The Anchoresses

Women in the walls.

This week, on The Moon in Carolina podcast, I spoke about The Anchoresses, the women of medieval Europe who chose to be walled into a small stone room for the duration of their lives.

They chose it.

They petitioned, they trained, and they prayed for the opportunity to be secluded. In medieval Europe, this was a better option for some than to be a woman living “freely.” It provided shelter, food, and safety, which were not always available at the time.

This choice was a privilege, while appearing as a prison. It allowed the woman inside to shed all of her worldly worries and go inward. She became pure magic, revered by the people living outside and honored as an unbiased confidant.

And, she was allowed a cat.

You can find the full episode here. I would love to hear your thoughts on this practice. Also, how can we mimic it in our modern lives?