Do you have a place inside of you that you can retreat to when the outside world gets challenging?
In spirituality, we often talk about finding internal peace. One way to do that is to create a space within yourself that is just for you. It can look however you want it to. It can be whatever you want it to be. The only requirement is that it’s yours. Nobody else can access it unless you invite them in.
This space within you is your foundation. It’s your anchor point. It’s the point from which you understand yourself within the world around you. It’s a lookout, a retreat, a safe space, your hideaway within yourself for yourself.
When I first started learning about this concept of having a room or space within myself that was just for me, the standard was to imagine an open field or a flower garden. But it doesn’t have to be that. Yours can be whatever you want it to be. Mine evolved into a library—a big, open space with comfy seating, pillows on the floor, candles, reading lights, spaces to write, read, meditate, or pray.
What if the library was filled with old philosophy texts, spiritual writings, self-help guides, tarot references, tarot and oracle cards, divining rods, rune stones, pendulums, pens, paper, and computers for writing. What if the library was a spiritual retreat space where you could come to find your own Stillhouse Within?
Not very long ago my space evolved into something far more than an open field. It became something quieter, calmer, steadier. It became a Stillhouse because I was looking for a quiet space to just be my spiritual, philosophical, hermit self. With 2 kids and 2 dogs running around, I don’t always have that space. The ability to retreat is something that many people on their spiritual path want or go looking for. Running away is a somewhat common theme among spiritual seekers.
What if we look at it differently? What if instead of running away it’s about finding the peace within ourselves? Often when we start our spiritual journey, we don’t have that quiet space built within ourselves yet. Until we learn about it, we don’t understand why we need it. But there comes a point on the journey where it’s not just a nice idea anymore, it’s absolutely necessary.
The spiritual path can be a bumpy road. We can feel out of sorts and all over the place much of the time. Finding the inner stillness helps make the journey easier. But what frequently happens is that we substitute inner stillness for external stillness. Instead of finding it within ourselves, we try to run away and create it externally. If you’re like me, you can’t just pick up and leave. It’s not that simple. So what’s the solution? An inner sanctuary like The Stillhouse.
In truth, the Stillhouse isn’t just my internal space, it’s something I want to create externally for others as well. Imagine an old barn converted into a library retreat space, outside the city, away from the noise. A free space, where anyone can come and just be with themselves for a day or a few hours. We can’t all run away and live in caves, but maybe we can have free spaces that are designed to facilitate our connection to ourselves.
Maybe one day the Stillhouse will be more than just my own internal retreat. Maybe it will be something I can share with others.
Love to all.
Della