Aaron Rodgers and His Four-Day Darkness Retreat

Diego Bascur

Aaron Rodgers, future Hall of Fame quarterback and longtime Green Bay Packer, is a Super Bowl champion and a wizard with the football in his hands. In 18 seasons of playing in the NFL, Rodgers has established himself as an all-time quarterback.

He is a spiritual man as well, engrossed in the world of meditation and turning inward for truth. The man from Chico, California is no stranger to yoga and meditation retreats. He explains that these retreats have “stimulated my mind and helped me get in a better headspace and have a greater peace in my life.” peace—and it begins to transform you as you truly authentically touch what is most important to you.”

With the ending of another season, the Packers came up short, failing to make the playoffs for the 2022 campaign. Aaron Rodgers felt his time with Green Bay had come to an end. It was time to move on to a new chapter for the 39-year-old.

So how exactly does a spiritual NFL quarterback decide what to do next in their career? I will tell you how: he locks himself in a cabin in the wilderness of Southern Oregon for a four-day darkness retreat, that is how.

That is right, Aaron Rodgers, a top-tier athlete in the highest level of his sport, decided that was how he was going to decide his next move. What a zen move by the legend from Green Bay. Truly, he is a rare breed of quarterback.

And so out of the darkness, Rodgers came enlightened and clear in his purpose. His revelation was to take his talents to the New York Jets for this upcoming season. Though the teams have not yet come to an agreement on moving Rodgers to his new home in New York, he is set in his conviction, so it is only a matter of time before a trade is made.

What better way to decide where you want to go next in life than to lock yourself in complete darkness for four days? Near Klamath Falls in the Cascade-Siskiyou wilderness of Southern Oregon sits Sky Cave Retreats. Scott Berman, who runs the darkness retreats, provides insight on what exactly a darkness retreat is: “When someone goes into the darkness, all these things that were important to them like money, fame, power, status, being worthy—they all become insignificant and meaningless in the dark. In the dark, all you have is the present moment which reveals what is truly meaningful—whether it’s love, forgiveness,

Rodgers speaks about the importance of his darkness journey and being “unplugged.” “It’s just sitting in isolation, meditation, dealing with your thoughts,” he said. “We rarely even turn our phone off or put the blinds down to sleep in darkness. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Rodgers’ journey can be a lesson for us all. We can be so caught up in the noise of busy lives and a fastpaced world. Maybe we should all look for times to disconnect and focus on what is important. With all this to say, the Green Bay quarterback is a one-of-akind athlete devoted to his well-being in every sense of the term, and is now on his way to play for the New York Jets because of a darkness retreat. Wild.