2nd Caribbean Symposium - 6th- 12th February 2000

Scientific and Medical Network

Zen and the Brain

with
Prof. James Austin

Frenchman's Cove,
Port Antonio, Jamaica

6th- 12th February 2000

Following the great success of our 1999 meeting with Dean Radin, attended by nearly 50 people and reported in the April edition of Network, this leaflet serves an invitation to you to attend the second symposium next February.

Frenchman's Cove

Frenchman's Cove is a private estate in an unspoilt part of the north east coast of Jamaica, and is owned by Member Grainger Weston. It consists of 45 acres of rolling landscape with tropical trees and plants. A small river runs through the grounds down to its own sheltered white sanded beach. Dotted around the site are 17 spacious and secluded houses that sleep between two and six, plus a central building sleeping 24 in en suite rooms. Houses are open plan with a large sitting area, en suite bathroom and a small kitchen. Many overlook the water and all have patios for sitting out. The weather in February is usually warm and sunny (25 degrees) and the water is about 23 degrees. It often rains - very hard - at night.

The Programme

Breakfast will be eaten at the main building from 8.30 and we will hold our main session with James Austin (chaired by Peter Fenwick) from 10.00 to 12.30 each day. We will then repair to the beach for lunch provided by Mrs Lawrence and have the afternoon free. Informal discussion periods will be arranged between 5.00 and 6.00 before preparing to go out for dinner. There is a good choice of restaurants, some of which are within walking distance. We will arrange appropriate transport in the evening, partly with our hired van.

Travel and Costs

International flights come in either to Kingston or Montego Bay. Taxis from Kingston take about three hours and cost US$100. We will be hiring a van from Kingston with the main BA flight arriving on Thursday 3rd February. Another option is to take a flight to Montego Bay and then the small Air Jamaica plane to Port Antonio, costing US$55 each way. From there it is a US$35 half hour taxi ride to Frenchman's Cove. We recommend that you plan to come a few days before the seminar and stay on a few days afterwards, making a break of two weeks from, say, Wednesday 17th February to Wednesday March 3rd. The main party from the UK will go out on Thursday 3rd and back on Tuesday 15th.

Grainger is offering Network members and their families a very special rate of US$30 per person per night (plus 12% Jamaican tax) The group lunch will be around US$9, making a composite rate for half board of $39. This will be payable directly to Frenchman's Cove on site. Mastercard and Visa are accepted. Dinner will be paid separately to the hotel or restaurant, most of which take cards. Prices vary between $15 and $45 per head, depending on the place. In addition, there will be a registration fee of £70 per person, payable on booking.

Other Opportunities for Members

In addition to the week in February, members are free to visit Frenchman's Cove privately, either for rest, writing a book, for a family holiday or even as facilitator of their own group. In all cases, the US$30 bed and breakfast rate applies. Members interested in arranging a seminar themselves are strongly recommended to visit Frenchman's Cove first.

Further Attractions

The legendary Blue Lagoon is only a mile away and has an excellent restaurant as well as swimming facilities. You can arrange to go there by boat. A new golf course is just across the road. Port Antonio is about five miles away (the van will be available for trips during the afternoon) and Navy Island, once owned by Errol Flynn, lies offshore. We will be arranging various other outings, including a rafting trip down the Rio Grande and a visit to Reach Falls.

Prof. James Austin

Prof. James Austin is Professor of Neurology Emeritus at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He is the author of Chase, Chance and Creativity and Zen and the Brain: toward an understanding of meditation and consciousness which was awarded the Network Book Prize in 1998.