Rudy Gobert Escapes on Same “Darkness Retreat” Aaron Rodgers Did

Rudy Gobert came to the Minnesota Timberwolves last offseason bringing a load of team expectations with him. New President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, traded the future farm for him and the return was supposed to be sustained playoff success.

Rudy Gobert disappears into the darkness

But that’s not what happened. Instead, Gobert looked like a shell of himself in all areas of the game. Maybe his decline was due to the EuroBasket Championships that wore him down before the NBA season even got started. Maybe he is just getting old or didn’t transition to a new team very well…

No matter what it was, there was only one logical way to move forward after such a disappointing season. Escape into darkness, just like Aaron Rodgers did after last football season. Only in the darkness at “Sky Cave Retreats” in southern Oregon can one really get in-touch with their inner-selves. Rudy posted on Instagram after that he spent 64 hours in darkness and it was “one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had in this lifetime”.

If I ever get the chance, I will have to ask Rudy if he remembers any of his other lifetimes. Until then, I’ll just have to take his word for it. If darkness is what it takes to help get Gobert back to what he used to be on a basketball court — one of the best defensive players on the planet — then I’m all for giving him as much darkness he needs.

What is a “darkness retreat”?

Sky Cave Retreats is indeed the same place that Aaron Rodgers used for his darkness retreat. The camp consists of three hobbit looking “cabins” near Klamath Oregon, according to CNN. Each cabin includes a bed, toilet, sink and bathtub. Participants get three meals per day and limited opportunities for conversation with someone else.

“The reasons for doing this range from people wanting to know themselves more, to people who want to rest, reset and relax, to those who want to explore consciousness and deepen their meditation practice,” said Scott Berman, who owns Sky Cave Retreats along with his wife Jill, adding the darkness helps illuminate what really matters by stripping away the constant bombardment of sensory input and stimulation many people experience in their hectic modern lives.

“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,” Berman said. “In the dark, all you have is the present moment which reveals what is truly meaningful – whether it’s love, forgiveness, peace – and it begins to transform you as you truly authentically touch what is most important to you.”

CNN

Whatever it was Rudy Gobert was seeking to find in the darkness, I hope he succeeded. If Rudy continues his downward trend in productivity, the Timberwolves are in big trouble. If he turns things around, however, who knows what could happen with a team anchored by the ascending Anthony Edwards surrounded by elite pieces on offense and defense.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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