Meditating in Total Darkness: Divine vs Diabolical Darkness | Andrew Holecek PART ONE
About this episode
This episode features an interview with Andrew Holecek discussing the significance and practices of meditating in total darkness.
This is PART ONE of Clear Mountain's interview with Andrew Holecek—scholar, practitioner, and "student of the night" (https://www.andrewholecek.com/). Watch PART TWO here: https://youtu.be/mGqZDbIVK0c00:00:00 - Introduction & Andrew Holecek's Background00:01:44 - Lunar Spirituality Bio & Background00:07:01 - Overview & Significance of Dark Retreat00:10:34 - Physical Setup and Environments00:12:03 - Sutra vs. Tantra Approaches00:18:26 - Comfort, Challenge, and Danger Zones00:24:03 - Testing Personal Limits and Session Duration00:25:34 - Preparing for Total Darkness00:33:17 - The Perception of Light and Openness00:34:24 - Home Simulations vs. Retreat Centers00:39:42 - Psychotherapy and Contemplative Practice00:40:43 - Indications and Contraindications00:53:34 - Signs of Dissociation and Knowing When to Stop01:03:55 - Time Perception and Circadian Rhythms01:07:22 - Egolocation and Boundaries of the SelfAndrew Holecek's Biography:Dr. Andrew Holecek is an author, concert pianist, and interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner of Vajrayāna Buddhism. A member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, he holds degrees in music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery, in…
People in this episode
Host: Clear Mountain Monastery
Guest: Andrew Holecek
Topics covered
- dark retreat
- meditation
- Vajrayāna Buddhism
- spirituality
- psychotherapy
- self-perception
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University
Books & works: Meditating in Total Darkness: Divine vs Diabolical Darkness
Places: Tibet
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