“Darkness is a truthteller,” writes Holecek. “Darkness is exacting. The question to reflect upon is how willing are you to be exposed?” In this book, Holecek invites readers to reconnect with darkness and rediscover its many benefits. He introduces readers to the ancient wisdom of dark immersion, providing step-by-step guidance to help them determine if this practice is right for them, how to practice it safely, what kinds of challenges arise from the practice, and how to integrate its insights.
Full of wisdom teachings, easy home practice, checklists, and his own stories of over thirty years of dark retreat practice, Holecek makes this ancient practice accessible for our modern age, reintegrating darkness into our light-polluted lives.
About the Author :
Andrew Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is the author of nine books. For more, visit andrewholecek.com.
Review :
"I read Total Eclipse of the Mind with the particular curiosity and attentiveness of one who has also entered into darkness as a spiritual practice and creative adventure. Andrew Holecek writes brilliantly not only about his own experience with the sacred tool of darkness, but also the history and mythology of the practice. I love that he treats the absence of light not as an enemy but as a collaborator-one that strips distraction, sharpens perception, and invites wonder. This book will be a beautiful companion to anyone who, like me, is curious about how entering the darkness can bring us closer to the light."
-Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and All the Way to the River
"There is immense value to spending time in darkness and this book provides a pathway into this revolutionary practice-and helps you access more of what I call your Self. An original contribution that will reorient your relationship with darkness."
-Richard Schwartz, PhD, author of No Bad Parts and founder of Internal Family Systems.
"Physical and metaphysical light pollution is pulling us away from ourselves, distracting us from who we truly are. The result is a world that has lost its way in the light. Andrew's writing is like walking with a dear friend who is expertly and lovingly guiding us through the deepest passages of our mind. This book will help you find your way back-and reconnect to what really matters."
-Judson Brewer MD PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety
"Andrew Holecek's masterful introduction to the ancient Tibetan practice of dark retreat centers on a life-affirming but paradoxical contrast: the illusion of seeing in the light versus the profound wisdom found in prolonged darkness. This book offers a visceral path to experiencing the no-thing that is the self."
-Christof Koch, PhD, Neuroscientist, author of Then I Am Myself the World
"Andrew has written a masterpiece through his years of direct experience with the Dark. Let this book guide you to inner change for the better."
-Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD - founder of Blue Spirit, Costa Rica and Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York
