The diagnostic portion of the retreat begins with a "Bio-Well" scan. Developed by Russian physicist Konstantin Korotov, the Bio-Well utilizes Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) imaging to analyze the patterns of energy and stress in the body. By scanning a guest’s fingerprints, the technology generates a series of graphs and "biorhythms" that chart physical, emotional, and intellectual levels. For those skeptical of such metrics, the results can be startlingly accurate; the author’s scan reflected a significant drop in energy during the specific weeks she had spent at a veterinary neurologist with her dog.
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The resort’s founder, Josh Stanley, is no stranger to pioneering unconventional wellness movements. Stanley and his brothers were instrumental in the 2013 CBD movement, having developed the hemp strain that helped treat Charlotte Figi, a young girl with severe epilepsy. His transition from cannabis to the study of frequency represents a continued interest in therapies that sit on the edge of mainstream acceptance.
During the stay, guests are introduced to "Human Design," a postmodern mapping system that has recently gained traction on social media platforms like TikTok. Developed in 1987 by Alan Robert Krakower, who practiced under the name Ra Uru Hu, the system synthesizes elements of the Kabbalah, I Ching, numerology, the Hindu chakra system, and quantum physics. By using a guest’s birth date, time, and location, facilitators generate a "bodygraph" intended to serve as a roadmap to the inner self.
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The experience within the Dome is often described as a form of high-tech hypnosis. During one session, guests lie on the vibrating floor, staring at spiral projections on the ceiling while headphones deliver personalized messages. In a modern twist, these messages—delivered by a voice claiming to be one’s "higher self"—are crafted by AI after being fed the data from the guest’s bodygraph. While the author noted a sense of skepticism regarding the "cult-like" atmosphere of being told her own life patterns by an algorithm, the experience raised a valid question for the modern age: how much self-awareness is too much?
In an era of "biohacking" and wearable tech like the Oura Ring, there is a growing obsession with quantifying the human experience. However, as the retreat progressed, the focus shifted from data to more visceral, human interactions. Svetlana Parmar, the lead facilitator, conducted one-on-one readings that moved past technical charts into deeper conversations about aging, fear, and the realization that much of what we seek to "discover" about ourselves is already known.
