Dharma Treasure

Opening Fall 2026

For centuries, meditators across many traditions have entered periods of total darkness as a way to strip away the ordinary relationship between mind and sensory experience. We are pleased to offer this practice at Cochise Stronghold.

What is a dark retreat?

In a dark retreat, a practitioner spends an extended period in a fully light-sealed space. Without the constant input of visual perception — which ordinarily dominates the senses and anchors the sense of self in a particular moment and place — the mind begins to settle into itself in unusual ways. Sleep and waking blend. Dreams become vivid. Subtle phenomena that are normally drowned out by the busyness of ordinary experience become unmistakable.

Each retreat will have a minimum duration of one week, with a maximum of five days spent in total darkness. This includes a day for preparation and another day for transition.

Is a dark retreat right for you?

A dark retreat is a serious undertaking, and we want every participant to arrive well-prepared. We ask that applicants have substantial prior retreat experience, both in extended personal retreat and in working with concentration and insight practices. The dark retreat environment amplifies whatever arises in practice, and it rewards stability, equanimity, and a grounded relationship with one’s own mind.

We give careful attention to each application. A conversation with one of our resident teachers prior to booking is required.

• Experience with extended personal meditation retreat (at least one retreat of ten days or longer).

• A stable, consistent daily practice

• No history of dissociative episodes, psychosis, or severe anxiety that has been active within the past two years.

Pricing

• One week with food and drinks $1050
• One week bring your own food and drinks $875

Contact retreats@dharmatreasure.org for inquiry, and we can schedule a chat, or fill out this form