Put on a sleep mask, close your eyes, and simply be in darkness for 2-72 hours. Do it weekly at home by yourself or with a partner.
The Darkness Discipline project is meant to help you practice dark retreats at home as a lifelong habit.
Results
- Any question/intention you set, you will answer
- Powerful insights
- Deep relaxation
- Detachment
- Mindfulness
- Gratitude & Love
Resources
- đ± “My Dark Retreat” app for iOS – plan and track your dark retreats, save your insights and more
- â¶ïž YouTube channel (coming soon) – educational videos and podcasts with practitioners of home dark retreats
- đ Website (coming soon) – study useful resources about dark retreats
Definition
A dark retreat is a pure spiritual practice of being with yourself in complete darkness for an extended period of time.
When I say ‘pure’, I refer to the lack of any theory/dogma/religion that comes with it. Anyone can practice dark retreats and greatly benefit from them, no matter the worldview.
When I say ‘spiritual’, I refer to the influence dark retreats have on our consciousness and self-understanding, and how this practice can make us more mindful, grateful, and loving.
History
Dark retreats go way back to ancient shamanic and ascetic traditions, where people used caves and total darkness for initiation, healing, and deep inner change.
Over time, these practices became more structured in Eastern spiritual pathsâespecially Tibetan Dzogchen Buddhism and Taoismâas a way to turn inward and experience the mind beyond the senses.
Today, dark retreats and darkness therapy have re-emerged outside monasteries as intentional ways to explore solitude, consciousness, and psychological depth, drawing directly from practices that have been around for thousands of years.