✦ What is a dark retreat?
The history of dark retreats goes back thousands of years. Throughout history, many cultures and traditions have used darkness as part of initiation rituals, spiritual practices, and a way to connect with the divine, ancestors, and nature. Today, a dark retreat can be a powerful tool for self-discovery, inner healing, spiritual growth, restoring inner balance, gaining clarity and perspective, and reconnecting with your true self. It can also help you find a deeper sense of purpose and direction in life.
Sensory deprivation is one of the paths to an expanded state of consciousness. In complete darkness, the sense of sight—through which we receive most information from the external world—is temporarily suspended. This naturally shifts our attention inward, opening space for self-discovery, insight, and a deeper connection with ourselves.
We also offer private nature retreats for those who wish to disconnect from the noise and distractions of modern life, including electromagnetic pollution and constant digital stimulation. During the day, you can enjoy peaceful walks and mountain hikes, including trails to Rozsutec, Stoh, Osnica, the Jánošík Gorges (Diery), and other beautiful locations in the area. You may also dedicate your time to rest, meditation, yoga, reading, self-reflection, or simply being present in nature. At night, you sleep in complete darkness, free from streetlights and urban light pollution, allowing for deep and restorative rest.
welcome to our cosy cabins
✦ How does a dark retreat work?
The recommended duration of a Dark Retreat is at least seven days. Retreats begin on Friday evening and end the following Friday morning with a delicious breakfast. We accept bookings only for 7, 14, or 21-day retreats. Shorter stays are not available. Upon your arrival, we will welcome you with a cup of herbal tea and discuss the details of your retreat, including meals, daily arrangements, and any personal needs or preferences. You decide exactly when your Dark Retreat begins by turning off the light yourself. Throughout your stay, we will provide support according to your wishes and our mutual agreement. Each day, we will bring you freshly prepared meals and remain available to help, offer guidance, listen, or simply share a conversation whenever needed. If you wish, we can support and deepen your process of self-discovery by recommending suitable breathing exercises during your retreat and, after the retreat, through homeopathy - helps restore balance on the physical, emotional, and mental levels. (A personal online consultation approximately 1.5 hours) can be arranged after your retreat. Your guide will support you throughout the entire healing and self-discovery process. Leaving the darkness on Friday morning often feels like a new birth – a new beginning. As you step out of the darkness, the beauty of the surrounding mountains welcomes you back into the sunlight.
✦ Meals during a dark retreat
We lovingly prepare homemade vegetarian, vegan, or raw meals and can accommodate individual dietary preferences, including gluten-free options. For the best dark retreat experience, we recommend light and easily digestible vegetarian meals.Some guests also benefit from a few days of fasting or a simple fruit-based diet during their retreat. Whenever possible, we use locally sourced organic ingredients, including seasonal produce, herbs, and fresh water from a mountain spring. Breakfast consists of crunchy muesli with nuts. Fresh fruit, nuts, and biscuits are also available throughout your stay. A delicious lunch and dinner are delivered once a day in insulated containers to ensure freshness and convenience
Throughout your stay, we serve organic herbal tea made from local mountain herbs, delivered daily together with your meals.
After your retreat, a selection of concentrated herbal and natural wellness products is available for purchase. „Herbal tinctures, dried mushrooms“ (we offer lady's mantle, peppermint, and marjoram tinctures.)
As a small gift, you can keep the bamboo spoon after your retreat.
✦ What to bring to a dark retreat?
An open mind and willingness to embrace whatever arises, comfortable clothing, slippers, and if you feel like it, your favorite sweet or savory treats. 🙂 Provided for You: Clean towels and bedding Dishes and cups for food and drinks Toilet paper Musical and rhythmic instruments You will also have access to: A yoga mat A meditation cushion A bean bag chair A massage roller We kindly ask you to avoid bringing excessive chemical products such as shower gels, shampoos, perfumes, fragrances, antiperspirants, etc. (unless they are medically necessary for you). The water from our showers returns directly to nature, so we strive to keep things simple and environmentally friendly. Our water comes from a mountain spring, which means that throughout your stay you will be drinking and showering in fresh, healthy, chlorine-free water. (If needed, a fragrance-free and dye-free shower gel is available.) The cabins are equipped with fans and radiators and are well insulated. In winter, they stay warm and cozy, while in summer they remain pleasantly comfortable.
Parking is available directly on the property, next to the cabins.
✦ Price-contribution
Your contribution for a stay in a beautiful, fairy-tale setting, nourishing meals, and caring, attentive guidance is: €400 per week per person.To reserve your stay, please send a deposit of €200 to one of the bank accounts listed below. The remaining balance may be paid upon arrival or by bank transfer. Thank you.
