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This practice calmed my nervous system more than anything else

This practice calmed my nervous system more than anything else

For the overstimulated, the tired the giving-too-much souls, this meditation practice is a game-changer.

Essi Auguste Virtanen
February 24, 2026

Hello lovely souls,

I want to share something a little vulnerable.

After burning out — twice — I realised the only thing that truly helped me come back to myself was to stop. To really get quiet.

Darkness, specifically.
Removing the stimulation.
The noise.
The constant pressure of notifications.

In the dark, I could finally hear myself again.

Over the last few months, one practice has been a complete game-changer in my recovery:

Dark Meditation.

I’ve practiced meditation in many different ways over the years but nothing has impacted me quite like this.

What is Dark Meditation?

It’s an ancient practice of sitting in total, uninterrupted darkness to eliminate external stimuli and allow the nervous system to settle.

When we remove visual noise, we see more.
When we remove sound, we hear more.
When we remove stimulation, we meet ourselves.

In the absence of light, the mind gently turns inward. What often follows is deeper intuition, profound relaxation, emotional release, and sometimes even unexpected visualisations.

You may have heard of dark retreats where people sit in complete darkness for days at a time. I have always been drawn to those but have not had the chance to go yet.

However, I thought, “I can start small doing short practices by myself.
Then I thought, “would other people find this practice as powerful as I did?”

A week ago, I invited a small group of sisters from our community to join me online on a Tuesday evening. We stayed together for an hour, but only 10 minutes were spent in intentional darkness. Before that, we landed slowly — grounding breath, sensory awareness, arriving into our bodies.

There we were.
Zoom windows dimmed.
Each of us in our own homes.
Choosing to intentionally sit in the dark — together.

The feedback was profound.

Most women felt calmer and more present in their bodies afterwards. Some experienced visualisations. Others felt emotional release.

“Feeling and allowing is so important, and this session encouraged that. ❤️”

“The 10 minutes went by really fast and love the idea of increasing the time a little bit each time. I loved meditating in the dark. I had never done that before!”

“Came in a bit disconnected but afterwards felt a lot calmer and present in my body, thank you! 😊”

Because of this response (and because I feel the nudge too strongly to ignore), I’ve decided to continue.

I’ll be holding another session next Tuesday
March 3rd, 8–9pm UK time.

And I want to invite you to join me for a complimentary session.
This invite is exclusive for you my dear community member and supporter. 🙂

All I ask is for you to fill out a feedback form after the session.

This is for you if:

• You feel overstimulated or overwhelmed
• You’ve been giving a lot and need to receive
• You feel burnt out and need to refill your cup
• You crave stillness but struggle to create it alone
• You want quiet… without feeling isolated

What you’ll receive:

• A grounding arrival breath practice
• A short intention-setting aligned with the Full Moon
• A guided 5-minute sensory meditation
• A 10-minute silent darkness meditation for inner listening
• Journaling and gentle integration
• Optional sharing in a confidential, supportive space

This is a 60-minute online meditation experience designed to help you step away from noise and reconnect with your inner world and your inner voice.

Self-connection can feel hard to do alone. So let’s make it easier by doing it together, in the safety of our own homes.

If this speaks to you, reply to this email, and I’ll send you the Zoom link and all details.

With gratitude,
Essi x

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