Anchorhold is an installation in the crypt of Washington’s National Cathedral. Visitors were invited to participate in contemporary and historic contemplation practices in the Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage to celebrate the 650th anniversary of Julian of Norwich’s spiritual visions. A theologian and recluse, Julian lived in a solitary chamber attached to a church (anchorhold) and wrote the earliest surviving English language text by a woman.

The temporary 8 x 8’ enclosure was constructed in the crypt next to St. Dunstan’s chapel as a site for solitary reflection and creative practice. The 8 x 8’ enclosure was lined with natural linen and furnished with a writing desk and chair. The library offered of a series of self-directed activities: meditative reading, responsive writing, and mindful drawing. Public events included labyrinth walks, a poetry workshop, and a communal reading of Julian’s Revelations of Divine Love.

Like a servant to an anchoress, I was present in the installation for seven days to perform hospitality: attending to visitors, engaging in domestic labor, and safeguarding the solitude of individuals inside the enclosure. At the end of November I staged Consumed, a durational performance centered around medieval reading practices and embodied contemplation.