Have you ever been for a walk on a dark night or pitch-black morning and been struck by the beauty and depth of a winter sky? Or been wrapped up under the duvet after a tough day to be embraced by the quiet stillness? Perhaps you’ve meditated by candlelight and found a new level of peace? If so, you might already be counting down the days until winter’s return.
It’s not this way for everyone, of course – as anyone who struggles with long, dark nights and pitch-black mornings will attest. For them, the truncated hours of daylight often spell frustration, a lack of energy and, sometimes, sadness and foreboding. Yet darkness can be a precious resource, a comforting balm that encourages restoration, as it blocks out external distractions and helps to bring you closer to your internal landscapes. And, somewhat counterintuitively, there’s no better time to explore its benefits than at the height of summer, especially if you’re dark-averse, as you can do so in small, contained ways, knowing that when you emerge, it’ll be into the light.
Ancient practice
Embracing and learning from the dark is nothing new. For thousands of years, darkness retreats have been used as a route to self-discovery and spiritual awareness. One ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice requires advanced practitioners to spend 49 days in complete darkness. Today, there are dark-retreat centres dotted across the globe, inviting guests to unplug for days at a time. It’s a way of reconnecting and resetting that has also attracted professional athletes, including British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, who, in 2023, was reported to have spent four nights in a darkness retreat in southern Oregon in the US.
For others, working in darkness is a means of exploring the creative imagination. Sam Winston is an east-London-based artist whose work includes poetry, sketching and typography. His 2021 project, A Delicate Sight, was the culmination of 672 hours spent in a blacked-out studio, during which he created three large-scale drawings, recording notes into a dictaphone as he did so. Clearly, such extremes of sensory deprivation aren’t for the faint-hearted, but there are gentler ways to build bridges with the darkness.
Private space
‘Dancing in the dark can heighten our other senses,’ says Portugal-based Ajay Rajani, who teaches 5Rhythms, a dance practice described on its website as ‘a dynamic movement… that ignites creativity, connection and community’. Ajay, who includes dancing-in-the-dark exercises in some of his workshops, adds that ‘it’s like dancing from the inside out’. For him, the exercises are a powerful way to sense how your body moves and to connect more closely with your internal emotional landscape. As he puts it: ‘Dancing in the dark can lead to a deeper connection with our bodies and the shapes, movements and patterns we make. It reduces self-consciousness, so we can let go of self-judgment and fully inhabit our body.’
It’s easy to experiment at home, too, says Ajay: ‘Find a safe, clutter-free area. Before you start to move, take a few moments to centre yourself. Focus on your breath and soften any tension in your body. Dim the lights or use a candle to create a calming atmosphere. Pay attention to the sensations in your body as you move through a playlist or in silence. Notice the weight of your limbs, the texture of the floor and the rhythm of your breath. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to dance in the dark. The most important thing is to enjoy the process and let your body express itself and notice what happens.’
Float on
Flotation tanks are another way to experience micro doses of darkness. Sarah Rose Buldum, spa manager at The Unity Centre in Lewes, East Sussex, says: ‘They’re a brilliant way to reacquaint yourself with the darkness. And they have many benefits. By removing almost all sensory input, you’re giving yourself the chance to deeply rest, restore and relax, and potentially reach a meditative state.’
Sarah adds that, without light, the brain can enter theta brainwave states, which are associated with deep relaxation and creativity, more easily. And giving the mind a break from distractions can help it to settle, bringing greater clarity, introspection and visualisation.
She acknowledges that first-time practitioners might be nervous, which is normal, but adds: ‘Remember, it’s your experience – you’re in full control. If the dark feels too much at first, you can keep the tank’s gentle underwater lights on or bring a sense of gradual comfort by turning them off when you’re ready. The idea is to create a space where you feel safe, supported and relaxed. You’re stepping into a new experience – it’s like a gentle hug for your senses.’
Taste the difference
Not convinced that dancing or floating in the dark zone’s your thing? How about eating? Dans le Noir? is a restaurant experience where diners eat in the dark. No light, no candles. The idea is that by removing the sense of sight, diners are forced to focus more on their other senses and re-evaluate their perception of taste. To this end, diners don’t choose from a menu, rather, they inform the team of any allergies or dietary restrictions and a surprise dish is created, tailored to their needs. They must rely on taste, flavour, smell and texture to discern what they’re eating – and, importantly, whether or not they like it. After the meal, diners are shown photos and given descriptions of the dishes they’ve been served, with many people said to be surprised by the differences between what they thought they’d eaten and what was actually on the plate.
‘Dining in the dark encourages people to slow down and fully engage with their meal, appreciating each bite more intentionally,’ says Jessica Faye, general manager of the London branch of Dans le Noir?. ‘It also reveals how much we rely on sight to identify and understand what we eat. Without visual cues, the process becomes more challenging, even when the flavours are familiar. For example, many of us associate a carrot with its vibrant orange colour. When that’s removed, recognising a carrot based solely on taste and texture can be surprisingly difficult. It’s a fascinating insight into how much our senses work together to create a full picture of what we are eating.’
Plan ahead
So, while winter might be a speck in the distance, now could be a good opportunity to use little pockets of time to practise becoming more comfortable with its longer, darker nights. Learning to be okay with the darkness, rather than kicking against it, might mean that by the time winter comes round again, you feel more at peace with the change of season. It won’t necessarily mean that the darkness becomes an ally, but it might make it easier to find peace.
Lights out
Ways to feel at home in the dark
Follow a bedtime routine that allows you to be in the darkness before you intend to sleep. No distractions, no lights, no phone. Relax or meditate, if that appeals. Reflect on how it feels. Does it affect the quality of your sleep?
- Listen to music with the lights out and the curtains closed. Does it change what you hear? Is it easier to become immersed in the sound or to focus on the lyrics? There’s no right or wrong.
- Stand outside on a clear, dark night. Connect with the sky – breathe it in, feel its magnitude. Listen to the sounds around you. Is it consistently dark? Are there different intensities of darkness?
- Sit in the dark for 10 minutes and draw or write what you sense. What images emerge? What memories? How is the experience? If it feels overwhelming or brings back challenging or unwanted thoughts, stop and do something else instead – whether that’s making a cup of tea or reading a chapter of a book.
And when winter does arrive…
- Spend 10 minutes in the darkness upon first waking. Don’t grab a phone or tablet. Just rest in the darkness and see how it feels. If it’s okay, try it for a few days and reflect on whether there’s any change in your response.