I Spent 100 Hours In Total Darkness (Darkness Therapy)

Try Open for 30 days free with my code SKY30

When was the last time you were in the dark? I mean, really in the dark?

Even at night, there’s usually some kind of light peaking through, whether it’s the moon, a night light, or light from a charger.

But pure darkness is the kind of dark that your eyes don’t adjust to.

It’s the kind of dark that we don’t often experience.

Total darkness.

Well, I recently spent 100 hours in total darkness… and this was my experience.

A Darkness Retreat is a kind of therapy where you spend an extended amount of time in complete darkness with no light, sound, or external stimuli. Traditionally this is an ancient spiritual practice reserved for very advanced meditation practitioners but now a handful of darkness retreat centers have made this experience available to regular folk like me and people seem to be having profound experiences in the dark.

So I headed to Sky Cave Retreats in Ashland, Oregon to spend 5 days in the dark.

Thank you so much to Scott & Sky Cave Retreats for having me!

Thank you so much to Yes Theory & Ammar for lending me the infrared cameras!

Thank you to Aubrey Marcus and Blu for also inspiring me to try this experience!

Join our community via The Vibe Tribe Discord!

Subscribe to my Patreon for extra content from this video and many more!

DONATIONS! If you want to support Sky Life you can donate here:
Venmo: @Skyler-Cowans

Crypto Donations!
Bitcoin (BTC): bc1qnt6pp6q0jcsq43r5s7rctpu740zgwmqem4q42d
Ethereum (ETH): 0xf5839179bb16f1F2a4D426FdC502769Ff12Ac801

(for crypto donations beware of impersonators in the comments. I will never post my addresses in the comments!)

FOLLOW ME!

Remember to SUBSCRIBE and HIT THE BELL NOTIFICATION so you will be notified every time I post a new video!

Vibes,
Sky

[pranakhan]

I spent 12 hours in the darkness. Inspired by the Taoist meditations which reference "the blackness of the blackness". I was at the end of a 3 day fast, when I entered the lightless room naked and prepared to meditate. Even after experiencing psychadelics, this meditation was one of the most intense & transformative experiences of my life. I surrendered a lot of pain to Source that day, and found the energy I was using to hold onto those traumas returned to me. Energy that empowered change. Thank you for sharing your journey into terrain most people fear to tread.

[LavenderHazelwood]

I did something like this once but did it at home. I blindfolded myself for 24 hours. It was really interesting and invigorating. I made food, took a shower, did yoga, drew, sang. It made my senses and intuition really sharp. It was fun seeing your experience, Sky. :) -Aurora

[jonnajinton]

I sat with tears in my eyes throughout the whole video. They way you shared your experience really hit something in my heart.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! ❤

[andreaferrari]

Hi Sky. Thank you for all you are doing here. Even if you don't know you helped me when i suffered from depression and I'll be forever grateful for that.

[tressawilsoncompetitiveedg]

When you said " What's my core desire... I think it might be presence." That hit me somewhere I wasn't ready to be hit. I have spent my whole life chasing and desiring any experience that would force me out of my head and into my body and into this moment... What a great video.

[erikhm_]

Definitely think this is one of my favorite vids from Sky. Not a long or deep practitioner, but from my experience of Tibetan Buddhism so far the by far most important thing is the presence. No coincidence in Buddhism many monk’s final “test” is a 3 year retreat of something similar to this. So cool to see that anyone can do this and def on my list

[Infinite_exhilaration]

You’re are such an inspirational Goddess Sky! Observing your experience from the outside made me so emotional, and your thoughts encapsulated my unexpressed emotions perfectly

[simoneuzbazur]

We all should have a cave in our homes to experience this kind of things when needed, this video is so inspiring of taking the step to fully accept our self.
Darkness, Blackness is a powerful tool for growth, so is silence. 🙏🙏 Thank you Sky!

[InvolvingChris]

Sky, these videos are getting better and better. Great stuff!

