The power of dark retreats
Mar 04, 2022
One week ago I came out of my fourth dark retreat. With this retreat I complete a total of 26 days spend in solitude and in complete darkness. Every time I fall deeper in Love with this powerful and humbling teacher. The darkness has been my biggest teacher when it comes to unwinding, regenerating, connecting to my natural essence, crystallising a strong connection with my intuition and finding a deep communion with the mystery of Life. It teaches me about death & rebirth, about the illusion of fear and anchors me into the depths of my roots. In the dark I spend time with my visions, my loved ones in spirit and spirit guides. It has me connect to the truth of who I am beyond my physical body. In the dark I rest and integrate all the growth and expansion of the time before. Everything lands and all that no longer serves is naturally absorbed by the loving embrace of the night.
No doing, simply being
No pushing, simply allowing
No moving, but being moved
If I would describe my time in darkness in one word it would be - COMMUNION - deep communion with the Mystery of Life, is what this teacher guides me to over and over again. The place where we are in attuned connection with the unseen, with the deep knowing beyond mind and in deep surrendered devotion to where this intelligence guides us in each moment.
What is a dark retreat?
Retreating in complete darkness is a practice common to many of the ancient and contemporary spiritual traditions across the world. From the monks and lamas in Tibet, to the Kogi Mamos in Colombia; the ancient Egyptians and the mystics of 15th Century France. Dark Retreats have provided revelation and illumination to countless practitioners who have sought the inner light. The practitioner enters a room specially prepared to admit absolutely no light and spends a number of days (anywhere from 1, usually more around 5 up to 90), under this sensory deprivation in order to bring about a profound shift of consciousness. In India, retreats in darkness are usually called Kaya Kalpa. The term kaya means “body,” and kalpa means “ageless,” or “immortal.” Kaya Kalpa means “ageless body”. Kaya Kalpa is an Ayurvedic treatment for rejuvenating the body, calling for seclusion in darkness, meditation, and the application of various herbal concoctions. It can even be seen as a form of yoga.
The darkroom provides a space to descend and expand into once original nature. A journey into a deep communion with the Mystery of Life, also known as -> "Mystical Marriage". Research has shown that in prolonged darkness a biochemical reaction in the brain is causing extraordinary molecules like DMT to be synthesized which trigger altered states of perception allowing for accelerated evolution towards the Revelation of the Self and a Consciousness of Oneness.” (http://dark-retreats.com/)
Even though many fear Darkness, it is nothing to fear, because who we really are is the very essence of both Darkness and Light. Nowadays, we seem to have a global misunderstanding of the dark, not fully recognizing, knowing or honouring it's immense and powerful gifts -> We have forgotten the true power the dark holds, the unknown holds and because of that we walk around in fear and disconnection from our ground. Night and dark are the symbol of eternity, contemplation, regeneration, and centeredness. It's the portal into seeing without eyes, knowing without mind and returning home to who we truly are.
Why Darkness is so important in these times
Spending time in darkness can be a powerful teacher in remembering and experiencing who you truly are. It opens a deep unwinding of tensions in the body and energy, it regenerates and integrates the body, mind and soul. It's an amazing catalyst to meet our deepest fears and have them melt away in the radiant light of our own spirit. It deepens a profound connection to your true essence and crystal clear intuition. The mystery of the dark helps you to deepen the communion with the Mystery of Life and strengthen the connection with your inner authority. Isn't that what our world needs right now? Human beings that are connected to a deeper intelligence, to their intuition and power. Human beings that know what feels deeply true for them and have the trust and the courage to stand for that.
Human beings that embody their unique essence so deeply, that their vibration naturally teaches, assists and inspire others.
How you can explore more of the dark
If retreating in darkness sparks your curiosity, then there are some ways you can start exploring your relationship with it today.
Step 1: Be curious to your relationship to darkness.
How do you feel after reading this?
What is the first feeling the dark brings up for you?
Are you open to explore that a bit more?
Step 2: Learn to breath with fear.
Many of us hold a fear of the dark, we cannot see or control, we need to let go and surrender into a deeper trust and knowing.
Simply start with 60 minutes in a dark room in the house in the evening or put on a blindfold. Then let your body relax and breath out, take time to rest - nothing to do, no one to be. Give your body time to unwind and explore a deeper friendship with the darkness. If fear comes up, welcome it and open all the doors to it. There is a difference between feeling fear and being afraid and the dark will teach you more about this difference.
Want to go deeper into the world of dark retreats?
To do a longer retreat of multiple days, it's recommended to have a set of practices that allow you to support yourself in your process. These practices can be unique to your own needs. Some do yoga, others martial arts, others breathwork. Check out to the 9 practices I do in the darkness and see the 9 things I take with me on retreat.
Listen to this episode of the Seeing in the dark podcast if you want to know what a day in the dark can look like, how to eat and how to integrate and where to find darkrooms in the world. Want to know what my darkroom looks like? I show you here.
🖤 Spending time in darkness is a journey of deep awareness of the mind, body, the emotions and the energyfield.
It's a journey of experiencing the inner light of pure Consciousness
and the deepest fears, shadows and rawness inside.
It's a journey into deep resting, shedding and letting go.
into many new births and openings.
into nothing and into everything.
A journey across Life and Death
Dark & Light
body & Mind
Personality & Soul
and of all the beyond.
I am Back in the world again!
With a deep dark love in my heart, I bow 🖤
