Days-Long ‘Dark Retreats’ Are the Newest Spiritual Conquest for Tech Elites

Just 12 hours after entering a pitch-black, 400-square-foot cabin dug into the hillside in southern Oregon, crypto founder Charles Hoskinson fled in terror. Hoskinson, 37, who created Cardano, the 10th biggest crypto coin—with a market cap of around $24 billion, set out to spend five days in complete darkness at the Sky Cave center “to gain a deeper understanding of myself and the world,” he told his million followers on X in early January, a couple of days before going in. But he cut his journey inward short after suffering from “terrifying shadows gnawing at my soul, sleep paralysis demons, and [an] inability to breathe,” he posted, equating the grueling overnight experience with a cult horror movie. “Much wisdom gained, but I need a few days off at the ranch since starring in The Ring wasn't on my 2025 bucket list.” Hoskinson declined to speak to WIRED for this article, but Sky Cave founder Scott Berman confirmed his attendance. Hoskinson is not the only tech elite seeking spirit ... Read full article.