DARK RETREAT
A Five-Day Silent Journey to Your Original Design
The Eye of Horus or Udyat is an ancient Egyptian solar symbol that embodies order, tranquility, and perfection. It is believed to have apotropaic properties, meaning it is magical, protective, purifying, and healing.
At Arcobaque, we believe every human is born with a unique design of virtues and talents encoded in their DNA:
A divine perfection that cannot be altered or exchanged, only developed and realized. Yet, many of us become lost in the dream of our own creation, mistaking our identity for something we are not.
«Nothing real can be threatened, and nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.»
Through deep relaxation, presence, and silence, this retreat invites you to reconnect with the perfection of your inherent design in the world’s only 200-square-meter dark house, equipped with all the comforts of home.
The World’s Only 200-Square-Meter Dark House in the Sacred Heart of Ubaque
The Arcobaque Darkness Retreat is an unparalleled experience, the only darkness retreat in Colombia, located in the sacred land of the Laguna de Ubaque, a place imbued with spiritual energy and ancestral connection. Our 200-square-meter dark house, the only one of its kind globally, blends the serenity of absolute darkness with the comforts of a modern home. From spacious, cozy areas to facilities ensuring your well-being—such as restful spaces and discreet delivery of food and water—this environment is meticulously designed to make you feel safe, relaxed, and free from external distractions. In this sacred space, darkness and silence intertwine to create a canvas of clarity, allowing you to explore the depths of your being without interruption.
The Power of Darkness and Silence:
A Gateway to Presence
Rooted in the pioneering teachings of Fernando Malkun, who first brought the darkness retreat practice to Colombia after direct training in Tibet, the Arcobaque Darkness Retreat honors ancestral traditions of cultures like the Mayans, Tibetans, and Egyptians, who saw darkness as a portal to clarity and self-discovery. At Arcobaque, darkness is not an absence but a luminous presence that dissolves external distractions. For five days, much of the retreat is conducted in profound silence, a sacred space that quiets the inner dialogue and allows you to hear the voice of your essence. This silence, combined with the absence of light, eliminates mental noise and ego illusions, anchoring you in the present moment where life truly unfolds.
Silence is a powerful tool to disconnect the brain’s default mode network, which perpetuates thoughts of the past and future. In this space of stillness, we guide you to become a witness to your thoughts, observing how they arise from a constructed “self” and dissolve swiftly.
This state of pure awareness integrates your breath, body, thoughts, and sensations, allowing you to experience the unity of the eternal now, beyond the mind.
Relaxation and Melatonin:
The Doorway to Self-Discovery
Relaxation is the cornerstone of self-discovery, the key to unlocking your original design. In total darkness and silence, your body enters a state of profound rest, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers heart rate, reduces cortisol levels, and promotes cellular repair. This state is enhanced by the pineal gland, which, in the absence of light over five days, produces elevated levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep and fosters calm and well-being.
Melatonin does more than facilitate rest; it prepares the body and mind for heightened states of consciousness. In prolonged darkness, the pineal may also produce pinoline, a compound that inhibits the breakdown of other neurochemicals, opening the door to visionary and introspective experiences. This natural bioalchemy, amplified by silence, creates the perfect environment to explore the depths of your consciousness, where your inherent virtues and talents can be rediscovered and amplified.
Endogenous DMT:
The Key to Universal Knowledge
The pineal gland doesn’t only produce melatonin; it is also believed to generate endogenous DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine), known as the “spirit molecule.” This natural psychedelic compound is associated with mystical experiences, vivid imagery, and connections to information beyond ordinary perception. Ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, revered the pineal as a bridge to higher knowledge, possibly the key to feats like the construction of the pyramids. During the five days of darkness and silence, the absence of light inhibits the production of monoamine oxidase (MAO), the enzyme that breaks down DMT, allowing its accumulation (potentially up to 25 mg over extended periods) and facilitating states of consciousness akin to lucid dreaming or spiritual epiphanies.
By looking inward, as ancient traditions urged, DMT may be the biochemical key that unlocks universal knowledge, revealing the interconnectedness of all things and aligning with the truth that “nothing real can be threatened.” In Arcobaque’s silence and darkness, we create the optimal conditions for you to experience this profound connection with your original design.
