Elites have just found a new, trendy way to dive straight into the darkness.
Literally.
If you haven’t heard of a dark retreat, these are one of the new, bizarre ways that the top elites are trying to relax and find spiritual. These retreats include being put in a completely dark room that has the basic necessities with a bath, toilet and bed. Electronics are not allowed in the rooms, and according to Wired, many are having wild, dark encounters here.
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Charles Hoskin, who created one of the world’s largest crypto coins, Cardano, left his dark retreat after experiencing “terrifying shadows gnawing at my soul, sleep paralysis demons, and [an] inability to breathe.”
Wired cites author Andrew Holecek as saying it is “meditation on steroids.” From NFL star Aaron Rodgers, comedian Tiffany Haddish and NBA player Rudy Gobert, celebrities are flocking to these retreats in search of peace. However, not everyone is finding what they are looking for.
“You can go to incredible depths really quickly. This is where the promise and the peril lies,” Holecek says.
The real question to this: Why are people seeking to experience light while stuck in the darkness?
This surge in popularity of dark retreats among celebrities and elites reveals a deeper spiritual hunger—a desperate longing for peace and clarity in a world that feels increasingly chaotic. However, there is only one way to find true light, and that is to follow the One who is the Light of world, Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Yet when people intentionally shut out the light—both physical and spiritual—they open themselves to confusion, fear and deception. What may begin as a journey inward can quickly become a descent into torment when the soul is left unguarded and disconnected from the truth of God’s Word.
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As believers, we must be vigilant, discerning and bold in proclaiming that no amount of sensory deprivation or mystical meditation can replace the peace that comes from the presence of God. True transformation isn’t found in silence or shadow—it’s found in surrender to the One who conquered the darkness once and for all.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
