MANIFESTO

 

The following manifesto expresses some of the basic principles of Chiron's Cave. It is also a guideline for those wishing to participate in its activities or use its services.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

CHIRON'S CAVE NATURE

 

 

Art. 1.1

Chiron's Cave is a free and open space, a place of exchange, dialogue, listening and stimulation aimed at a common and endless research: on knowledge, on experience, on their methods and on their fruits; a search on meaning, on values, on essences or on their lack or fragility. Here anyone can express his own thoughts and find listening and attention without distinction of sex, race, language, religion, political opinions, personal and social conditions (see Italian Constitution, Article 3). It is a space in which the respect for various opinions and points of views is basic, and where differences and heterogeneity of vision constitute a value.

 

Art. 1.2

Chiron's Cave holds within itself the spirit of Faust, Ulysses, Socrates, Plato, Eros and Chiron, and of all those who have never wanted to stop at an unequivocal answer, at a pill of pre-packaged knowledge, at a manual of dogmas or at an incontrovertible ipse dixit: it is the spirit of those who keeps active the question, the curiosity, the wonder and the terrifying charm of the doubt. Anyone who wants to listen, to share, to dialogue; anyone who wants to be an active subject of his own existence and of that one of the community; whoever feels the Streben in himself and the erotic desire to tend to the beyond, to move forward, to approach distances and gaps, to get rich and complete even when goal, end and completion are not possible: all of them are welcome. The others, too.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSABILITY OF EXPRESSION

 

 

Art. 2.1.

Respect, open-mindedness, acceptance, epoché (suspension of judgment) and parrhesia (freedom of speech, frankness) require reciprocity and kindness of soul: anyone who does not give what is recognized to him and violates these principles of common sense and civilization, will be invited to go elsewhere. Philosophemes, dogmatisms, attempts at persuasion and conversion, authoritarianism, inflexibility and mental crystallization do not belong to the spirit of Chiron's Cave.

 

Art. 2.2.

The right to freedom of expression does not legitimize a speech by sentences and axioms, and freedom does not mean "there are no limits: everything is possible" or expressing one's point of view and not wanting to go further. Every opinion, belief, thought requires to be argued and put to the test; it must descend into the field of shared research and enter into discussion. For every stone thrown, the hand is responsible: so respond!

 

Art. 2.3.

Because of common sense and respect for civil values ​​and individual sensitivity, the foul language is discouraged, as well as a too high and aggressive tone of voice. There is no thought, objection, disappointment or criticism that can not be expressed in a respectful and constructive way.

 

Art. 2.4.

Everything that has been said, shared and discussed privately in a philosophical counseling session is placed under professional secrecy. No information and no content that is emerged during the session can be revealed or advertised outside of it. The obligation of secrecy falls exclusively in the case of crime, self-defense and attempt on the life.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

TIME

 

 

Art. 3.1.

In a logic of mature and conscious technological progress, principles as "everything must be satisfied now" and "always and everywhere: that's my motto" have no space. The respect for the time, for the silence and for the privacy of an Other remains fundamental, as well as the right to have a reflective solitude. Chiron's Cave is a welcoming place that wants to create a network, but it does not support the quick and superficial contact mode facilitated by web, smartphones and new technologies, it does not intend to participate in the orgy of the bulimic consumption in the instant and, at the first sob of the baby, it is not willing to offer the breast. It respects the passage of time, it captures its value. It does not fear waiting, it does not flee at all costs. It knows patience. It chooses to be an adult.

 

Art. 3.2.

Anyone wants to make contact for information, curiosity, will, interest or need, can write an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the number +39 338 9172866 from h. 12.30am to h. 2.30pm and from h. 6.30pm to h. 8.30pm. Please respect this time slot.

 

Art. 3.3.

Philosophical counseling sessions and private lessons are arranged by appointment. If you notice that you can not meet the commitment, please notify us at least 24 hours earlier. Outside this time, the session and the lesson will still be debited with a value equal to one third of their full price.

 

Art. 3.4.

