In this episode of The Connected Community Podcast, host Nicky Yazbeck sits down with Scott Berman, founder of SkyCave Retreats, the first darkness retreat center in the United States. Scott spent nearly a decade living in solitude across the remote wilderness of Mount Shasta, California, and Southern Baja, Mexico, fasting, meditating, and immersing himself in the stillness of nature. These years of self-guided solo retreat work, combined with time spent at Goenka Vipassana centers and with teachers across multiple traditions, eventually inspired the creation of a sanctuary for others on a sincere spiritual path.

Scott reflects on his own evolution through more than 70 days in solo darkness retreats, and how, over the past six years, he has supported more than 600 retreatants through their journeys. He speaks to the profound impact of darkness and how it brings vulnerability, nervous system activation, unexpected discomfort, emotional rawness, and ultimately, deep transformation. Together, Nicky and Scott explore the intersection of darkness retreats, nervous system awareness, and the importance of safety, support, and authenticity when stepping into the unknown.

This conversation is an invitation into the inner wilderness, one where silence, mystery, and darkness become catalysts for potential transformation and awakening.

Takeaways:

• Darkness retreats can be profoundly life-changing experiences.
• Many people are surprised by the discomfort they feel in the darkness.
• Spiritual practices can sometimes hinder true emotional processing.
• The pressure of darkness can reveal hidden vulnerabilities.
• Support during a retreat is crucial for navigating fear and anxiety.
• Authenticity is often sacrificed for the sake of belonging.
• Expectations can lead to disappointment in spiritual experiences.
• Simplicity in the dark can lead to profound insights.
• The nervous system's response is key to understanding one's experience.
• Connection with facilitators is essential for a safe retreat.

Connect with me:

https://nickyYyoga.com

https://www.youtube.com/@TheConnectedCommunity

support@nickyYyoga.com

Connect with Scott:

www.skycaveretreats.com

http://www.instagram.com/skycaveretreats

https://www.facebook.com/DarkRoomRetreats

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLPXxOvnN3OmWWv3CRt5L2Q

Keywords: darkness retreats, retreats, transformation, meditation, solitude, spiritual journey, vulnerability, self-discovery, mental health, emotional healing, personal growth, nervous system

In this episode of The Connected Community: Exploring Possibility, Nicky Yazbeck sits down with Christine Renee, founder of Moon Rising Shamanic Institute, for a deeply grounded conversation on Tantra, shamanic spirituality, energy awareness, and embodied awakening. With over two decades of experience in the spiritual and healing arts, Christine serves as a bridge between worlds, guiding seekers toward remembrance, sovereignty, and ecstatic aliveness.

This episode explores Tantra beyond its common misconceptions, reframing it as a powerful spiritual practice rooted in presence, breath, sound, movement, and conscious energy cultivation rather than sexuality alone. Christine unpacks how Tantra supports emotional release, nervous system regulation, chakra alignment, and authentic self-expression, offering a path toward living fully embodied and energetically alive.

Together, Nicky and Christine discuss the importance of creating safe, intentional spaces for transformation, emphasizing consent, boundaries, and personal sovereignty as foundational elements of any intimate or energetic practice. The conversation weaves through shamanic principles, Reiki, sacred embodiment, and Tantra as a way of awakening dormant life force energy and reconnecting with the soul’s deepest truth.

Listeners are invited into a broader understanding of what it means to live an ecstatic life, not as constant pleasure, but as full-spectrum aliveness. Christine speaks to embracing the totality of the human emotional experience, allowing grief, joy, desire, stillness, and power to coexist as part of spiritual maturation. Through breathwork, sound, movement, and energy awareness, Tantra becomes a tool for self-discovery, emotional integration, and conscious connection, whether practiced solo or in relationship.

Takeaways:

• Christine Renee has over 20 years in the spiritual industry.
• She emphasizes the importance of energy awareness in personal growth.
• Tantra is often misunderstood as solely sexual; it encompasses much more.
• Personal practice in Tantra can lead to profound self-discovery.
• Breath, sound, and movement are key components of Tantra.
• Emotional release is a natural part of the Tantra experience.
• Setting boundaries is crucial in any intimate practice.
• Tantra can be practiced alone or with partners, focusing on connection.
• Creating safe spaces is essential for exploring Tantra.
• Living an ecstatic life involves embracing all emotions.

Connect with me:

https://nickyYyoga.com

https://www.youtube.com/@TheConnectedCommunity

nickynamaste@gmail.com

Connect with Christine:

mystics@moonrisinginstitute.com

moonrisinginstitute.com

www.youtube.com/@moonrisinginstitute.com

IG: @moonrising.institute

www.facebook.com/moonrisinginstitute

https://moonrisinginstitute.circle.so/c/she-who-rises/

Keywords: Tantra, energy awareness, personal sovereignty, emotional release, breath work, intimacy, sexuality, spiritual practices, self-love, ecstatic living, orgasm, eroticism