Are you thinking about doing a retreat, but you don’t know exactly which one is right for you? Then feel free to read this post, as I will go into the most important things concerning retreats.
Table of contents
- What is a retreat?
- What are the types?
- Royal Path to Enlightenment: Dark Retreat
- Individual retreat
- Group retreat
- Silent retreat
- Women’s Retreat
- How long does a dark retreat last?
- Where can I do a retreat?
- How much does a retreat cost?
- What is a retreat?
According to Wikipedia, a retreat is defined as follows:
Wikipedia
Retreat, English for retreat, refers to a planned spiritual rest or retreat from one’s usual surroundings.
As you can see, a retreat is a spiritual retreat from everyday life. It serves to deal more with his own goals, vocation, as well as the meaning of life. It helps to get more clarity in life and to get out of the hamster wheel. Many people nowadays usually do a job that they do not really enjoy and fun. They do a job that often doesn’t really excite them. Therefore, a retreat can help to become more aware of what is really important in life and that life, as it is led, is really as beautiful and fulfilling as you want it to be.
- What are the types?
When you look at what types of retreats there are, it is to say that there are very different ones. For example, there are sports retreats such as yoga, qi gong, climbing, golfing, or there are retreats that focus on spiritual development. Here there are dark retreats, single retreats, men’s retreats, women’s retreats and also silent retreats. I will discuss some of these in more detail below. There are certain retreats for almost all areas, in order to simply withdraw from the whole everyday life.
- Royal Path to Enlightenment: Dark Retreat
In the following I would like to talk about the supreme discipline of retreats. It is the most intensive form of retreat from any external influences. It is the so-called dark retreat.
The dark retreat, is also called dark therapy or dark meditation. This form of retreat has a long spiritual tradition and is a gift to oneself. It is very supportive in seeking out the closeness to one’s inner self. A stay in complete darkness without any distraction by external influences changes the sensory perception, thoughts and ideas. There is an increased clarity of consciousness. The inner knowledge suddenly becomes tangible and all questions about life are answered as if by themselves. You experience deepest peace, higher states of consciousness, insights and lucid dreaming.
- Individual retreat
Experience the darkness yourself in a very individual way. Many spiritual experiences are possible during the dark retreat. It is often a deepened perception of oneself, introspection, observation of mental processes, experience of the primordial sound and light, encounter with spiritual beings, deceased, …
There are no indications that speak for a dark retreat, nor are there any that speak against it. However, one should be physically and psychically in good condition to be able to process all inner and outer impressions in the best way.
The dark therapy does not treat individual problems, but grasps the person as a unity, so that he feels again completely belonging and connected with the universe.
There is no real method to do a dark retreat. The path through the darkness is all your own; there is no prescribed plan through the night. You realize that the darkness itself is „the technique.“ It is your teacher, it guides you to where your healing lies. Being itself is the way.
- Group retreat
In the group it is easier to build up and hold strong energy. Thus, certain energy processes become possible in the group for which one has to practice for a very long time as an individual. By pooling our power and using special mantras and spiritual practices, we achieve states of high energy.
- Silent retreat
The practice of silence is used in many traditions as a path to physical, mental and spiritual renewal. The experiences of this dark retreat take place in complete silence.
- Women’s Retreat
In many cultures, women have always connected in a circle to empower each other. Experience for yourself how we open a sacred space in the women’s group in the dark retreat. In this space, you can casually share among women and feel feminine support for your processes. With selected powerful mantras and energy processes we build together wonderful and strong spiritual energies. Through the power of darkness these are additionally strengthened.
Accepting yourself completely as a woman with all the femininity you bring with you is an important basis for your fulfilled life and that of your family. Recognize that as a woman you belong to the stronger sex. When a woman awakens her full spiritual power within herself, she is also a great healer for this planet. Through years of oppression of women, you too may have forgotten your original spiritual power. Every woman carries an enormous creative power within her and even has an extra chakra which she can use for material as well as spiritual growth. Therefore, women are naturally created to build up to twelve times more energy with spiritual practice than men. Even in India, the knowledge that women are able to build up many times more energy with spiritual practice than men is sometimes kept secret. This makes it all the more important to remind you again of your power and to let you share in the secrets of female spirituality.
We were all born from the womb of a woman. When we let go of thoughts and feelings of competition between women, we automatically stop fighting against ourselves.
Receiving is the feminine principle. It is not always easy to break out of old energies and thought patterns and fully realize our own spiritual potential. In the safe setting of the women’s group, soul healing and awakening processes become easy. Be there in the sacred circle of women, let yourself be nourished and awaken!
- How long does a dark retreat last?
If you want to answer the question how long a dark retreat can go, no general answer can be given, because it depends very much on yourself and how much experience someone already has. There is the possibility to do a taster retreat which lasts 2.5 days and is the minimum for the start. Many guests book with me for between 5-10 days. Some also stay for 2 weeks. The longest dark retreat I have done so far was 49 days. I do not offer longer dark retreats.
- Where can I do a retreat?
In my beautiful ashram in Saschbachwalden in the Black Forest, I offer individual retreats, group retreats, silent retreats and women’s retreats. As already mentioned, I offer a taster retreat for people who are not sure whether a dark retreat is something for them, so that they can at least make the first experience.
- How much does a retreat cost?
The costs for the dark retreats depends on how long the guest will stay. For a duration of up to 30 days, one night costs 109 €. From 31 days the night costs 99 €. In addition, there is a final cleaning fee of 45 €.
Experience has shown that guests often prefer to spend 1 night before and 1 night after the retreat in the light, in order to enjoy the retreat more consciously. For one night in the light we charge 57 €.
For catering, we offer smoothies, which guests receive 3 times a day. For these we charge 22€/ day.
We also offer tea, which we charge 8,50 € / day.
In addition, we offer other extras such as sound couches, massages or PandoraSessions.
Please find attached HERE the link to our current price list with the respective extras.
If you are interested in doing a dark retreat with me, we would be happy if you contact us.
Best regards your Bharati