Transformative Techniques
Grounded in the pioneering teachings of Fernando Malkun, our retreat blends ancestral wisdom with modern neuroscience to guide you to your true essence. Much of the practices are conducted in silence to foster introspection and presence, including:
- Meditation Based on Jacobo Grinberg’s Simultaneous Observation: Inspired by the Mexican scientist Jacobo Grinberg, this technique promotes silent, simultaneous observation of breath, body, thoughts, and sensations. By integrating these elements into a unified state of awareness, you dissolve the illusion of a separate “self” and reconnect with the totality of your being.
- Binaural Frequencies in Theta and Gamma Ranges: We use precisely calibrated binaural frequencies, delivered through headphones, to synchronize your brainwaves to theta (4-8 Hz) and gamma (30-100 Hz) ranges. Theta waves induce deep relaxation, creativity, and dream-like states, while gamma waves enhance cognitive integration, attention, and mystical experiences. Experienced in silence, these frequencies facilitate prolonged lucid dreaming states, allowing you to explore the depths of your subconscious mind.
- Deep Breathwork: Our guided breathwork techniques, practiced in silence, aim to reduce your breathing rate to one breath per minute, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and deepening relaxation. This enhances melatonin and DMT production, anchoring you in the present, where the ego fades and unity prevails.
- Deep Rest and Neuroplasticity: The five days of darkness and silence promote profound rest, supporting cellular regeneration, immune system strengthening, and neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new neural connections. This enhances learning, memory, and emotional resilience, enabling you to integrate the retreat’s revelations into daily life.
A Five-Day Silent Journey to Lucid Awareness
The five-day retreat, guided by Pablo Salazar, unfolds in progressive phases:
- Days 1-2: Deep Rest and Relaxation – The first days, in silence, focus on calming the body and mind, allowing melatonin to flood your system and prepare you for introspection. You’ll experience profound peace, akin to a meditative sedative state, as your nervous system recalibrates.
- Days 3-4: Presence and Self-Discovery – In the stillness of darkness and silence, guided meditations and binaural frequencies lead you to theta and gamma states, fostering lucid awareness and visionary experiences. You’ll practice simultaneous observation, becoming a witness to your thoughts and sensations, and begin to glimpse your original design, free from false identities.
- Day 5: Integration and Transformation – The final day, also in silence, consolidates the retreat’s revelations, helping you integrate presence and clarity into everyday life. You’ll emerge with a renewed connection to your original design and practical tools to sustain that awareness.
Who Leads the Retreat?
The Arcobaque Darkness Retreat is led by Pablo Salazar, a visionary with a master’s degree in neuroscience and a lifelong dedication to self-discovery since age 5, when his parents, led by pioneer Fernando Malkun, took him through initiatory processes in Egypt, India, and beyond. Fernando Malkun, the first to bring darkness retreats to Colombia after direct training in Tibet, facilitated this practice for 15 years, passing his wisdom to Pablo. An expert in binaural frequencies, deep relaxation states, and neurosensory experiences, Pablo has spent the last 15 years designing immersive, multi-sensory experiences for global brands like Nike across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Trained also under the teachings of Gerardo Schmedling alongside Fernando and Josefina, Pablo has crafted this unique retreat, fusing science and spirituality in the spirit of ancient Egypt, where these disciplines intertwined to unlock human potential. His mission is to shatter the false beliefs clouding our perception, guiding you to experience reality through joy and verification of your true essence.
With his expertise, global experience, and passion for transformation, Pablo will guide you at Arcobaque to rediscover your original design with clarity, purpose, and fulfillment.
Why Arcobaque?
Arcobaque is the only darkness retreat in Colombia, set in the sacred land of the Laguna de Ubaque, and is rooted in the pioneering teachings of Fernando Malkun, who brought this transformative practice from Tibet. Our 200-square-meter dark house, unique in the world, and profound silence create a distraction-free space where you can release the illusion of a separate “self” and experience the unity of all. Our goal is not to change who you are but to empower you to amplify your inherent virtues and talents.
The Arcobaque Darkness Retreat is an invitation to let go of the constructed “you” and rediscover the divine perfection you were born with. In the silence and darkness of five days, you’ll find that stillness is not emptiness but a profound clarity: a mirror reflecting the truth of your original design.
Practical Details
- Duration: 5 days, with the option to prepare for longer retreats (up to 13 days) in the future.
- Facilitator: Pablo Salazar, Director of Arcobaque, with a master’s degree in neuroscience, expert in binaural frequencies, deep relaxation, and neurosensory experiences, continuing the legacy of Fernando Malkun.
