Help Andrew Heal from Exhaustion: a letter

Dear Friends,

Greetings from southern Europe. Though I talked to some of you today and
others not for decades, I write each one of you with equal regard and
something I believe worthy of yours.

After 28 years finding and testing the way nature gives us to heal from
psychophysical illness, I am ready to apply it to myself, and I need your
help. In September, I will do a 20-day hygienic darkroom retreat at a cost
of $3500. I hope you will contribute to my fundraising campaign.
<https://www.tilt.com/tilts/help-andrew-heal-from-exhaustion>

Twenty days will be long enough for me to heal at the core from
exhaustion-depression. This illness has progressively crippled my ability
to care for myself, twice almost fatally. Only resting in darkness has
given me relief, glimpses of recovery, and strength to go on.

Many of you donated to me during the testing phase. _Thank you_. I felt
very frustrated for those four years because I thought I was failing to
apply my idea. Only afterward did I see I had been succeeding at testing
it. I could not retreat longer than a week because I lacked knowledge and
resources. Yet the short retreats I could manage gave me experience, proved
the concept, and helped me refine the process.

Now I have done 20 retreats, built 20 darkrooms in four climates, supported
25 clients in retreating, and written a 200-page manual of hygienic
darkroom retreating. In fact, you can read it for free right now at
http://darkroomretreat.com. Everything is explained clearly. The theory is
rational, the practice straightforward, and the results predictable. It
works the same way for everyone. I feel confident in my current level of
knowledge to succeed at my third attempt at a medium-length retreat.

I like crowdfunding a lot. My request goes out not just to you, but to
hundreds of family, friends, clients, supporters, and acquaintances at the
same time. When total contributions reach the goal by the end of the
campaign, they will all come to me at once so I will have the full amount
needed to succeed. If contributions miss the goal, they are returned. It's
all or nothing, which minimizes waste and long-term disappointment.

My campaign starts now and ends in 14 days on my birthday, July 6. I will
keep you updated on the whole process, from now till I am well again, based
on events and your response.

Schedule

Jun 21  begin campaign
Jul  6    end campaign; find suitable house to rent
Aug 1    move into house; build darkroom; and arrange support
Sep 1    begin 20-day hygienic darkroom retreat
Nov 1    extra month in case of unusual delay

Budget

  900  house rental (2 months + deposit)
  300  building materials
  400  food
  100  smartphone & service
  100  bicycle
  200  support
1500 reserve in case of unusual problems or delays
     0 fees to Tilt because they're cool like that
  3% regular credit card fees

Any additional funds received will go to a second reserve for whatever the
next step proves to be.

Given crowdfunding's usual focus on products and my workaholism, I
considered offering rewards to contributors. For example, the new edition
of my book, the sleeping mask, or lightproof vent I designed. But despite
my recent efforts to complete it, I find the book still needs attention I
lack the presence of mind to give it. And I have often promised future
production (or benefit to humanity) to cover up shame I felt in asking for
help. Acquiring the humility necessary to ask for help with only the
promise of establishing of my own wellbeing, has been the difficult part of
this for me. I am sure I will be self-supporting in the future, and that
darkroom retreating will move the world as I foresee. But right now, I'm
sick and need rest in order to heal.

That's all a darkroom retreat is. It's not discipline, therapy, or escape.
It provides conditions of profound rest in which the all-powerful organism,
including the psychic system, heals itself. Thus its unparalleled
effectiveness.

Please join me on my journey back to health. Thank you.

Best wishes,
Andrew


crowdfunding campaign:
https://www.tilt.com/tilts/help-andrew-heal-from-exhaustion

<https://www.tilt.com/tilts/help-andrew-heal-from-exhaustion?invite=CNVBB16BBD936444A2D8E8F09106AE1780B&utm_source=email&utm_medium=invite1&utm_term=inviteflow&utm_content=cta&utm_campaign=notification#>
darkroomretreat.com: deep rest for the self-healing psyche // the ebook