[thepillarca]

You hit a nerve in the best way possible. I felt so much fear from watching this. A message from source that being in a place like this is exactly what my highest self is calling me to do. I absolutely love your work and I am grateful for your vulnerability and love that you pour into this community. 💜♥️💙

[loveisallthatexists]

Wow, Sky... this came full circle for me, and closed and confirmed so many things for me in my personal life. The last 4 years I have dedicated myself to rest, silence, and stillness. It felt like the world was charging ahead around me, while i was forced to sit still and be with my own mind and body... This was really powerful and affirming, I feel like you just validated a massive part of my life, thank you x

[StephaniRoberts]

Wow. Great timing! Everyone I talk to seems to be overwhelmed. I always say I'm like a flower, and I crave sunlight and water, not sure I could do this!! Sky, you are BRAVE!!

[gentlesoul]

While I love all of your videos This one has to be my favorite... It brought up so much in me..In 1990 I was in a coma for almost 3 months. I remember first being in this dark Void, with only an illuminated ladder before me. Every time they would give me morphine the ladder and light would disappear until it wore off. It was terrifying. I became afraid of the dark and drugs of any kind. I struggle to even take Tylenol. I had to surrender in that void, Once I did I then and only then was able to go into the light, gardens, the universe on every angle came alive, While I kept the beauty and divine love and healing alive, I've pushed away the fear just by always keeping a light on, Just from this video you awakened something powerful and deep within me. Time to honor all parts of me and surrender the fear

[trollsneedhugs]

You made me realize something. I have rejected my "shadow" (anger, hate, violence) because no matter how justified, authority figures (parents, teachers, the state) always block it from being expressed BY USING THEIR SHADOW. I am not allowed to be angry or violent, regardless of the justification, but the authority figures ARE allowed to use anger and violence against me. Not only that, they have also assumed the authority to use anger and violence against me if I ever express my shadow. That makes me feel even more angry because they have made me learn to suppress myself to avoid the expression of their shadow! Why do they have the right to violently suppress me, while I am made to self-inflict guilt for even considering my expressions? There's nothing wrong with appropriate expressions of anger and hate! Violent repression of freedom in all forms are not justifiable, yet we are made to feel weak and bad by those who relish such power. I DON'T HAVE A SHADOW SIDE! That's the lie! We can only keep believing thelse aspects of ourselves must be eradicated while we continue to exist in such a paradigm. The truth is that I am a whole human who can experience all reactions justifiably.

Note: I practice zen and I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, so I deeply value love and compassion. "Forgive them for they know not what they do". So I am not advocating reckless violence in any way. I am simply shining a light on the imbalanced dynamic at play in our world.

[kaylam.]

I just want to cry and cry you’ve hit a chord deep within my soul that resonates. I’ve done nothing but run and distract myself. I feel as though my soul is crying out for change. Thank you for sharing this. I needed to feel this.

[Shirumoon]

The only time I felt comfortable in the dark was during times of experiencing abuse. Made me feel safe I think? Nevertheless, today I really struggle being in the dark because my nervous system remembers the context of those earlier days I wish I could become more in peace with darkness again, but the chances of being retraumatized are just too high still so I stick with watching your and others' amazing journeys. Thanks for sharing this, Sky!

[hilhil]

I’m curious to know how you felt a week later, after processing and also being back in the world.

[adamdolson]

Loved when you said presence, presence, presence. I think that's probably the endgame once we let go of our little dramas, COMPLETE OMNIPRESENCE, complete acceptance and assimilation of however grand reality really is. I bet it felt like a new life coming out of there, super trippy! Cool video Sky 🧡

[joanasilva]

Loved this!! And Scott seems like a very wise person, I wish there was a full interview of him

[JourneywithJenandDrew]

Wow POWERFUL. I cried twice while watching this, Sky. First when you entered the dark, my own emotions arose knowing I would feel all kinds of panic, depression, and frustration - such terrifying emotions, then when you entered the light and took off the eye mask. Wow just wow
You are incredibly brave and strong for doing something that should be simple as human beings but is incredibly terrifying
Thank you for opening up the world of darkness therapy to us