NFL star emerges from darkness retreat in southern Oregon

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore.– A wellness retreat outside of Ashland is getting national attention thanks to a visit this week from a star NFL quarterback.

Sky Cave Retreats offers stays in a cabin in complete darkness outside of daily check-ins and meals.

The retreats can last from three days to over a month.

Future NFL hall of fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers just wrapped up a visit to southern Oregon this week, much to the surprise of many locals.

He was here to take part in a darkness retreat.

“The rest and reprieve that happens in there is really deep,” Sky Cave Founder Scott Berman said, “through feeling rested and relaxed and also safe and held and taken care of, one can begin to attune to and be with parts of themselves that they weren’t able to be with before.”

Berman said they don’t disclose the location of the retreat in order to protect the privacy of their clients.

He said making sure the participants feel safe helps make the retreats more beneficial.

Sky Cave offers retreats that last from three days to over a month in complete darkness.

Besides daily check-ins to provide food, guests stay in a cabin in complete darkness.

The cabin is also mostly soundproof.

“The general person who is drawn to this is curious about themselves. What happens when I rest? What happens when I relax? What happens when I unplug?” Berman said.

Berman said the retreats allow guests to unplug from the world and get in touch with themselves on a deeper level.

He said darkness retreats have become much more popular over the last year and there’s currently an 18 month wait list at Sky Cave.

“We live in a culture that is totally unfamiliar with darkness,” Berman said, “we have lights, we have tons of technology, so there’s not really much time spent, if it all, in darkness.”

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NBC5 News reporter Derek Strom is from Renton, Washington. He recently graduated from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University with a degree in Broadcast News and a minor in Sports Management. He played in the drumline with the WSU marching band. These days, he plays the guitar and piano. Derek is a devoted fan of the Mariners, Seahawks, and Kraken.
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