Each private session of philosophical counseling has the ideal duration of 1 h. This does not mean that with a delay of 15 minutes the time must still be safeguarded, especially if this is to the detriment of an Other whose appointment follows that of those who have accrued the delay. To each one is given an established time frame and it is up to him to make it yield. "I could not find parking" does not count as mitigating factor and does not entitle you to discounts.

 

Art. 3.5.

The duration of each philosophical counseling session should not exceed the agreed hour and between meetings there is the good custom to leave some time (decided by mutual agreement): in fact what is emerged and what has been discussed in every meeting must be metabolized and cultivated. This means that sessions of two (or more) consecutive hours are not allowed. Only in certain cases (individually assessed) it is possible to organize two sessions on the same day, provided that you distance them for a few hours.

 

Art. 3.6.

Since it is not a psychotherapy, the philosophical counseling service takes place in a cycle of meetings with a variable but defined number: the sessions range from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 20.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

SPACE. PHISICAL AND NOT

 

 

Art. 4.1

Where is Chiron's Cave

Chiron's Cave has a physical and a virtual space, a factual space and a potential one. Physically it is found in Carate Brianza and Bolzano; virtually on facebook (although its presence here is still limited); factually in each of the aforesaid; potentially wherever one of its laboratories is required and / or organized (school class, cinema, theater, bar, company, other).

 

Art. 4.2

Intervention limits of a philosophical counselor

Philosophical counseling is a helping relationship turned to anyone who has the will (or feels the need) to clarify himself, to discuss issues that are relevant to him about his family, professional, social and relational life, to face doubts and uncertainties, to seek solutions and horizons of meaning, and to expand his worldview. All of this in order to increase his well-being, his awareness and his ability to make a choice and to act. Although ideally the philosophical counseling can expand itself everywhere and can be useful for everyone, actually the intervention of a counselor is limited to those who do not suffer from psychic illnesses. Therefore, those are affected by sleep disorders, eating behavior disorders, mood and personality disorders, neurosis and psychosis (among others), are invited to contact another professional figure (psychiatrist, psychologist, etc.). However, those are affected by a psychic disorder are not necessarily rejected: if they are also followed by a psychiatry / psychologist and this one have given their the approval of doing this another type of path, they can benefit from the service. Psychiatrists, psychologists and philosophical counselors, in fact, can collaborate and integrate their knowledge and methodologies for a common goal: the well-being of those who have turned to them for a help.

 

Art. 4.3.

Right distance

Cultivating listening, empathy and closeness does not mean maturing an attitude "Ehila, friend, what's up? How was the weekend? ". It also does not mean accepting it from the Other in a professional setting. Being friendly and being friends are very different things, and being close does not mean canceling a fair, appropriate and respectful distance. Likewise, presuming that an acquaintance before the meetings (or gained in the course of these) gives way to undeserved indulgence or to some favoritism, is an intellectual error with distorting effects on morals. In Chiron's Cave mothers, old friends, popes, heads of state, John and Jerry Doe have the same space, the same reception and the same treatment. Not by law, but by justice.

 

Art. 4.4.

External inputs and cooperations

In the nature of Chiron's Cave inhabits expansion, wonder and space to the new, to the similar and to the dissimilar. Philosophy is a polyandric and polygamous bride, welcoming and fertile. Medicine, psychiatry, psychology, school and companies are not her only brides: she can also accompany a coffee, a beer, a concert, an exhibition, a public event or a hike in the mountains. There is almost nothing in which it can not enter, nothing in which it is not already. Anyone who has proposals for possible collaborations and / or initiatives is welcome.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

INTEGRITY

 

 

Art. 5.1.

For a life full of meaning and value, one's existential project must be authentic and complete, however plastic and flexible it is by nature. Therefore openness, elasticity and firmness. Actually, in Chiron's Cave that means: faced with what we impulsively contest, the first step is to ask and deepen. The second is to understand. The third is to comprehend. The fourth is to talk about it, to enter into dialogue. The fifth is to look for a common path, a common ground. The sixth is to cultivate together the discovered common ground and to grow together. But if the communication exchange is impossible and the conflict is irreparable, the right to say "No!" remains. Even if the exercise of this right involves some damage.