Clearlight, Darkness, and Nonduality – Menla Retreat Center – Phoenicia, NY
Clearlight, Darkness, and Nonduality
With Andrew Holecek and Robert Thurman
October 26 – November 1, 2026 – Menla Retreat Center – In the Catskills in Phoenicia, NY
A unique retreat utilizing specially prepared dark rooms.
The path to the Clearlight—or prabhāsvarā in Sanskrit—points to the indescribable essence of ultimate freedom, a nondual reality only accessible through direct experience. Enlightened beings speak of this radiant transparency as the very nature of mind.Join Andrew Holecek and Robert Thurman for a transformative retreat where the subtle teachings of yogas, tantras, and texts like the Book of Natural Liberation (also known as the Tibetan Book of the Dead) come alive. Paradoxically, the doorway to this luminous clarity often begins with an experience of darkness.As interest in nonduality grows, so too does the resurgence of an ancient practice: dark retreat. This immersive exploration offers one of the most powerful ways to encounter the boundary between light, darkness, and the nondual.In this retreat, you will:
- Discover how dark retreat connects to the experience of nonduality.
- Learn the foundational teachings on the clearlight of freedom.
- Receive practical guidance for beginning dark practice at home and transitioning into formal retreat.
- Explore how darkness opens the mind to deeper reality, accelerates healing, and sparks creativity.
- Understand how dark retreat, like plant medicine, functions as a natural psychedelic—you become the medicine.
- Gain tools for integrating your experiences and preparing for a fearless encounter with death.
- Learn how this ancient practice can help us meet today’s planetary meta-crises with clarity and courage.
This retreat is a rare opportunity to engage with deep, esoteric teachings in an accessible and experiential way.
This retreat is hosted and administered by the Menla, Phoenicia, NY. Because of this, we are not able to offer any Night Club member discount to this event. Any inquiries about this program should be directed to Menla. frontdesk@menla.org 845-688-6897