- Setting: A 200-square-meter dark house, unique in the world, located in the sacred land of the Laguna de Ubaque, with all the comforts of home: spacious, cozy rest areas and discreet delivery of food and water to maintain isolation.
- Silence: Much of the retreat is conducted in silence to deepen introspection and presence, with guided moments for meditations and specific practices.
- Preparation: No prior meditation experience is required, only a willingness to embrace introspection, silence, and relaxation. Participants receive pre-retreat guidance to prepare mentally and physically.
Who Is This Retreat For?
This retreat is for anyone seeking to reconnect with their true essence, whether you’re a meditation beginner or an experienced practitioner. If you feel lost in the dream of your own creation, yearning to rediscover your purpose and potential, the Arcobaque Darkness Retreat offers a transformative path to clarity, peace, and self-realization in the sacred heart of the Laguna de Ubaque.
Join Us
Step into the darkness and silence to find your light. The Arcobaque Darkness Retreat, unique in Colombia, is more than a retreat: it’s a five-day journey to the peace that resides in the truth of who you are. Contact us to reserve your spot and begin the process of rediscovering the perfection within.
PRICES
»5 nights 6 days + 1 day before and 1 day after.
1.000 us
»7 nights 8 days + 1 day before and 1 day after.
1.500 us
»8 nights 12 days + 1 day before and 1 day after.
2.000 us
Every rate corresponds to one person only.
Bookings
Dark Retreat
If you are interested in booking Arcobaque House to begin your dark retreat, we invite you to reach out to us. We would be delighted to provide you with all the necessary information, check available dates, and coordinate all the details to ensure that your experience is as fulfilling as possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any inquiries or to schedule your reservation.
DARK RETREAT
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
1- To feel comfortable throughout the experience, bring comfortable clothing, two light jackets, and one for the cold. We do not have immediate laundry service for drying, so bring enough changes of clothes.
2- Bring your own water bottle with a secure lid to prevent spills if it falls.
3- You have three meals a day. If you need additional food, do not consume it in your room or any space other than the designated eating area. Request the portion you need from what you bring so we can have it ready for you in the dining area, minimizing disruption to your fellow participants. The goal is to keep all spaces as clean as possible.
4- Bring your own towel; quick-dry sports towels work best. We will provide an additional towel so you always have a clean one.
5- The entire menu for the experience is vegetarian. If you have any dietary restrictions or require a special diet, please let us know.
6- Transportation is not included in the price of the experience. If you need to arrange it, please let us know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Doing a dark retreat is a unique experience and very different from a retreat in the light. If you don’t have a consistent practice, it can be easy to become bored or waste time just thinking and daydreaming. However, if you have meditation experience and are looking to deepen your practice, the dark retreat is an incredible container for that. So far, we have received remarkable reports from almost everyone who has participated in our dark retreat, whether during 72 hours in a group or individually and exclusively in the entire space.
Sometimes you may feel the need to leave the Dark Retreat earlier than planned. This can happen because you feel the process is complete, the Dark Retreat is more intense than you imagined, you were too ambitious with your booking and reserved more days than you could complete, or for other reasons.
It’s not common for people to leave early, but it does happen. When you are inside the Dark Retreat, it is closed from the inside, and you can exit at any time. If you leave early, you may wish to stay in one of our other accommodations to complete your additional days at an extra cost, and we do not offer refunds or compensation for the days missed in the Dark Retreat.
It’s not common for people to leave early, but it does happen. When you are inside the Dark Retreat, it is closed from the inside, and you can exit at any time. If you leave early, you may wish to stay in one of our other accommodations to complete your additional days at an extra cost, and we do not offer refunds or compensation for the days missed in the Dark Retreat.
There are two meals per day during the Dark Retreat. You will eat in complete darkness, and we will collect the dishes afterward. Special food requests should be arranged in advance. If you need additional food, you can request it, but it will incur an extra cost.
Visions are common during a Dark Retreat, though they should not be the primary reason for entering. The Dark Retreat should not be used as a way to seek a “natural high” or to experience DMT effects. Sometimes, DMT is naturally released during the dark retreat due to hormonal changes in the body, but it should be observed in the same way as thoughts that come and go. We have found that people with fewer expectations often have the deepest insights.