(The listed price is valid for local guests. For international guests, we provide a personalized quotation that may include additional services such as English-speaking support, assistance with travel arrangements, pick-up from the bus station, and other services upon request and agreement.).
– slovak account in EUR IBAN: SK78 1100 0000 0026 1046 8435
– czech account in CZK IBAN: CZ42 0800 0000 0015 4655 2143
If, after paying the deposit, you are unable to attend the retreat, we will be happy to arrange a new date or discuss a refund, depending on how far in advance the cancellation is made. Please let us know as early as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule your stay. Changes or cancellations should be made at least three weeks before the retreat. Otherwise, the deposit is non-refundable, as it may be difficult to fill the reserved space on short notice. However, if another guest books the available dates, or if you find a replacement participant, we will gladly refund your deposit. Thank you for your understanding.
✦ Online retreat booking
How to book your retreat? Available dates can be found in the booking calendar below. Select a suitable date and send us a message via the contact form. The following retreat options are available: two cabinsThe retreat starts on Friday afternoon (4:00 PM in winter and 5:00 PM in summer) and concludes the following Friday morning before sunrise. (Empty slots indicate that the date is available. If a slot is marked "1 cabin", it means that one cabin is already booked, but the second cabin is still available. If both "Cabin 1" and "Cabin 2" are marked for the same date, it means that no availability remains for that period. The dates in the calendar may appear to overlap. This is because one guest checks out on Friday morning, while the next guest arrives on the same Friday afternoon/evening.)We also accept bookings for multiple weeks. Please let us know which dates you are interested in, and we will confirm your reservation by email. Your reservation becomes valid once we receive the deposit payment to one of the bank accounts listed above. We kindly ask that the deposit be paid within one week of booking. If this is not possible, please let us know if you need an extension. If you would like to gift this life-changing experience to someone special, we will be happy to send you a gift voucher upon request.
✦ Contact & how to find us
Your dark retreat stories
Príbeh Janíka: V lete k nám prišiel pán (pre zachovanie súkromia ho môžme volať Janík). Janík v strednom veku, veľký cestovateľ, slobodný, žil s rodičmi, ktorí boli čiastočne „odkázaní“ na jeho pomoc. Z Kraľovian k nám prišiel pešo, páčilo sa mu to poňať ako časť Svätojakubskej cesty – byť v prírode sám so sebou.
Strávil s nami poobedie v uvoľnenej atmosfére a podvečer vošiel do chatky. Naše telefónne číslo dal blízkej kamarátke, aby nás kontaktovala v prípade, že sa niečo doma stane (rodičia o jeho pobyte v tme nevedeli, v ich sedemdesiatich rokoch ich nechcel zaťažovať informáciami).
Pobyt začal krásne a pokojne, ale po druhom dni pocítil v krížovej oblasti tak veľké bolesti, že zvažoval ukončiť pobyt. Infromoval nás o tom a dal si celodenný pôst a meditácie. V uvoľnenom stave sa mu stále zjavoval jeho ocko a tiež panna Mária, ako pomáha ockovi, pri meditáciách mu energia smerovala k ockovi. Pýtal sa nás, či sa niečo nestalo doma a práve v ten deň písala jeho kamarátka, že ocko spadol a kvôli poranenému stavcu v spodnej časti chrbtovej musel do nemocnice. Bolo krásne pozorovať ich silné napojenie a zároveň odpájanie, kde si Janík uvedomoval, že má s rodičmi prisilné puto, ktoré už treba preťať a ísť vlastnou cestou. Uvedomil si, že je dospelý múdry muž, ktorý žije svoj život a hoci je vďačný svojim rodičom za všetko a vždy im bude nápomocný, bude sám sebou a pôjde za svojim volaním. Vedel, že je potrebné nájsť rovnováhu a byť v súlade so sebou.
Kamarátka nás uistila, že ocko je v stabilizovanom stave a Janíka máme informovať až po pobyte. Janíkove bolesti prestali.
Predposledný deň nás požiadal o vedenú meditáciu – muzikoterapiu. Otvoril sa pri tom obrovskému prúdu lásky a mnohé minulé „bolesti a krivdy“ vyplakal. Z tmy vyšiel krásne v pokoji, v nádhernej láske a pokore s novými uvedomeniami a predsavzatiami. Netýkalo sa to len žitia s rodičmi, ale celkovej lásky k sebe samému, slobody, žitia v napojení, v pravde k sebe samému. Pobyt bol len začiatkom a spúšťačom. Po pobyte s nami ostal v kontakte a písal nám, že mu prichádzajú pochopenia v každodennom živote a že ešte bude dlho spracovávať, čo sa tam spustilo. Janík je plný lásky a my sme vďační za každého, kto sa rozhodne pomôcť si, pretože sme všetci „jedno“, každý kto si pomáha, pomáha všetkým.
