“You, sent out beyond your recall, go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.
Flare up like a flame and make big shadows I can move in.
Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final...
Nearby is the country they call life. You will know it by its seriousness.
Give me your hand.”
-Rainer Maria Rilke
Now that you have experience dancing in the realms of embracing darkness, it is time to take it deeper.
In this 4-day immersion for experienced Light Dark players, we will be stretching further into explorations of power, darkness, and shifting how we see the world. With the container already pre-established for our play, we are ready to focus our collective attention on deconditioning the old self we knew ourselves to be, and reconditioning ourselves in the Mystery on the other side. As we amplify our embodiment of power and surrender, reality expands and the possibilities for play, magic, and mastery grow.
This retreat is not for just anyone. We are only sending invitations to this exclusive retreat to people who have already gone deep with Light Dark work, and also who are powerful facilitators, coaches, and world-builders, who can hold potent space not just for their own selves but for the group as well. This retreat is for those who are ready to step into the next level of leadership, have felt the transformative power of embracing darkness, and know they want more.
Explorations will include:
Diving deeper into powerful, edgy conscious BDSM scenes held in a strong and dynamic container
Going further in your explorations of Darketypes through embodiment of the parts you’ve most rejected
Cultivating your capacity to get off on your aversions and find pleasure in the most unexpected places
Delving into the dark embrace of Grief and welcoming the gifts it has to offer
Exploring your dark wildness and eroticism in relationship with the natural world
Skillfully giving and receiving humiliation to access freedom in the face of judgment
Finding out what you want to serve after you strip away what you’ve been serving unconsciously
Relaxing in the tranquil heated Watsu pool or exploring the forest in this stunning natural setting
Deepening into community with other advanced players and powerful spaceholders who are dedicated to exploring their shadows with depth and skill
Step into the next level of your leadership as you expand your capacities in both the Light and the Dark. Access the power and intimacy that emerge when you incorporate radical acceptance for yourself and the world into every aspect of your life. Come alive with play and pleasure, fall in love with what you’ve feared, and experience new levels of freedom as you cross the next and deeper threshold into Embracing the Darkness.
Upcoming Retreat in Woodside, CA
May 30 - June 2, 2024
This is a stay-on-premises retreat, with catered meals, a heated pool, and camping options. Please read the “important information” section on this page for more details.
Price:
Early registration price (by May 1st): $1750*
Regular price (after May 1st): $1895*
*Price is all-inclusive (includes class, staying on premises, and catered meals). Please read the “important information” section below for more details.
There are a limited number of sliding scale options and work-trade positions available, which offer discounted tickets for those in need. Reach out to coordinator@lightdarkinstitute.com to inquire.
*Please note: clicking the “register” button will add a ticket to your cart, but you must then click on the cart icon and complete checkout to be registered.
Important information about this retreat:
Timing:
This is a stay-on-premises retreat. Plan to be with us the whole time from mid-day on Thursday through Sunday night.
Arrival and camp set-up is from 1-3pm on Thursday. Class begins at 3pm on Thursday and ends at 5:30pm on Sunday. There will be class segments in the morning, afternoon, and evening each day.
Location:
We will be meeting at Inner Sanctum, a beautiful retreat space in the coastal mountains south of California’s Bay Area. We will be on a gorgeous and tranquil property in a vast area of open nature, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by rolling hills and forest. The venue includes a giant heated watsu pool which is available for use throughout the event. It is about an hour drive from San Francisco or San Jose, and about an hour-and-a-half from the East Bay.
Meals:
All meals will be provided beginning with dinner on Thursday and going through lunch on Sunday. We have a wonderful caterer who cooks high quality food as an act of love. All meals will use healthy, high quality, organic ingredients. All meats will be from humane sources. There will be vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options at all meals.
Accommodations:
This is primarily a camping venue. Plan to bring your own tent and camping gear. Bringing an RV or camper van is also an option. There are a limited number of beds inside the main building, in a large communal room which will be shared with several other students. (These beds are offered on a first-come-first-served basis for those who reach out.)
Price:
Early registration price (by May 1st): $1750
Regular price (after May 1st): $1895
Price is all-inclusive (includes class, staying on premises, and catered meals)
Why is this retreat so much more expensive than Level 1?
The price for this event is higher because this is a stay-on-premises retreat as opposed to a daytime-only workshop. There are significantly higher costs for the venue rental and the catering. In addition, there is more class time at this retreat, due to an earlier start on Thursday plus additional evening segments Thursday-Saturday.
There are limited sliding scale options and work-trade positions available which offer discounted tickets for those in need; reach out to coordinator@lightdarkinstitute.com to inquire.
Prerequisite:
Embracing the Darkness Level 1, the Light Dark Experience, or the 2-part workshop series Playing with Darketypes and Playing with Power.
*Please note: clicking the “register” button will add a ticket to your cart, but you must then click on the cart icon and complete checkout to be registered.
Upcoming Retreat in Woodside, CA
May 30 - June 2, 2024
This is a stay-on-premises retreat, with catered meals, a heated watsu pool, and camping options, in a stunning natural setting nestled in California’s coastal mountains. Please read the “important information” section on this page for more details.
Price:
Early registration price (by May 1st): $1750*
Regular price (after May 1st): $1895*
*Price is all-inclusive (includes class, staying on premises, and catered meals)
There are a limited number of sliding scale options and work-trade positions available, which offer discounted tickets for those in need. Reach out to coordinator@lightdarkinstitute.com to inquire.
*Please note: clicking the “register” button will add a ticket to your cart, but you must then click on the cart icon and complete checkout to be registered.