Darkness Retreats

[Swami Jai]

I've been wondering and looking into darkness retreats.

 

Does anyone have experience with Chia's retreat or any other forms of extended darkness retreats?

[rain]

Edited June 2, 2008 by rain

[Xienkula1]

Nope Swamiji, no experience whatsoever.

[rain]

Edited June 2, 2008 by rain

[Xienkula1]

[Swami Jai]

yeah I left it pretty vague cause I was in class at the time trying to distract myself from what was going on.

 

To be more specific I was wondering how peoples experiences go with the darkness retreats. I have this dual personality, one of a monk and the other as a householder. So I was thinking this might be something I enjoy. The other phenomenon happening right now is that I feel that my will power has diminished since being here in Iowa and that I need a spiritual recharge, so to say. I'm at this point where I dont even recognize myself anymore. I want to get back to my morals and roots or am I just hanging on to the past. I feel I am not putting my full potential forward to create an intimate relationship with my Self and cultivating the higher states of consciousness.

 

I'm just a little down and out right now and am pondering what I can give back to myself as a gift that keeps on giving.

[Swami Jai]

[thelerner]

While I'm also in the dark about them. Minke De Vos went on one and did a nice article on it. Its on her website silentgrounds.com. You can probably google it with 'Minke Dark room retreat ' or some such.

 

In the past there were a few threads on it on the HTusa discussion board, maybe you can also search for it there.

 

Michael

[Swami Jai]

While I'm also in the dark about them. Minke De Vos went on one and did a nice article on it. Its on her website silentgrounds.com. You can probably google it with 'Minke Dark room retreat ' or some such.

 

In the past there were a few threads on it on the HTusa discussion board, maybe you can also search for it there.

 

Michael

 

Thanks Michael, checking it out right now. do you know if she offers darkness retreats? The article is a doosy but I will definitively enjoy the read. By the way what is HTusa?

[Smile]

The article is here: http://www.silentground.com/VisionaryAlchemy.htm

HT usa = Healing Tao USA

I was looking into Darkroom retreat myself recently. If I had an extra room, I would probably create a darkroom myself. All you need is an air ventilation unit (get from a photography darkroom supply store. something like this - [color=-->

[Vajrasattva]

Well if you have a good foundation in a practice, you can do one yourself....

 

Stay in a dark room for 3 to 7 days have someone bring you your food or have a little fridge in there with you.

Make sure you have a bathroom in that room. and that is about it! Eat only once a day or do a fast on water or juice or natural teas.

 

Do not talk just sit and or do chi gung or yogic exercises, mantra work internally relax, sleep repeat for the time you are in.

 

but this sort of thing should not be done if you are not a rooted or stable person.

 

 

I was taught how to do it by my Lama years back. I did a few retreats similar to this but with my Lama except we where being taught so we where allowed some light to learn the mantras & energy work.

Truth is you can do one day or a weekend just stay in a bathroom or a closet etc.

 

Have someone in house that can make sure your alive : ) and have food. But set up a way so the light will not enter each time they come in to bring you food.

 

peace

 

Santiago

[rain]

Edited June 3, 2008 by rain

[jan1107]

thank you for sharing so honestly. very inspirering. i have never thought about a darkness retreat but it really sounds very interesting.

maybe i will start with just sleeping out in the nature alone. i know it is not the same but i think it should be interesting, too.

 

love jan.

[sheng zhen]

Thanks for sharing Rain!

 

Ive dreamt of darkness retreat for many years. But it seems it would be better to do a silent retreat at the same time.

[rain]

thank you for sharing so honestly. very inspirering. i have never thought about a darkness retreat but it really sounds very interesting.

maybe i will start with just sleeping out in the nature alone. i know it is not the same but i think it should be interesting, too.

 

love jan.

 

hi Jan

thanks. apriciate it. Sleeping alone in nature sounds like something I really would love doing. I just remember my father told me he slept outdoors for many years growing up. In winter too.

 

Hi zheng zhen

 

"Ive dreamt of darkness retreat for many years. But it seems it would be better to do a silent retreat at the same time."

