<commit_before>---
title: 6 - prepare
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---

The following questionnaire, menu, and list of things to bring will help you prepare for a retreat. The form will help you prepare mentally for the retreat. Later, if you support retreats for others, give it to them.

Someday, there will be centers that support hygienic darkroom retreats. For now, just do it yourself. Use your home, a friend or relative's place, or vacation rental. If you want help, share the book: with a friend, in an announcement, a public talk, in a book club, in class, or at work. Sometimes it is easier to work alone, sometimes with others. I have done both, depending on my circumstances and abilities.

I am speaking of 4-day retreats, of course. Retreats of eight days and longer require help.

#### overview {#overview}

Follow instructions carefully.

1. Finish reading this book. Quiz later. &#128578;
2. Schedule your retreat. Retreats begin at 16:00 and end at 12:00 four or eight days later. For example, a 4-day retreat that begins Friday would end Tuesday. An 8-day retreat that begins Friday would end the second Saturday after. 
3. Respond to the questionnaire below. Responses of one or two sentences per question are sufficient. 
4. Gather things listed below and retreat!

#### questionnaire {#questionnaire}

1. Name:
2. Email address:
3. Phone:
4. Address:
5. Age:
6. Emergency contact name, email, and phone:
7. Retreat length:\_\_\_ days
8. Retreat starting date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ +/-\_\_\_ days (for absolute date, put 0)  
alternate date:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ +/-\_\_\_ days
9. How did you first hear about hygienic darkroom retreating?
10. Why would you like to retreat?
11. What will you be doing the week after the retreat? (It should be routine and familiar, not unusual, exhausting, or intense)
12. How does the menu sound to you?
13. Would you like to maintain silence during your retreat?
14. Quiz:
	a. What is the hygienic purpose of retreating?
	b. What heals you in darkness?
 	c. What does this imply about what to do with your will and attention?
	d. Where is a good place to put your attention most of the time?
	e. How much does the air you breathe weigh compared to the food you eat, and what does that imply about the importance of continuous fresh air?
	f. How much does a silent location matter for a successful retreat?
	g. If a retreat becomes overwhelming, what are 4 things you can do to lower its intensity in order to keep retreating?
15. What fears or concerns do you have that might interfere with your retreat, eg, fear of the dark, claustrophobia, superstition, etc? How will you handle them? What support might you need?
16. Assuming I am correct that everyone is psychotic to some degree, how do you feel darkness might significantly affect you, for better or worse?
17. Is there anything else you would like to add?

#### menu {#menu}

##### summary {#summary}

- 3L pure water per day
- frugivorous menu
    - fruit: whole, raw, ripe, in season, well-washed, ample for eating anytime
    - tender leafy greens: romaine, escarole, young spinach; also celery
    - treats:
    	- green salad: sweet or savory, properly combined, served at midday or evening, maximum one per day
       	- smoothie, max one per 4 days
    	- 1/2 avocado or 15 olives in salads, max once every 2 days
    - no: ferments (eg, vinegar, saurkraut, kim chee, cheese), onions, garlic, ginger, spices, salt, juice, oil, dried food, nuts or seeds

##### guide  {#guide-}

Most of the time, just eat plain fruit:

- eat one fruit until you lose your taste for it
- if still hungry, switch to another<commit_msg>Update prepare.md<commit_after>---
title: 6 - prepare
permalink: "/prepare/"
layout: page
navprev: protocol
navnext: design
---

The following questionnaire, menu, and list of things to bring will help you prepare for a retreat. The form will help you prepare mentally for the retreat. Later, if you support retreats for others, give it to them.

Someday, there will be centers that support hygienic darkroom retreats. For now, just do it yourself. Use your home, a friend or relative's place, or vacation rental. If you want help, share the book: with a friend, in an announcement, a public talk, in a book club, in class, or at work. Sometimes it is easier to work alone, sometimes with others. I have done both, depending on my circumstances and abilities.

I am speaking of 4-day retreats, of course. Retreats of eight days and longer require help.

#### overview {#overview}

Follow instructions carefully.

1. Finish reading this book. Quiz later. &#128578;
2. Schedule your retreat. Retreats begin at 16:00 and end at 12:00 four or eight days later. For example, a 4-day retreat that begins Friday would end Tuesday. An 8-day retreat that begins Friday would end the second Saturday after. 
3. Respond to the questionnaire below. Responses of one or two sentences per question are sufficient. 
4. Gather things listed below and retreat!

#### questionnaire {#questionnaire}

1. Name:
2. Email address:
3. Phone:
4. Address:
5. Age:
6. Emergency contact name, email, and phone:
7. Retreat length:\_\_\_ days
8. Retreat starting date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ +/-\_\_\_ days (for absolute date, put 0)  
alternate date:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ +/-\_\_\_ days
9. How did you first hear about hygienic darkroom retreating?
10. Why would you like to retreat?
11. What will you be doing the week after the retreat? (It should be routine and familiar, not unusual, exhausting, or intense)
12. How does the menu sound to you?
13. Would you like to maintain silence during your retreat?
14. Quiz:
    1. What is the hygienic purpose of retreating?
    2. What heals you in darkness?
    3. What does this imply about what to do with your will and attention?
    4. Where is a good place to put your attention most of the time?
    5. How much does the air you breathe weigh compared to the food you eat, and what does that imply about the importance of continuous fresh air?
    6. How much does a silent location matter for a successful retreat?
    7. If a retreat becomes overwhelming, what are 4 things you can do to lower its intensity in order to keep retreating?
15. What fears or concerns do you have that might interfere with your retreat, eg, fear of the dark, claustrophobia, superstition, etc? How will you handle them? What support might you need?
16. Assuming I am correct that everyone is psychotic to some degree, how do you feel darkness might significantly affect you, for better or worse?
17. Is there anything else you would like to add?

#### menu {#menu}

##### summary {#summary}

- 3L pure water per day
- frugivorous menu
    - fruit: whole, raw, ripe, in season, well-washed, ample for eating anytime
    - tender leafy greens: romaine, escarole, young spinach; also celery
    - treats:
    	- green salad: sweet or savory, properly combined, served at midday or evening, maximum one per day
       	- smoothie, max one per 4 days
    	- 1/2 avocado or 15 olives in salads, max once every 2 days
    - no: ferments (eg, vinegar, saurkraut, kim chee, cheese), onions, garlic, ginger, spices, salt, juice, oil, dried food, nuts or seeds

##### guide  {#guide-}

Most of the time, just eat plain fruit:

- eat one fruit until you lose your taste for it
- if still hungry, switch to another
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