A few weeks ago, I went into darkness for 5 days. Five whole days and nights in a small hotel-like room with a comfortable bed, well ventilated, but without a speck of sunlight. It was a phenomenal experience and I thought I'd unpack a little of it for you.
It's called a 'hygienic darkroom retreat,' the idea of hygiene being that if living organisms have healthy environments, we can thrive. 
The darkroom is an environment to let our spirit take center stage, away from the stimulation of the outer world.
The darkroom is an environment to let our spirit take center stage, away from the stimulation of the outer world.I'd read about darkroom retreating 3 years ago, but didn't know where to go to do it. Turns out, there's one about 10 minutes from my house! My time had come.
Practically, it looked like this: before entering the dark, I made 5 days worth of meals for the super-kind and wise helpers at the lodge to reheat and bring to me. I packed snacks for the rest of the time, brought a journal, and whatever else I'd need for camping indoors, in the dark.
My fiancee, Tom, went into darkness ahead of me. He was on his Day 5 when I started. We overlapped in the room for one night as he shared what he'd discovered about himself, alone in the dark, and I shared what I'd found about myself at home.
The next two days were mostly about getting sleep. Lots of it, whenever my body wanted to rest, without any pressure to stay awake (nor pressure to sleep). When I was awake, I stayed tuned into the feeling of my body from within - belly, heart, breathing, toes, hands, energy centers (the parts of my body that feel like they have the most Life, spirit you could say).
Continue reading Happy Earth Day: What I Learned in 5 Days Without Sunlight