 

If so you must do it now. I can come with you if you want support.

...sorry "must" is such a disgusting word, you must nothing of course. I was just suddenly overly eager.

Edited June 3, 2008 by rain

[sheng zhen]

Hi zheng zhen

 

"Ive dreamt of darkness retreat for many years. But it seems it would be better to do a silent retreat at the same time."

 

If so you must do it now. I can come with you if you want support.

...sorry "must" is such a disgusting word, you must nothing of course. I was just suddenly overly eager.

Hehe, yes, but you're right, I MUST do it! Im certainly gona do it some time.

 

But I would like to find other alternatives than Chias. To stumble upon people, hit people in the face, talk alot and stuff like that seems to make it hard to really get into the retreat. I would like to do a stillness retreat at the same time and just spend the whole days in meditation and silence.

 

Is there any other darkness retreat alternatives around the world?

 

Many years ago I saw an internet site in Norway doing darkness retreats with only 10 people at a time. That sounded very good, but I cant find the site now.

[Smile]

Ian was talking about a place somewhere in Europe that has Darkroom retreats.

 

For me, ideal darkroom retreat would be something like Vipassana with no lectures and complete darkness/silence, preferably with a center far away in nature.

 

 

 

A step up would be to have people separated in different housing far enough away from each other. The housing would be soundproof as well.

[Ian]

Ian was talking about a place somewhere in Europe that has Darkroom retreats.

 

For me, ideal darkroom retreat would be something like Vipassana with no lectures and complete darkness/silence, preferably with a center far away in nature.

 

A step up would be to have people separated in different housing far enough away from each other. The housing would be soundproof as well.

 

Man in Germany, former student of Daskalos, does them for individuals.

That's all I can recall. Possibly called Paul, but don't count on it. Will dredge through my old emails if anyone wants to know.

[joeblast]

I think I would enjoy a dark retreat...I dont know if I would want to do it with other people though. Seems like it would be best done alone....but I like aloneness, so...

[sheng zhen]

Man in Germany, former student of Daskalos, does them for individuals.

That's all I can recall. Possibly called Paul, but don't count on it. Will dredge through my old emails if anyone wants to know.

Yea, I would very much like to know, thanks for your effort Ian!

[rain]

Hehe, yes, but you're right, I MUST do it! Im certainly gona do it some time.

 

But I would like to find other alternatives than Chias. To stumble upon people, hit people in the face, talk alot and stuff like that seems to make it hard to really get into the retreat. I would like to do a stillness retreat at the same time and just spend the whole days in meditation and silence.

 

Is there any other darkness retreat alternatives around the world?

 

Many years ago I saw an internet site in Norway doing darkness retreats with only 10 people at a time. That sounded very good, but I cant find the site now.

 

come to think of it...I am in Norway and could lock you up in a dark room and bring you food...

hmm? ..........

Edited June 3, 2008 by rain

[Swami Jai]

Holy cow rain, that was a wonderful description of your experience. Its interesting that Jasmuheen is a part of it. I haven't heard about her in awhile. I remember reading her book living on light back in 2000 and then that was it. I know a news agency in australia tried to do a story on her proving that she lived off of light but it ended terribly. The doctors there were worried about her life after a little bit of not eating but she said it was due to the polluted environment around her, which makes sense, but she seemed really bad. I don't know. Maybe a new topic on her might bring some things to light.

 

Jan,

if you could find that it would be wonderful. America would be nice since thats where I am but europe is closer than thailand

[Spectrum]

Sitting quietly listening to Rain.

[Swami Jai]

For anyone in the u.s. I just heard from Minke of SilentGrounds and she said she is interested in coming down to do a retreat. So maybe if there are enough people to show interest then maybe we can get one here somehow....

 

 

Sitting quietly listening to Rain.

 

Running loudly yelling in drought

[sheng zhen]

come to think of it...I am in Norway and could lock you up in a dark room and bring you food...

hmm? ..........

Hey, thay would be great! wait... lock me up??? you make it sound a little scary too....

 

But if you look like that on your picture it would be a real fun! allthough not so dark....