Charcoal Springs Philosophy Retreat


Slow down. Look around. Think together.


  • The Charcoal Springs Retreats invite participants into a shared outdoor space of reflection, creativity, and pause from the overwhelming flood of information, the noisy pressure of urban living, and the constant distractions of digital life.

  • Because philosophical inquiry can deepen our relationship with nature, other people, and ourselves, our aim is to recover slower practices of asking questions, reflecting together, while engaging with art and nature.

  • The retreat emphasizes attentiveness and thoughtful conversation in an atmosphere of simplicity, making lasting connections with a community of peers while walking in the forest or on the ridge, camping under the stars, and gathering for meals.


    • About Philosophizing Outdoors



    We believe that the place philosophy is practiced in affects the kind of philosophical inquiry and engagement that results. Removing philosophical practice from typical academic settings - like seminar rooms or lecture halls - and placing it into outdoor, technology-free environments allows us to imagine different modes of theorizing and discussing. While we do not enforce strict E-fast protocols, we encourage you to leave your phone off and put it away for the duration of your stay!

    Holding philosophical events in natural settings makes participants less likely to lean into adversarial modes of critique. The shared vulnerability of being together in the rain, wind, or dust might create an environment more conducive to supportive, constructive dialogues. Communal tasks like setting up tents and cooking meals together diminish traditional hierarchies between roles, and fosters a stronger sense of camaraderie and egalitarianism. The landscape itself becomes an interlocutor, encouraging awareness of environmental themes and a more embodied, situated approach to philosophical reflection.

    Program Overview



    Saturday

    2:00–3:00 pm
    Orienting Yourself
    Welcome, introduction to the place, overview of the retreat
    Camping set-up

    3:30–5:00 pm
    Thinking While Walking (optional)
    Prompt or short text launching reflective conversation
    Optional walk through the property, in the redwood forest, or on Summit Road

    5:00 pm
    Imagining & Creating
    Individual or small-group creative practice
    Pond time if weather allows

    6:00 pm
    Philosophical Workshop
    Concept exploration, readings, and open discussion (see some examples of activities below)

    7:00 pm
    Gathering Around a Meal
    Communal dinner and evening conversation
    (Bonfire and music may follow!)


    Sunday

    7:30 am
    Waking up
    Optional walk, journaling, or silent reflection
    Gathering for coffee, tea & light breakfast

    10:00 am
    Philosophy & Arts Workshop
    Dialogue and creative practice around a shared key notion ('attention', 'imagination', 'silence'... See more examples below)

    11:00 am
    Wrapping up
    Collective reflections, suggestions - and farewells!



    Let’s ask questions, old and new, unveil new insights, and marvel at the variety of layers reality & life can be explored by!

Testimonials

"Our organization, Think Olio, has worked with Jeanne for many years in New York City. Her reliability, enthusiasm, creativity, intelligence, and personality have made every moment of it an absolute pleasure. Jeanne possesses a rare ability to engage participants with widely varied backgrounds. At our events, some attendees would hold PhDs in the topic, while others joined simply out of curiosity, eager to encounter ideas they had never explored before. Navigating this balance is no easy task, yet Jeanne does so with remarkable skill, creating conversations that are both intellectually rich and genuinely accessible. Her teaching style has even led us to adapt the overall structure of our events, encouraging other instructors to implement techniques she has developed. We consistently look to Jeanne when shaping our broader strategy for expanding public access to interdisciplinary education in the humanities. She brings not only intellectual depth but also warmth, sensitivity, and an extraordinary capacity to cultivate dialogue. We were genuinely excited to learn that Jeanne is now launching philosophical retreats reminiscent of the gatherings ThinkOlio hosted in the Hudson Valley - experiences that were tremendously successful, and all the more memorable when Jeanne was involved."
— Chris Zumtobel & David Kurfirst, Think Olio Co-Founders