IX The Hermit

from Luna Van Arsdale - Interior Architecture Portfolio

by Luna Van Arsdale

03 CAVE OF CURIOSITY

Qualities: Quiet, Wisdom, Solitude

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” - Joseph Campbell

The bat represents the hermit, he who closes one door to enter another; both seeker and guide. Taking the lonely path in search of solitude, he is known to go into the cave to “die” to then emerge as a unified consciousness. He wanders without fear, without searching, emptying the cluttered mind through deep meditation, any action must be aligned with one’s own truth. He symbolizes a retreat and journey towards a sacred land. He is his own north star, knowing that his destination will always and forever be within. At a high vibration, the hermit surrenders, allowing the tides of life to guide him, inviting contemplation and seclusion. He ultimately represents completion. When out of balance, the hermit starts something without completing it, he renounces only to go back on his word. Therefore, this bath is an invitation to recede, to fold inwards and recognize yourself the beginning, the middle, and the end of your journey. To contemplate on the cosmos within and what you must complete to move forward, while remaining present. LIGHT

Wisdom,

ALTAR(ED) SPACES AT RENWICK RUINS | Landscape Plan

Through voluntary isolation, people will experience an inward turn to sit with themselves and unmask that which they have rejected about their nature.

By turning inwards, we are able to connect to rejected aspects of self and rejected ancestors to unmask shadows, begining the journey of healing through acceptance and later integration.

The ruins are re-adapted and reclaimed, changing the notion of isolation from a forced sentence to a sort of respite. Following the boundaries of the old building, a new future is envisioned.

The community has a place to relax, socialize, and congregate, collapsing social classes and ritualizing the practice of bathing and self-care.

The ruins will become a safe haven for both human and plant life. The space will sustain biological diversity and bridge humans with nature through a ritualistic lens.