The Monastic Cell – Christine Valters Paintner 

“The monastic cell is a central concept in the spirituality of the desert mothers and fathers. The outer cell is really a metaphor for the inner cell, a symbol of the deep soul work we are called to, to become fully awake. It is the place where we come into full presence with ourselves and all of our inner voices, emotions, and challenges and are called to not abandon ourselves in the process through distraction or numbing. It is also the place where we encounter God deep in our own hearts.”
— Christine Valters Paintner, PhD The Online Self-Study Retreat ~ A Midwinter God: Making a Conscious Underworld Journey