Aaron Rodgers darkness retreat, explained: Why Packers QB is spending four days in isolation

The Packers have some key questions to answer during the 2023 NFL offseason, but they can’t answer any of them until they know something about Aaron Rodgers’ future.

Rodgers, 39, is considering whether to continue his NFL career or retire. If he wants to continue playing, Green Bay will have to choose between Rodgers and Jordan Love as the top quarterback, so each side needs to prepare for both choices.

However, the Packers won’t be able to make a decision about Rodgers until the veteran quarterback has done something he’s long hoped for: retreat into the dark.

Yes, Rodgers will spend several days in an isolation room. It’s pitch black and he hopes that the sensory deprivation will give him a once in a lifetime experience.

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Of course, NFL fans are very curious as to what exactly a retreat into isolation entails. Luckily, Rodgers guided fans through before heading out for a life-changing experience.

Here’s what you should know about Rodger’s retreat into darkness as he prepares to go into isolation.

What is Aaron Rodgers’ Dark Retreat?

Rodgers’ retreat into darkness is exactly what it sounds like. He said he will spend several days in complete darkness to try and have some “profound experiences”.

What exactly does this experience entail? Rodgers detailed on “The Pat McAfee Show‘ that it would contain:

• He will be alone in a room for the duration of darkness.
• He is provided with a toilet and a bathtub in the middle of the room.
• He is provided with food by those who lead the retreat. It arrives once a day via a two-way slot in the door.
• The experience will include “a lot of sleeping”.
• He will be sober during the event.

Rodgers also stated that he didn’t have to stay for the entire event. If he had any problem with his introspective journey, he could call out a “hearing aid” and leave the room.

“If it’s too much, then I just go out” he said. “The door is unlocked. If you want to go, go.”

So now you know what a retreat into darkness is, but its description just raises one more question that needs to be asked.

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Why is Aaron Rodgers doing a darkness retreat?

Indeed, many will wonder why Rodgers decided to continue this experience, but he has a reason for it.

Rodgers explained his decision to attend the event during his weekly pre-Super Bowl appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

“I’ve had a number of friends who have done it and had some profound experiences,” Rodgers said of the Darkness retreat. “It’s something that’s been on my radar for a couple of years. I felt like it would be awesome to do it regardless of where I leaned after this season.”

It’s also worth noting that the process — which Rodgers termed “isolation through sensory deprivation” — can stimulate the production of DMT, a naturally occurring psychotropic drug that can induce hallucinations.

Rodgers hopes this can help him achieve a moment of deep self-realization.

That said, he doesn’t necessarily hope that’s a clear decision about his player future, although he’ll likely ponder it during the retreat.

“I said after the Super Bowl I’m going to my retreat into the dark, I’ll probably have a better sense of where I am in my life,” Rodgers said. “I didn’t say, ‘I’m going to my Darkness Retreat just to find out if I’m going to play next year or retire.'”

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How long is Aaron Rodgers’ darkness retreat?

Rodgers told McAfee and company that the withdrawal would take four days and four nights. It’s not clear if he will enter the room during the day or at night; It’s usually the latter for darkness retreats, so participants can leave at sunrise the next day and give their eyes the eight to 10 hours they need to readjust to the light.

Either way, Rodgers will be out of the loop for a few days before the important offseason of Packers decisions can begin.

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When did Aaron Rodgers begin his retreat into darkness?

Rodgers didn’t give a clear start date for his retirement, but he did tell McAfee on February 14 that it would take place “at the end of the week.” So it’s safe to assume he’ll start the trip sometime on Thursday or Friday.

Whenever it is, the Packers will likely be glad when it’s over. They face a critical offseason as they try to make a decision on whether to stay at Rodgers as quarterback or join Love.

Green Bay won’t be able to make that choice until Rodgers decides whether he wants to play in 2023 or retire. So the Packers are hoping he emerges from this experience with a clear head.