Quality or quantity?
For us, guidance is one of the most important aspects shaping the course of a dark retreat.
Because we operate only two dark-retreat cabins—the maximum we can realistically care for as two people—we are able to give each guest our full attention.
What does that mean in practice?
Your guide is available throughout your stay. Food is brought between 11:00 and 15:00, and during that visit you can ask the guide to stay with you in the meditation room if you would like to talk or simply have someone present.
How guidance works during the retreat
Food and presence
Your guide brings your food, and at that time you can also ask them to remain with you in the meditation room.
Entering your space
We do not enter your retreat space without permission. We treat the cabin as your private space for the duration of your stay.
Rozhovor a podpora
It may be a brief meeting or a longer period of presence. The length is determined by what you need, not by a fixed timetable.
Why might I need a guide?
The original text describes the ego as telling us that we can manage everything alone. During a retreat, many guests go through difficult moments in which doubts arise—“What am I doing here?” or “Do I really think anything will change?”
Those are the moments when our presence can be useful. A conversation may help you move through a crisis instead of ending the retreat impulsively. The important thing is to be able to ask for support.
Respect for your space
We never enter your space without being invited. We regard the cabin you occupy during the retreat as your private, respected space. When invited in, we usually greet you and sit near the door.
We stay for as long as you need. Whether that is ten minutes or an hour is not important. We remain until you have said what you need to say.
What a guide can offer
The guide aims to be attentive and empathetic. They may suggest something that could be helpful, but it is always up to you whether it feels right and whether you want to try it.
Depending on the situation, the guide can lead a breathing exercise or meditation, or introduce other simple practices. In complete darkness these practices can feel especially intense and memorable.
If you would like guidance, you can select it in the booking form and you can change your mind during the retreat.
Many arrangements are possible.
More information
You can also find more information about the principles and course of a dark retreat in our information guide: Laskavá tma – about dark retreats.
Guidance during a dark retreat is not a substitute for medical, psychological or psychotherapeutic care.