities for teenagers. There are no "minimum requirements" for participation, though participants should be (1) in good physical condition (as the terrain is somewhat mountainous), (2) interested in exploring deep philosophical issues, and (3) aware of and/or open to the spiritual side of life. Participants with special dietary preferences should make these known when applying to attend. All structures are smoke-free: smokers are asked to limit their smoking to outdoor areas and to exercise adequate respect for the comfort of non-smokers.
There are still several places open, so anyone wishing to be considered for a place may contact the organizer (Steve Palmquist) at stevepq@hkbu.edu.hk. Please send a brief description of your background, along with a statement explaining the reason(s) you wish to participate in this retreat, what you would hope to gain from it, and what (skills, knowledge, etc.) you believe you could contribute to the group.
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Return to Steve Palmquist’s home page.