Darkness Retreat
Watch the Experience Unfold
Curious what it’s like to emerge from days of darkness?
A Retreat into Deep Stillness
October 21–29, 2025
Held in the remote mountains of Crestone, Colorado at Chamma Ling Retreat Center, this guided darkness retreat offers a carefully held space for rest, revelation, and transformation. Each participant stays in their own private cabin and receives personalized support throughout the experience.
Participants may choose a 2-night, 3-night, or 4-night retreat.
Retreat Flow
Day of Arrival: Check-in is at 3:00 PM. You'll settle into your cabin, receive a preparatory bodywork or acupuncture session with Gina, and have a final check-in with James. That evening, your darkness journey begins.
Days in the Dark: For the full duration of your retreat, you’ll be immersed in uninterrupted darkness, supported by two daily check-ins with James. Two nourishing meals will be delivered quietly to your cabin each day.
Unmasking (Final Evening): On your final evening, you will have the opportunity to exit the darkness and begin reorienting to light and movement. This is often described as one of the most profound moments of the retreat. You're invited to spend time walking the land, journaling, and gently beginning the integration process.
Departure Day: You’ll have one final night outside of darkness and check out at 12:00 PM the following day.
An Invitation Into the Unknown
Darkness retreats provide a rare and potent opportunity to step away from external stimulation and turn inward — toward stillness, presence, and profound inner knowing. Rooted in Tibetan, Taoist, and yogic traditions, this ancient practice invites deep rest for the nervous system and creates a quiet, sacred space where the unseen within you can be met with gentleness and curiosity.
This is not a retreat from life — but an invitation to drop beneath the surface and discover what is quietly waiting to be felt, heard, and known.
Is This for You?
This experience is for those who feel called to meet themselves in a deeper way — to move beyond mental narratives and open to the subtle wisdom that lives within the body, the breath, and the mystery of darkness itself.
You don’t need prior meditation or retreat experience. What matters most is a genuine willingness to be present with yourself, even when that presence is unfamiliar.
If you feel the quiet pull to enter the dark, we welcome you.
Retreat Options, Pricing & Booking
This retreat offers a rare opportunity to step away from stimulation and into deep stillness. Your retreat begins the evening of your first day as you enter the dark, and concludes the evening before your final night, giving you a spacious window to transition and integrate before returning to daily life.
We offer two types of cabins — Standard and Premium (larger, more spacious- $35 extra per night) — and three retreat lengths to choose from:
Retreat Length
2 Nights
3 Nights
4 Nights
Standard Cabin
$700
$1,050
$1,400
What’s Included
Private lodging in a standard or premium cabin at Chamma Ling
Two nourishing meals per day (congee breakfast + warm dinner)
A preparatory bodywork or acupuncture session with Gina upon arrival
A 1-hour coaching call with James ~2 weeks prior to your retreat
Twice-daily check-ins with James during your retreat
Optional additional bodywork or massage (available at added cost)
Payment & Reservation Policy
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot.
The remaining 50% is due 30 days before your scheduled arrival.
Booking Process
We offer a very limited number of spaces each season. If you feel the call to enter the dark, we invite you to begin here:
Fill out the interest form below.
We’ll follow up with a short intake process and confirmation of dates and availability.
Once confirmed, you’ll receive a payment link to reserve your cabin.
Ready to Begin?
If this experience resonates with you, we invite you to fill out the form below to start the process. Once we receive your request, we’ll follow up to schedule a brief call and help you choose the retreat length that fits your needs.