Some people sign up for the dark straight away; others wait a whole year for the right moment. This time we bring you the experience of a man whose friend had been recommending a dark retreat to him, and who combined it with a fast so that he could enter the darkness with a clear mind. He came away rested, with a clear head and a feeling of being better inside. What did the last night mean to him, and what was it like to open the door to the world again?
I waited a year for the time to come
I was in the dark looking for the present moment. It was quite funny, really. I took a long time to decide, about a year, maybe even longer. I’d been following you online, and a friend of mine who lives a very esoteric kind of life kept recommending it. I kept telling myself: yeah, when the time comes. Well, now it came. So it called me, yes.
I combined the dark retreat with a fast
I also combined the darkness with a fast. That was funny – my wife said to me: “They’ll feed you there.” And I said: “Yeah, yeah, they will.” Of course I didn’t tell her I’d be putting myself through a bit of extra hardship here. But I didn’t see it as hardship, it was what I wanted.
I wanted to go into the dark clean
What led me to it? You believe in something more, or at least I do. I’ve read loads of books, and maybe it was a bit of a trial-and-error thing. But I wanted a clear mind, so I told myself I wouldn’t even eat. I tried to take several steps like that so I’d go into the dark clean.
The last night was the most interesting
My expectations were definitely met. At first I said I didn’t really expect anything from it, but in the end the most interesting part was probably the last night. I’d like to keep that to myself, though; I don’t want to go into the details here. It was interesting.
Let there be light
There’s one more thing I wanted to say: it was exactly like it says in the Bible, I suppose. Let there be light. That was probably the funniest bit – you open the door and suddenly you’re back in the familiar world. It was pleasant, and I don’t know what more to say about it. It was nice.
After darkness therapy: you come out with a clear head
I feel rested. I don’t know how to put it properly, but I simply feel better inside. It’s sort of clean. You come out and your head is clear. That’s how it is for me.
This isn’t my last time here
I think I’ll definitely come again. This isn’t my last time here, if the one up there allows it. And I’d recommend it to anyone who’s hesitating. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I think whoever comes here, for whatever reason, will find the meaning in it and get some rest. For me it did everything it was supposed to.
We have put together the most frequently asked questions that people ask before deciding on darkness therapy.
Follow our YouTube channel too, where you will find videos about dark retreats and people’s experiences with darkness therapy. 🔔
