Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers emerged from his darkness retreat on Wednesday. Here’s where he was staying.
Shockingly, it’s not something out of the hobbit, though it would make for a great New York City apartment.
Rodgers spent several days in a cave in southern Oregon, though said ‘cave’ isn’t what you’re thinking. There are no hibernating bears. A fire isn’t really all that necessary. Rodgers spent that time in a small, cushy one-bedroom apartment on New York’s upper east side…just transported to the woodlands in the pacific Northwest.
The future Hall-of-Fame quarterback went into the retreat hoping to “have a better sense of where I’m at in my life.” That could involve his career, family life, or anything of the sort. Prior to his retreat, Rodgers took offense to those who made light of the concept (ironically enough).
“I think we could all use a dose of turning our phones off once in a while and unplugging from society, some people don’t want to do a few days and nights of darkness, and that’s fine,” Rodgers recently said on ‘The Pat McAfee Show.‘ “But to out and out judge it like you have any understanding of it, that’s not exactly a way to come together as a society and connect better as a people.”
Packers: Photos from Aaron Rodgers darkness retreat
A look inside the Sky Cave Darkness Retreat, where Rodgers spent his time, goes to show that it’s actually rather luxurious.
A queen-sized bed, meditation rug and bath are just a few essential amenities in this quaint, 300 square foot ‘cave’, one real estate agent might say.
“If somebody’s sad in our culture, it’s like, ‘Let’s fix you immediately.’ There’s not a real genuine exploration of, ‘Why are you sad?’” Sky Cave owner Scott Berman said, per ESPN. “What happens if you just include the sadness and rest with the sadness, and be with it, without trying to change it? What happens from there? That is a unique aspect of darkness retreat.”
It’s unclear as of now whether Rodgers gained that sort of perspective, but for now it sounds like the Packers are interested in a potential return.
