Dr. Andrew Holecek discusses Dark Retreat—a Tibetan Buddhist practice of spending extended periods in complete darkness—and its transformative effects on creativity, healing, and spiritual insight. Dark Retreat is “big medicine” not to be undertaken lightly. Like any retreat, its power relies on its integration. His new book on the subject is:

Total Eclipse of the Mind: Unleashing the Power of Darkness for Creativity, Healing, and Transformation

Dr. Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and other nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. His work involves studies on dream yoga and the practice of dark retreat. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the author of nine books, and a concert pianist. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is a frequent subject in scientific studies on meditation and lucid dreaming. His work integrates ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary perspectives, aiming to help individuals navigate spiritual challenges and end-of-life experiences. He is currently writing a book on “gray” retreat—a more gradual approach to dark retreat. He holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery. You can find him at: https://www.andrewholecek.com/

Retreat Centers:

• Sky Cave / Oregon: https://www.skycaveretreats.com/
• Dark Havens / Vermont: http://www.darkhavens.org/
• Chamma Ling / Colorado: https://chammaling.com/
• Menla / New York (coming soon): https://menla.org/

Other Books by Holecek:

• Dreams of Light
• Dream Yoga
• Lucid Dreaming Workbook
• Preparing to Die
• I'm Mindful, Now What?
• Reverse Meditation
• The Power and the Pain
• Meditation in the iGeneration

Support the show

Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.