Sitting in a blackout room, on your own, for days on end, is good for you. No, really, it is, says Daniel Fryer.
Would you like to spend good money on sitting alone for several days or, even weeks, in a pitch-black room, with no phone, no TV and, in fact, no external stimuli whatsoever (with even your meals eaten in the dark)? Because many people do and are doing so in ever-increasing numbers.
A darkness retreat does exactly what it says on the tin. You are on a wellbeing retreat. You have a room. Only, from the moment you enter it and blow out your candle and until the moment you emerge, everything is experienced in total and absolute darkness, with not a glimmer of light to be found anywhere other than in your mind’s eye. And your mind’s eye will conjure plenty.
A psycho-spiritual concept that was once the province of Yogis, Shamans and seekers of deep spiritual wisdom only, retreats such as these are becoming both popular and common. Think of them not of them as solitary confinement but more as a way of hitting factory reset on both your psyche and your soul.
Stays range from a day or two, to several days and on to weeks, a month, a rather biblical 40 days and nights, and onto much longer. The level of sensory deprivation involved can lead to not only deep rest, but also awesome visual hallucinations, profound insights and awarenesses, together with an incredible shift in your consciousness.
Although research in this area is in its infancy, it suggests that exposure to prolonged darkness stimulates biochemical reactions in the brain that trigger these altered states and allows for enhanced self-awareness and profound revelation. Beyond a certain point (several days and more usually) it can even trigger the production of the ‘spirit molecule’ DMT.
Studies also show that even if you don’t get all the spiritual bells and whistles, this level of sensory deprivation can also alleviate the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
In terms of wellness, darkness retreats are the definitive break from modern life and the ultimate in restorative rest.
You will not have access to your phone, tablet or laptop during your stay, but you will have access to a trained facilitator who can ‘sit’ with you at certain points and guide you through your thoughts, experiences and revelations.
A friend of mine, who left the USA and moved to the middle of nowhere as the result of chronic stress and burnout, recently returned from a four-day darkness retreat and called it “the most profound thing I have ever experienced.”
Friends he met afterwards remarked on how different he seemed. “They could see something in my eyes,” he said. “Something new, and vibrant and alive.” Apparently, this is not uncommon.
More than a little nervous before, he is already planning his next and much longer sojourn into the depths of himself.
Never one to miss a trick, the glossy mag media are already calling darkness retreats a hot new wellness trend (but then, there are so many so-called hot, new wellness trends that it’s a little hard to keep up) however – after a quick Google – you may or may not be surprised by some of the many celebrities who have gone in on one, only to emerge renewed, refreshed and rejuvenated a few days or weeks later.
I’m currently living in the middle of the forests of the Dordogne Valley, which I thought was relaxing enough. I’m working on my own wellbeing retreat concept, and there is indeed a darkness retreat not too far from me. I’m giving serious consideration to several things, including not only experiencing one for myself, but also thoughts on how I could incorporate one into my offering, and whether I should incorporate one into my offering.
It is worthy of consideration, as the top two related Google search questions are, “what happens on a darkness retreat?” and “how expensive is a darkness retreat?” Answers to the former are, in part, given above, whilst answers to the latter are very illuminating. And lucrative.
As the world of wellness and wellbeing moves ever more towards the spiritual (many spas incorporate ecotherapy and biophilia, as well as practices drawn from Shamanism, Druidry, Buddhism and more into their programmes), only the unenlightened elements of the sector would shy away from total darkness as an option.
Daniel Fryer is a mental health and wellbeing consultant, expert speaker and award-winning author of How to Cope with Almost Anything with Hypnotherapy (Bloomsbury) and The Four Thoughts That F*ck You Up . . . and how to fix them (Penguin Random House). He delivers one-on-one coaching, as well as workshops, webinars, programmes, content and strategy.
コメント