Back in 2007, losing your internet connection was a crisis. Now? It’s a status symbol.
Welcome to the latest in luxury wellness: digital fasting retreats-where the flex isn’t how many unread messages you have, but how few devices you brought.
And yes, people are paying thousands for the privilege of not checking Slack, muting their group chats, and remembering what pine trees smell like.
As the Dalai Lama once said,
“Silence is sometimes the best answer.”
Which didn’t stop a wellness startup from turning that into a $2,400 three-day retreat where your only notification is a singing bowl at sunrise.
What Is a Digital Fasting Retreat?
These aren’t just unplugged weekends. They’re curated experiences:
- No phones
- No laptops
- No internet
- No “just checking something real quick”
Instead, you get yoga, journaling prompts, plant-based meals, and group mindfulness sessions in architecturally minimalist cabins somewhere outside of cell tower range.
Some offer analog alternatives-like landline phones (for emergencies) and physical books (remember those?).
Who’s Going on These Retreats?
- Burned-out tech workers trying to remember what daylight looks like
- Influencers documenting their “offline journey” (before they go offline)
- CEOs who call it “strategic reflection time”
- Regular people who just want to eat granola without notifications
Tip for First-Time Fasters
Tell your group chat you’re leaving before you disappear.
Otherwise you’ll return to a conspiracy theory about your whereabouts and a spreadsheet of memes you missed.
The Business Behind the Stillness
These retreats aren’t cheap. In fact, the absence of connectivity is priced like a five-star amenity.
| Retreat Name | Location | Duration | Cost | Wi-Fi? |
| Grounded Wellness | California | 4 days | $2,100 | Nope |
| Lightless | Sweden | 3 days | €1,850 | Not even 3G |
| The Offline Path | Vermont | 7 days | $3,600 | Only trees |
Even traditional resorts are catching on-offering “digital detox” packages where the Wi-Fi password is not handed out at check-in (unless you really insist).
A Joke to Ease the Withdrawal
What do you call someone who pays $3,000 to turn off their phone for a weekend?
A visionary… or someone who forgot Do Not Disturb exists.
Final Reflection
Digital fasting isn’t really about hating technology. It’s about reclaiming choice. Choosing when and how to be available. Choosing slowness in a system designed for speed.
So the question is:
If silence becomes a luxury… who gets priced out of peace?