He has had a lot on his plate at work for a long time, so he came into the dark for three days to switch off. This time we bring you the experience of a young man for whom a dark retreat was more restful than a week’s holiday in Slovakia. Why does he say there’s no comparison, what did the darkness show him about what drains him, and why is there no need to be afraid of it?
Switching off, restarting and recharging
I’m doing great, I feel relaxed. I wanted to feel good, and that’s what I’m taking away, that sense of ease. I’ve had a lot of work for a long time, so it’s a really nice feeling when you switch off, restart and recharge.
Whether I’m keener on work now, I don’t know, but I definitely have more energy. And that probably goes hand in hand with wanting to work. This morning, just out of curiosity, I turned on my phone and had about fifteen missed calls from work. So I know I badly needed this: to recharge and take a break from everything.
Dark retreat or holiday? There’s no comparison
There’s no comparison. I was analysing it just this morning. Two weeks ago I spent a week in Slovakia, and when I compare the two, these three days here were much better. As soon as you walk into the dark, you can cut yourself off from everything completely. You know nothing from outside can get to you, that you’re alone here, nobody can call you, nobody will text you and nobody is going to want anything from you.
On holiday you also meet people. Here the peace is so immense that it can’t be compared. Looking out at nature is a different experience again, and it recharges you in a different way. But inwardly this gave me far more rest and energy. It was really beautiful.
Boredom? More like analysing your own life
It’s what you make of it. I suppose you could see it as boredom, but you think and analyse your life. When else would you do that, if not when you have the peace and quiet for it? I wouldn’t call it boredom, more analysis and enjoying the calm.
In normal life you can’t switch off like this, even if you think you can. Here you see things, and thoughts come to you that you never have time to stop and consider in everyday life. More of them flow into your head, and you can enjoy them fully. Even if you set aside an hour before bed, here you have three days.
My only regret is not coming for a week
If I’d known how great it is, I’d have come for a week straight away. That’s probably the only thing I regret about this retreat. I think I could have gone much further, because the potential of the darkness is even greater than what I got out of it. I’m not writing it off; if anything, I think I’ll be back.
The only thing to fear is being alone with yourself
Now I know what I’m getting into, and there’s really no reason at all to be afraid of it. Most people associate darkness with fear, but why would you be afraid here? The only thing you might fear is that you’re alone with yourself and don’t know how to be alone with yourself.
That was one of the main reasons I came here. I felt disconnected from myself, and I wanted to find out whether I could be alone with myself. It turned out that wasn’t what was bothering me. What drains me comes more from outside.
Darkness therapy showed me what drains me
I think I see it more clearly now and can work with it. I have a fresh comparison with a hiking holiday abroad, and I noticed a connection with food. Here I had fruit for breakfast, a banana and grapes, and then a bowl of soup and a bowl of the main course. That was enough for the whole day, and I could barely finish it. When hiking I ate a bit more. But at work I need to eat four or five times a day, and it’s still not enough.
That comparison shows me how much energy thinking alone takes out of me. At work I’m often there until the evening. If I want to keep the calm I found here, I need to cut back my time at work. So that I have energy left for other things too, and don’t give everything to work and then bring nothing home.
Don’t be afraid of the dark, you’ll finally catch up on sleep
Don’t be afraid of the dark, it’s honestly incredibly pleasant. Nobody can get to you. If you want, you can catch up on sleep here in the most wonderful way, and sleep deficit simply stops existing. You can sleep as long as you like, nobody will tell you off for it and nobody will want anything from you.
You’re isolated from the whole world, and it’s a truly wonderful feeling. You don’t have to do anything, nobody judges you, you’re here with yourself and you can discover interesting things.
We have put together the frequently asked questions that people ask before a dark retreat.
Also follow our YouTube channel, where you will find videos about the retreats and people’s experiences of darkness therapy. 🔔
