Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Darkness retreat experience: A week in total darkness and isolation
I’ve had many difficult experiences, from relentless Ayahuasca sits, inescapable sweat lodges, biting mountain cold, and face-mangling car accidents. But never have I been broken like the darkness broke me. To spend a week in the black is indescribable. From the quiet, desperate solitude. The absolute fragility of your blindness. To the relentless endogenous DMT visions that fill the void with messages and horrors.
I have lived my life committed to sharing the truth, but this film is another level of vulnerability. I’ve never cried like this, prayed like this, or even laughed like this in front of anyone. Ultimately the darkness is the searchlight for all of our shadow. In my time spent in the black I understood how scared I was to love and be loved. How much of the world I had taken for granted. I understand now why this is one of the oldest ceremonies on earth.
In this director's cut, I also share for the first time the challenging relationship with my father, and the intensity of the moments surrounding his mental health collapse. All of which was woven into the fabric of this experience.
This Chakaruna Media documentary features Aubrey Marcus, Vylana Marcus, Ashkay Nanavati, Jamie Wheal, Kathy Shubin, Erick Godsey, Don Howard, Jon Dean, Bharati Gianert. Directed By Ben Stewart.
What is a darkness retreat?
| Aubrey Marcus |
► Fit For Service: fitforservice.com
► Own The Day, Own Your Life: bit.ly/2vRz4so
► Aubrey Marcus Podcast: apple.co/2ns8zFP
► Ayahuasca Documentary: bit.ly/2OrNBTf
► Get 10% off all Onnit Products: bit.ly/3LMVArK
►Aubrey Marcus Poetry: bit.ly/2My1ezC
►Aubrey Marcus Binaural Beats: bit.ly/2vVc3EC
#darknessretreat
| Listen to the Aubrey Marcus Podcast |
►iTunes | apple.co/2lMZRCn
►Spotify | spoti.fi/2EaELZO
►Stitcher | bit.ly/2G8ccJt
►IHeartRadio | https://ihr.fm/3CiV4x3
►Google Podcasts | bit.ly/3nzCJEh
►Android | bit.ly/2OQeBQg
| Connect with Aubrey |
►Website | bit.ly/2GesYqi
►Instagram | bit.ly/2BlfCEO
►Facebook | bit.ly/2F4nBZk
►Twitter | bit.ly/2BlGBAdAd
=============================================
About the Podcast
Founder of Onnit and modern philosopher Aubrey Marcus asks the important questions: How do we find our purpose, wake up to who we truly are, have a few more laughs, and human being a little better?
The Aubrey Marcus Podcast brings in world-class guests from the fields of athletics, health, business, fitness, science, relationship and spirituality, and asks them to open up about the failures and successes that define their wisdom and character.
Follow me on social to keep up with the latest, and meet many of the incredible guests we’ve been honored to have on the show.
Darkness retreat experience: A week in total darkness and isolation
I’ve had many difficult experiences, from relentless Ayahuasca sits, inescapable sweat lodges, biting mountain cold, and face-mangling car accidents. But never have I been broken like the darkness broke me. To spend a week in the black is indescribable. From the quiet, desperate solitude. The absolute fragility of your blindness. To the relentless endogenous DMT visions that fill the void with messages and horrors.
I have lived my life committed to sharing the truth, but this film is another level of vulnerability. I’ve never cried like this, prayed like this, or even laughed like this in front of anyone. Ultimately the darkness is the searchlight for all of our shadow. In my time spent in the black I understood how scared I was to love and be loved. How much of the world I had taken for granted. I understand now why this is one of the oldest ceremonies on earth.
In this director's cut, I also share for the first time the challenging relationship with my father, and the intensity of the moments surrounding his mental health collapse. All of which was woven into the fabric of this experience.
This Chakaruna Media documentary features Aubrey Marcus, Vylana Marcus, Ashkay Nanavati, Jamie Wheal, Kathy Shubin, Erick Godsey, Don Howard, Jon Dean, Bharati Gianert. Directed By Ben Stewart.
What is a darkness retreat?
| Aubrey Marcus |
► Fit For Service: fitforservice.com
► Own The Day, Own Your Life: bit.ly/2vRz4so
► Aubrey Marcus Podcast: apple.co/2ns8zFP
► Ayahuasca Documentary: bit.ly/2OrNBTf
► Get 10% off all Onnit Products: bit.ly/3LMVArK
►Aubrey Marcus Poetry: bit.ly/2My1ezC
►Aubrey Marcus Binaural Beats: bit.ly/2vVc3EC
#darknessretreat
| Listen to the Aubrey Marcus Podcast |
►iTunes | apple.co/2lMZRCn
►Spotify | spoti.fi/2EaELZO
►Stitcher | bit.ly/2G8ccJt
►IHeartRadio | https://ihr.fm/3CiV4x3
►Google Podcasts | bit.ly/3nzCJEh
►Android | bit.ly/2OQeBQg
| Connect with Aubrey |
►Website | bit.ly/2GesYqi
►Instagram | bit.ly/2BlfCEO
►Facebook | bit.ly/2F4nBZk
►Twitter | bit.ly/2BlGBAdAd
=============================================
About the Podcast
Founder of Onnit and modern philosopher Aubrey Marcus asks the important questions: How do we find our purpose, wake up to who we truly are, have a few more laughs, and human being a little better?
The Aubrey Marcus Podcast brings in world-class guests from the fields of athletics, health, business, fitness, science, relationship and spirituality, and asks them to open up about the failures and successes that define their wisdom and character.
Follow me on social to keep up with the latest, and meet many of the incredible guests we’ve been honored to have on the show.
