hygienic dark retreat

profound rest for the self‑healing psyche

a book by andrew durham

formerly darkroomretreat.com

retreat reports

by me

This is a series of reports of my hygienic dark retreats. They document my improbable recovery from an ancestral suicide program and coming of age at age 41. They resulted in the qualification of the conjecture as a hypothesis. The book followed, along with the development of the idea into a practical solution. Now it is ready for testing by others.

by others

NOTE: Reports by others do not follow the naming convention below.

naming convention

As of 2023 Aug, I have changed the way I name retreats.

The name of a retreat now refers to the number of calendar days it takes place on. For example, a retreat that starts on a Monday and ends 4 days later on Friday is now called a 5-day retreat.

This follows the travel industry’s convention for naming vacation packages. A vacation that starts on a Friday evening and ends on a Sunday afternoon is called a 3-day vacation. It is less than 48 hours/2 full days. But it take place on 3 calendar days: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you add the time spent packing, making last-minute arrangements, and getting to the airport, the name proves accurate.

I used to name a retreat after the number of 24-hour periods that contained it, regardless of when it started or ended. This has confused many. So I have changed it throughout the book and my website in text, titles, and links. If I even seem to have missed something, please let me know.

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