Philosophy Retreats

“How should I live?”

It’s one of the oldest questions and, I dare say, the most important.

What does it look like to answer this question, not just in theory but in practice?

Socrates called it “the examined life.”

Thoreau called it “living deliberately.”

Many communities around the world today call it “intentional living.”

At Curious Soul, that’s what philosophy retreats are all about.

Slow down and experiment with a new way of life…

Philosophy retreats give you a chance to try out a new way of life that is philosophically inspiring to you.

We say “philosophy is a way of life” a lot here because philosophy is not just about thinking and talking… it’s about doing.

Philosophy retreats offer you the opportunity to devote time and energy to the “doing” part.

You might be inspired by a philosophy of life you’ve read about and talked about with your friends or classmates. Still, you’re unsure how to make the changes necessary to embody this philosophy in your daily habits and actions.

That was the case with me, which made me want to create my first philosophy retreat.

Turn your inspiration into reality!

I was inspired by the thought of the simple life – of paring down to the essentials and unplugging from the constant distractions of my phone and computer.

I dreamed of being in nature and connecting with other living creatures… rather than being completely entrenched in the rat race of competing, performing, making money, and accumulating things.

I wanted to learn how to be present.

But I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. I wasn’t sure what that life would feel like or how it would affect me.

Here’s what I did to try it out…

I created a Thoreau-inspired philosophy retreat to try out a modern-day version of “going to the woods to live deliberately.”

I was just as much a participant as a facilitator of this group experiment.

The retreat made me realize something I once knew but had forgotten: There are some things you can only learn by doing. Experiential learning is a truly unique kind of adventure.

I left the retreat having what I can only describe as “more space” inside me. For several days, I dropped “things” I didn’t need, distractions that sucked my time and energy, and the stress of “performing.” This put me in a position to be calm, present, and clearer about what was most important in my life.

It also helped me see what I needed to commit to as a daily practice to feel healthy… and what boundaries I needed to set on the toxic pressures I realized would take over my life if I let them.

So, hey… take a risk!

Let’s try out this experiment in philosophical living together!

We’ll go to the woods, minimize, disconnect from our devices, walk, read, and talk about inspiring philosophies that promote a stronger relationship with nature, with human and nonhuman creatures, and with ourselves.

We’ll experiment with ways to be present…

We’ll find out what is really necessary in life…

We’ll identify our problematic distractions.

We’ll then talk about how we can incorporate our newfound wisdom into our lives back home.

You’ll be challenged.

After all, you’re taking a risk to try a new way of life, change habits, and learn to “walk your talk.”

Yep, you’ll be challenged, but it may be the most inspiring and rejuvenating thing you’ll do all year!

You’ll be in good company with like-minded change-makers working on the same darn thing and ready to evolve. You’ll learn from each other’s experiments and creative ideas for how to carve out “space” in yourself and your life when you return home.

Gather the adventurers!

Do you have a group of friends, colleagues, or classmates that you’d like to share a philosophical experiential learning adventure with?

Contact us to let us know your group size and different possible dates, and we’ll find a lodging/camping site, sketch out the program, and price the trip.

Eight to ten people is a good size for a retreat.

Get creative!

Do you have an idea for a philosophy retreat?

Is there a “way of life” that a philosophical reading has inspired you to try out?

Contact us, and let’s chat about it. We can brainstorm together! Seriously, I’ve got three or four fantasy retreats that I love imagining. I’d love to hear your ideas!

Past Retreats