Priebeh v tme je individuálny a pre každého iný. Každý si rieši iné veci a na inej úrovni, presne podľa toho čo v ten moment potrebuje a koľko si toho jeho „vyššie ja“ dovolí dávkovať – v akej miere a akým tempom. Z vyššieho pohľadu nič nie je „dobré a zlé“ a preto i to, čo sa nám z našej úrovne môže zdať ako negatívne, je pozitívne, resp. len „JE“ je potrebné pre náš rast. Niekto zažíva chvíle radosti a extázy, iný vyplakáva nevyplakané bolesti, niekomu sa to strieda, ďalší zas vidí obrazy, či cíti, čo má robiť – každému je daná taká cesta, po ktorej dokáže kráčať a ktorú dokáže v tú chvíľu „chápať“. Najdôležitejšie je uvoľniť sa a prijímať všetko čo prichádza s dôverou, vďakou a pokorou ❤️
Ahojte Ivka a Kamil.Chcela by som Vám ešte raz poďakovať za všetko, čo ste pre mňa spravili. Ja som doteraz veľa nad všetkým uvažovala a dávala si všetko dohromady a prišla som na veľa vecí, ktorými som sa doteraz tak trápila. Až po skončení pobytu u vás som prišla na na to, prečo bola moja mama taká, aká bola a som nesmierne šťastná, že som s vašou pomocou všetko zvládla a nebyť tých pocitov čo mi u vás prišli, tak by som sa trápila po zbytok svojho života. Som veľmi šťastná, že mám iný pohľad na seba a všetkých okolo seba. Za to všetko vďačím dvom skvelým ľuďom a vášmu domčeku, čo ma tak ochraňoval, aj so všetkými svetelnými bytosťami. VEĽKÁ VĎAKA. (Iveta S.)
Ivanka, Kamil, aj vďaka vám dvom a tomu, čo ste mi umožnili za „ten týždeň“ u vás v tme prežiť, sa mi toto všetko, čo prišlo zvláda oveľa ľahšie. Ďakujem Bohu a ďakujem aj vám (Alica, Bratislava)
Dark retreat (dark therapy, dunkeltherapie), nature retreat and digital detox retreat in Slovakia
Escape the noise of everyday life and reconnect with yourself in the beautiful mountains of northern Slovakia beneath the Rozsutec peaks.
Whether you are looking for a dark retreat, a silent retreat, a digital detox, a nature retreat, or simply a peaceful place to rest, Abolo Svetlo offers a safe and welcoming space for deep relaxation and self-discovery.
Enjoy silence, nature, hiking trails, fresh mountain air, campfires, and time away from screens, stress and daily responsibilities.
Our retreats are suitable for those seeking:
- Dark Retreat
- Silent Retreat
- Nature Retreat
- Digital Detox Retreat
- Private Retreat
- Hiking and Mountain Retreat
- Time for Rest and Reflection
Located in the heart of Slovakia, surrounded by forests and mountains, Abolo Svetlo is a unique place to slow down, recharge and reconnect with what truly matters.
INŠPIRUJÚCA LITERATÚRA:
Paul Brunton – Tajnosti indické
Paul Brunton – Tajná stezka
Paul Brunton – Vědomá nesmrtelnost
Stanislav Grof – Když se nemožné stane
Stanislav Grof – Kosmická hra
Jack London – Tulák po hvězdách
Eckhart Tolle – Moc přítomného okamžiku
David Godman – Buďte tím, čím jste
Jiří Vacek (preklad) – Rozhovory s Ramanou Maharišim I, II, III
Annamalai Svami – Hovory o seberealizaci
Ellan Ondre – Vše je jedno (Všetko je jedným)
Bhagavadgita s komentárom od Josefa Frica
Bhagavadgita preklad Rudolf Janíček
Zaujímavý dokument o Ramanovi Maharišim:
Advaita bodhi dipika – světlo nedvojného poznání, Jóga Vašišta – o dosažení nirvány, Kajvalja navanita – Květ vysvobození a ďalšie zaujímavé alebo už nevydávané knihy sú na týchto stránkach: www.pratelejirihovacka.cz alebo sa dajú stiahnuť vo viacerých formátoch na http://www.rudolfskarnitzl.cz/Knizni_preklady/knizni_preklady.htm
