I spent 6 days and nights in a darkness retreat. Zero light entering my eyes. No stimulus, no distraction, no distortion. Only me and my inner world. Here’s what I learned from embracing the darkness.

1. Darkness isn’t to be feared

Darkness and evil are two different things. The spacious emptiness of the darkness or void isn’t scary, it’s the birthplace of all creation before it becomes manifest. Being immersed in the dark felt peaceful, pure and full of potential, and the amount of authentic ideas and insights I received in that space was incredible.

2. The key to bliss is to surrender to what is

I received great advice from facilitator Estrella: don’t try to do anything, not even meditate; just be with what is, follow it, go into it. This made me able to see the patterns in my mind, integrate old traumas and find bliss in full surrender. Not any one experience is better than an other, it’s all here for a perfect reason, we just have to be present enough to see it.

3. We have complete control over our life’s experience

The darkness is an incredibly powerful place to envision and manifest. But I’m not gonna lie - it was challenging at times too. The ego-mind constantly tried to convince me that anything was better than to be still and feel it all. And that voice is likely always going to be there, but it’s about how we deal with it that determines our experience.

4. To do nothing is both rebellion and recalibration

In our busy society, to do nothing for a week is both rebellion to the system and an unimaginable gift to yourself. There were moments when the mind was racing where I realized how addictive the ‘busy mindset’ is. It’s very confronting. Yet, sitting in stillness for longer gave me a crystal clear knowing of what to let go, what I really want, and how to get there.

5. To be with yourself is the biggest gift

My most powerful experience was to be fully in my own energy. To feel the purity of my own being without any external input to distortion. It was so healing to experience myself as a calm, loving presence and just sit in that energy for hours. To feel in every cell: I am home.

6. You are that which you’re looking for

Most of us, myself included, tend to go through all kinds of hard work and mental gymnastics to find light / peace / love / success ‘out there’. And it’s cliché but feels even more true now: we don’t need to go out into the world to find what we’re looking for. It’s all right here.