delights of self-revelation
The Anchorite
​"I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary.
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life..."
Henry David Thoreau
Origin Story
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July 3, 2023
"This morning, I was willing to ask myself why I was so angry- to sit in that discomfort and understand it. And knowing that it's about not feeling good enough signals a need to focus on accomplishing day- to- day tasks that make me feel capable and proud of myself. I also need to remember all the ways I'm doing things right. Tomorrow is Independence Day, and I am making a serious effort to hit reset.
It really is about being alone now. I was afraid I couldn't hack it on my own; now, I do the part I avoided all those years ago: I take care of myself. "
How does a 46-year-old not know how to take care of herself?
Expert-level avoidance.
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Then a 23-year marriage ends, a child leaves the state for college, and even the dogs accompany your youngest back and forth between households.
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Profound silence emerges, and avoidance is a challenge.
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I certainly gave it my all exploring various methods of abandoning myself- terrified to be alone with this woman I felt I hardly knew.
What would happen if it was just me and ME?
Two years later, I finally want to know the answer.
Definition & Navigation
ANCHORITE
Julian of Norwich was an anchoress, or religious recluse, and the author of Revelations of Divine Love, written in her recovery following reported deathbed visions of Christ. While I was raised Catholic, and often feel tucked away from the world in my house, my use of the word ANCHORITE is secular, somewhat spiritual, and mostly playful.
Huzzah! If you have watched the Hulu series The Great, you are familiar with this joyful expression of self-actualization.
In her day, Catherine the Great was the most powerful woman in the world and responsible for the world's most renowned art collection- The Hermitage. I view my house as a wonderful, evolving work of art- a sanctuary for my own self-actualization.​
Besides being one of the BEST Blondie songs ever, rapture is about ecstatic happiness. Because this blog is an exploration of selfhood, it is also an appreciation of the every day- just as Whitman sought to "lean and loafe" and "invite [his] soul observing a spear of summer grass," I give gratitude to the simple.
When we take a book into our heart, it is sacred. To me, this happens when any text causes deep reflection through an encounter with universally beautiful or true language. Song lyrics, literature, poetry, philosophy, and yes- "self-help" texts alike- anything that holds up a mirror to my experience and allows growth is worthy of divine exploration.
Genesis's myth of the Tower of Babel explains the origin of various languages and cultures. It's a story of a wrathful god punishing human hubris through division.
The Tower of Babble aims to achieve the opposite- connection through conversation. Here,The Anchorite Podcast invites you to commune with a stranger and confirm our unity in the human experience of the self.
H e l l o !
My name is Lesley Gibson.
I'm a high school English teacher and divorced mother of two who loves music, art, literature, and design. I consider my house a magical place and a reflection of my affinity for interiors. The garden, while a collaborative blueprint, is a testament to my ex's talent for cultivating distinctive plants.
​This home is a restorative space for reflection and going inward.
Anchorite is an interesting word. It has a strength that suggests the value of secluding ourselves for a devotional investigation of the Self- a celebratory quest I believe is more important than any other we undertake on this earth.
I hope my journey supports and inspires yours.