Two meals are served each day inside the Dark Retreat. Here’s an idea of what each meal includes:
Breakfast: Fresh fruit or whole grain oatmeal topped with nuts, seeds, coconut, cacao nibs, etc., served with a large thermos of herbal tea made from fresh garden herbs.
Lunch: Grains (such as brown rice, noodles, pasta, couscous, quinoa, etc.) with vegetables prepared with various spices and flavors (such as Asian-style stir-fries, Indian-style curries, Italian-style sauces, etc.), topped with nuts and seeds, and often fresh avocado from our garden.
Portion sizes are generous, but if you need additional snacks, we can provide a bag of toasted nuts and seeds or bananas (for a small additional cost).
Breakfast: Fresh fruit or whole grain oatmeal topped with nuts, seeds, coconut, cacao nibs, etc., served with a large thermos of herbal tea made from fresh garden herbs.
Lunch: Grains (such as brown rice, noodles, pasta, couscous, quinoa, etc.) with vegetables prepared with various spices and flavors (such as Asian-style stir-fries, Indian-style curries, Italian-style sauces, etc.), topped with nuts and seeds, and often fresh avocado from our garden.
Portion sizes are generous, but if you need additional snacks, we can provide a bag of toasted nuts and seeds or bananas (for a small additional cost).
While the Dark Retreat is open to meditators of all experience levels, it is a very intense practice. We highly recommend that you have some experience with group and/or solo retreats and a solid daily meditation practice before attempting a dark retreat.
If you wish to take the Dark Retreat individually, you must undergo an interview to be accepted beforehand. If you wish to be guided by Santiago Rojas, simply enroll.
If you wish to take the Dark Retreat individually, you must undergo an interview to be accepted beforehand. If you wish to be guided by Santiago Rojas, simply enroll.
The Dark Retreat is open to those who are drawn to deeply immerse themselves and rest in quiet meditation for many hours a day over several days. Although we do not exclude anyone from the opportunity for this deep immersion in solitude and darkness, we do not recommend entering the Dark Retreat if you have a long history of mental illness, addiction, or hospitalization, or if you are currently in a mentally unstable state, have a chronic physical illness, or are working through an addiction at this time.
The only rules Arcobaque asks you to follow while you are in the Dark Retreat are as follows:
The use of drugs, alcohol, or medicinal plants is not allowed inside the Dark Retreat.
Fasting for more than three days is not permitted inside the Dark Retreat.
Please leave the space as you found it and replace anything that may break or get damaged during your stay.
We recommend that you leave your phone with us to be stored in our safe upon arrival to avoid temptation while you are in the Dark Retreat.
The use of drugs, alcohol, or medicinal plants is not allowed inside the Dark Retreat.
Fasting for more than three days is not permitted inside the Dark Retreat.
Please leave the space as you found it and replace anything that may break or get damaged during your stay.
We recommend that you leave your phone with us to be stored in our safe upon arrival to avoid temptation while you are in the Dark Retreat.
To prepare for the Dark Retreat, you don’t need to do too much. Simply eat healthily, avoid alcohol, coffee, meat, and sugar for a few days before entering, and get plenty of sleep. Come with an open mind and heart, and be ready for a deep (and potentially challenging) journey.
The temperature in the dark retreat ranges between 20°C (68°F) and 25°C (78°F), with fresh air pumped in continuously. It’s a good idea to bring a pair of warm socks and a sweater.
Yes, there is a warm solar shower.
There is unlimited filtered tap water inside the Dark Retreat where you can fill your bottle or cup to drink.
At Arcobaque, we have designed the Dark Retreat so that couples can do a retreat together. There are two separate beds and a large space for practice between them. There is a shared bathroom.
We allow people to enter the darkness at sunset (around 5:00 p.m.) and exit at sunrise (around 5:30 a.m.) to give your eyes a chance to gradually readjust to the light. It’s a great idea to consider booking a few extra nights in one of our cabins or private rooms both before entering the dark retreat and afterward, to deepen your retreat and re-integrate into the light more smoothly.
Yes, the door is closed from the inside, so you can open it and leave at any time if necessary. We are always available to provide assistance if needed.
At Arcobaque, we require full payment in advance to confirm all Dark Retreat reservations. All payments are fully refundable, minus a processing fee of $200 USD. Payments are non-refundable if canceled three months or less before the start of your retreat. Once your retreat has started, Arcobaque cannot offer a refund if you decide to leave early or skip meals that were ordered in advance.
