Andrew Holecek is an author, speaker, and humanitarian who offers seminars internationally on meditation, lucid dreaming, and the art of dying. He is the author of many books, including The Power and the Pain: Transforming Spiritual Hardship into Joy, and Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the coauthor of scientific papers on lucid dreaming. His work has appeared in Psychology Today, Parabola, Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Utne Reader, Buddhadharma Magazine, Light of Consciousness, and many other periodicals. He also hosts the popular Edge of Mind podcast, conversations with leading-edge thinkers in the fields of science, philosophy, spirituality, psychology, integral studies, and the arts. Andrew is the founder of the international Night Club community, a support platform for the nocturnal meditations, and the co-founder of Global Dental Relief, which provides free oral health care to children in developing countries. He holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery. Learn more at andrewholecek.com.
Details of this retreat
The path to the Clearlight—or prabhāsvarā in Sanskrit—points to the indescribable essence of ultimate freedom, a nondual reality only accessible through direct experience. Enlightened beings speak of this radiant transparency as the very nature of mind.
Join Andrew Holecek for a transformative retreat where the subtle teachings of yogas, tantras, and texts like the Book of Natural Liberation (also known as the Tibetan Book of the Dead) come alive. Paradoxically, the doorway to this luminous clarity often begins with an experience of darkness.
As interest in nonduality grows, so too does the resurgence of an ancient practice: dark retreat. This immersive exploration offers one of the most powerful ways to encounter the boundary between light, darkness, and the nondual.
In this retreat, you will:
Discover how dark retreat connects to the experience of nonduality.
Learn the foundational teachings on the clearlight of freedom.
Receive practical guidance for beginning dark practice at home and transitioning into formal retreat.
Explore how darkness opens the mind to deeper reality, accelerates healing, and sparks creativity.
Understand how dark retreat, like plant medicine, functions as a natural psychedelic—you become the medicine.
Gain tools for integrating your experiences and preparing for a fearless encounter with death.
Learn how this ancient practice can help us meet today’s planetary meta-crises with clarity and courage.
This retreat is a rare opportunity to engage with deep, esoteric teachings in an accessible and experiential way.
You can view a TEDx talk of Andrew talking about the power of dark retreat.
This program offers specially prepared dark rooms where you can explore the depths of darkness with experienced guides. We also incorporate group practice with the Manta eye mask (recommended to purchase in advance), a simple tool that allows you to experience darkness in any setting. Embark on a journey of self-discovery and unlock the extraordinary potential waiting within you.
THIS PAGE IS FOR IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE REGISTRATION. TO REGISTER FOR ONLINE/VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE, PLEASE CLICK HERE
Schedule:
Monday, October 26
3 - 7 pm Arrival & Check-in
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Welcome and Intro Class
Tuesday, October 27
7 - 8 am Optional Yoga
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Morning Class
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4 pm Free Time for Spa, Hiking, R&R
2 - 3 pm Film Screening in honor of Robert Thurman
DALAI LAMA - MY RELIGION IS KINDNESS with Babeth Mondini Vanloo & John DiLeva Halpern
4 - 6 pm Afternoon Class
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Evening Class
Wednesday, October 28 - Saturday October 31
7 - 8 am Optional Yoga
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Morning Class
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4 pm Free Time for Spa, Hiking, R&R
4 - 6 pm Afternoon Class
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Evening Class
Sunday, November 1
7 - 11 am Check-out of Rooms
7 - 8 am Optional Yoga
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Morning Class
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure
*Please note that the schedule is subject to change at any time.
Deluxe King Room with King Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This Space is not ADA compliant.
Deluxe King Rooms are Available only in Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Queen
Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Double (Shared Room)
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Size Beds and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Private Bathrooms are Located in the Lhasa Inn
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Standard Single - Shared Bath
Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom
Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant
Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Standard Double Full - Shared bath (Shared Room)
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Beds and Shared Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Standard Double Twin - Shared bath (Shared Room)
Deluxe Double Room with Two Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Economy Premium Single - Shared Bath
Standard Premium Single Room with a Queen or Full Bed and Shared Bathroom
Up to 10 guests share two large bathrooms. Each bathroom has two shower stalls and two toilets.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Upper Level Of Conference Center. All calls are free of charge
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Single - Shared Bath
Standard Single Room with a Twin Bed and Shared Bathroom
Bathroom is Shared with One to Six Other Guests on Your Floor.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Double - Shared Bath (Shared Room)
Standard Double with Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
The bathroom is Shared with other rooms on the same floor.
High-speed Wi-Fi is available in the room.
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
* Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed)
* This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others
Economy Quad - Shared Bath (Shared Room)
Standard Quad Room with Quad Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.
High speed Wi-Fi is available in the room.
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
* Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed)
* This booking is for one bed in a quad shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others.
Commuter
Commuters
Menla Encourages Members of the Community to Participate in Our Wonderful Programs!
Includes Meals, Public Phone, Public Computer, and Wi-Fi Internet Available in Lhasa Inn.
Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.
Customer Reviews
4.85 out of 5.0 average rating
5.0
Verified
Quiet, peaceful, relaxing and rejuvenating
Menla is a wonderful location to attend a retreat or create your own retreat. The forest location is rejuvenating all on its own, but then you add in the delicious food, kind staff, and relaxing bedrooms, and you certainly can find yourself unwinding. I signed up for a yoga retreat, not knowing the instructors or anyone in the class. Most attendees in my retreat were already friends or followers of the instructors, but that didn't affect the quality of the experience for me. You can be a solo retreatant and have an amazing experience there. I also was concerned about the shared bathroom experience as the rooms with private baths were all sold out, but it was never an issue and the bathrooms were pristine. Lastly, I also scheduled spa services and found the practitioner to be very skilled and professional. The spa is a lovely place to spend the day drinking tea, reading books, lounging, and enjoying the small sauna areas. The 10-headed shower was delightful! If you are looking for a beautiful and natural setting, Menla is the perfect place to go!
