January 26th -28th 2018
Geneva Park, Orillia
Ab Initio: Discover the First Principles of Personal Growth to Engineer a Happier Life
Go back to First Principles with our signature small group winter retreat - Ab Initio - and build the foundation to a happier, more meaningful and successful life. This deep-dive weekend will be co-taught by Professor Robin Sacks and Harvard graduate Jonathan Alderson, psychology and education specialist.
Each day will include outdoor fun like snowshoeing, igloo building and a late-night stargazing hike in the forest. There will also be time to relax and enjoy the facilities like the sauna and games room. At night we'll sip hot chocolate in the cozy lounge around the giant stone fireplace.
At the core of Ab Initio are classes and workshops that will teach you the three First Principles of personal growth. Our goal is that you leave us as you 2.0 — the next best version of yourself — ready to return to work and life feeling full of creative energy and possibility.
A typical day at the retreat
7:00am Early morning yoga or hike along the lakefront - optional of course
8:00am Breakfast in the dining hall overlooking the lake
9:00am Morning Keynote: The First Principles of Personal Growth - an engineering approach to self-improvement.
10:30am Experiential learning: The neurobiology of happiness demonstrated by the stillness of the forest.
12:00pm Lunch
1:30pm Experiential learning: Three hard truths about teamwork that you can only discover in an igloo building contest.
3:30pm Afternoon snack with creativity-boosting, engineer-specific arts & crafts.
4:30pm Workshop: The First Principles of Personal Growth - Laying the foundation for a happier, more meaningful, more successful life.
6:30pm Free time
7:30pm Dinner
9:00pm Evening program: Engineering the good life - lessons from philosophy, psychology and history.
10:00pm Hot chocolate around the grand stone fireplace.
Rates
$620 + HST/PERSON - SINGLE ROOM
$510 + HST/PERSON - SHARED ROOM
$350 + HST/PERSON - STUDENT RATE
This fee includes single or double occupancy, hotel-style accommodation at Geneva Park Lodge from January 26 to 28, all meals and snacks from Friday night dinner through Sunday lunch, all retreat activities (snowshoeing, skating etc) and daily professional development workshops.
This rate does not include transportation to the site. If enough campers are interested, we will arrange a bus. We will also facilitate ride-sharing.
Please contact us if you have questions.