Practicum
October 29, 2022
Our Goals
- Provide useful tools for developing a philosophy of life.
- Build a sustainable community of practicing Stoics.
- Promote Stoicism and the New England Stoics group as a community of practice for modern Stoics.
What’s a practicum?
A practicum is a common component of professional education that involves observation and practice in the profession involved.
Our Stoicon-X this year is a practicum for life. We will focus on helping participants develop a philosophy of life. To this end, we will invite participants to reflect on their goals in life and work out what they want their life to be about through practical exercises and discussion.
Do I have to be a Stoic to attend?
No. We will offer Stoicism as a tool for developing a philosophy of life. We do this because we are Stoic practitioners, and we have found it useful in our own lives. But you do not have to be committed to practicing Stoicism to attend or benefit from the Practicum. We will work to help you develop your own philosophy regardless of your beliefs.
What will be involved?
The Practicum will primarily consist of 15-minute talks, followed by 30-45 minutes of discussion & exercises in small groups. We will also have regular breaks and shared meal time.
Schedule
| TIME | EVENT |
| 8 | Breakfast & Orientation |
| 9 | Welcome |
| 9:15 | Telos |
| 10:15 | Desire |
| 11:15 | Lunch |
| 12:15 | Action |
| 1:15 | Assent |
| 2:15 | Break |
| 2:30 | Memento Mori |
| 3:30 | Philosophy of Life |
| 4:30 | Next Steps |
| 5 | Dinner |
How will this differ from other Stoicon-X events?
Since this is a Stoicon-X event, it will have what all Stoicon-X events have: presentations and discussions about Stoicism. But the Practicum is designed to be different from our past Stoicon-X events.
- More practical. We will spend most of our time in discussion and exercises. This is differs from our past events that focused mostly on viewing and listening to presentations.
- More social. You will have a small group that you’ll have the opportunity to get to know over the course of the Practicum. It’s our hope that the relationships you form at the Practicum might continue after the event.
- More emotional. Our discussions will focus on fundamental parts of life: desire, justice, values, and death. You will be invited–but absolutely not required–to talk about things that are important to you personally. This might bring up more emotions than what you might experience during a formal presentation. When we experience emotions, it often tells us that we care deeply about what we’re saying. We hope that such an experience might be informative for your own personal growth.
- More sustainable. Conferences are wonderful experiences, but we often struggle to put into practice what we learn at them. But at the New England Stoics, we have already established ways for you to maintain your practice after the Practicum, including regular informal discussions, practice classes, and meditation sessions. And we hope that if you find the experience meaningful, you might consider helping participating in putting on a Practicum with us next year.
What should I bring?
- Notebook
- Pen
In order to create a retreat-like atmosphere, we will invite participants to silence or turn off their phones during the Practicum.
New England Stoics 