5.0
Verified
ASKing age for roombooking
I was there with a retreat. When booking, it asks for my age and my preference (female or male) for my bathroommate, since I am in a single room and share a bathroom with another person. I chose to share with a female. First, I shared the bathroom with a couple. I didn't realize I would be sharing my bathroom with two other people, and that one of them would be male. At one point, as I was leaving the bathroom, I accidentally ran right into the male with just a towel on. Because of personal reasons, this was very challenging . Second, asking for a person's age when booking a room should be optional, or not asked at all. I can see that I was profiled and was in housing with people around my age and order. This could have been totally by coincidence.
Overall, I found the property and the experience to be wonderful. All the staff are truly loving and caring. Thank you!
5.0
Verified
A wonderful week
A magical time in the Catskills! The grounds were stunning, the facilities were great and the food was very, very good. Also, the staff were friendly and helpful. I loved my time there. The only disappointment was the spa, in that I had two appointments cancelled. I understand that staffing issues happen but I felt the level of service was not comparable to the rest of the facility although I did go on a guided hike and it was great.
5.0
Verified
Amazingly tranquil space for a retreat with great amenities
Just got home from another amazing retreat at Menla.
The lecture hall is such a great space and the audio / visual people do such an amazing job of stage managing the room with multiple cameras and mics that it makes for a great educational tool to be able to go back to such a well produced recording after. The room is large, with comfortable seating and environment.
The food in the dining hall in the Main Inn building is vegetarian and is awesome, even for omnivores like myself - didn't miss the meat at all for the week.
My room this time was in the same building as the lecture hall and was very nicely done and comfortable with an armoire, queen bed, desk and chair. My previous room had a sink and mirror, this one did not. But that was fine. Previous room in another building shared a bathroom with one other room, this one shared a bathroom with 10 other rooms, but it was a multi person bathroom with two shower stalls, two sinks and one toilet stall for men. So with a mix of genders in the rooms, you only share with about half the rooms. It worked out well. Finally, I used the recommended car service to go to and from the resort and it worked out great. The only issue with that is that the roads around campus are gravel and so if you get dropped at the Inn and walk to the Convention Center like I did with a roller bag, that can be a longish, bumpy walk while most people would be driving. No biggie, just something to keep in mind.
The spa is also amazing. The retreat I was at gave you ample free time to explore the resort and surrounding areas for hikes, etc. I got two awesome massages and the steam room and sauna in the men's room were very nice along with an automated shower that had several massage settings to choose from as well.
All in all, a great educational experience at Menla with one of my favorite Buddhist teachers, with great accommodations, great food, and great people in a beautiful setting in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
5.0
Verified
Dzogchen Retreat with Dr. Nida
As always I LOVED the retreat. Dr. Nida was amazing and I suggest you have him as often as possible. I was a commuter for this retreat so no comments on lodging. The food was excellent and I felt so good after eating there for 3 days. Loved the variety of tastes, menu. The supporting tech folks were great and the events felt well supported. Parking got tight at times and it may be worth considering widening roads and lots in areas to handle some of that overflow at peak loads. having more availability of massages during peak loads would be beneficial. for 5 day retreats i would suggest that you consider not having such larger breaks every day in the afternoon (maybe every other day) , and have more programming. coffee could be stronger, improved
Select your options
Available Dates
October 26 - November 1, 2026
Select a Room
Deluxe King
$3,534.00
Deluxe King Room with King Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This Space is not ADA compliant.
Deluxe King Rooms are Available only in Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Queen
$3,120.00
Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Double (Shared Room)
$2,634.00
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Size Beds and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Private Bathrooms are Located in the Lhasa Inn
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Standard Single - Shared Bath
$2,730.00
Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom
Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant
Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Standard Double Full - Shared bath (Shared Room)
$2,508.00
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Beds and Shared Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Standard Double Twin - Shared bath (Shared Room)
$2,382.00
Deluxe Double Room with Two Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Economy Premium Single - Shared Bath
$2,526.00
Standard Premium Single Room with a Queen or Full Bed and Shared Bathroom
Up to 10 guests share two large bathrooms. Each bathroom has two shower stalls and two toilets.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Upper Level Of Conference Center. All calls are free of charge
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Single - Shared Bath
$2,304.00
Standard Single Room with a Twin Bed and Shared Bathroom
Bathroom is Shared with One to Six Other Guests on Your Floor.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Double - Shared Bath (Shared Room)
$2,244.00
Standard Double with Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
The bathroom is Shared with other rooms on the same floor.
High-speed Wi-Fi is available in the room.
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
* Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed)
* This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others
Economy Quad - Shared Bath (Shared Room)
$1,890.00
Standard Quad Room with Quad Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.
High speed Wi-Fi is available in the room.
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
* Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed)
* This booking is for one bed in a quad shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others.
Commuter
$1,434.00
Commuters
Menla Encourages Members of the Community to Participate in Our Wonderful Programs!
Includes Meals, Public Phone, Public Computer, and Wi-Fi Internet Available in Lhasa Inn.
Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.
Cameron's Staff Pick
Top Rated
Verified
Last Chance