### Can a person find real peace while living in total isolation?

I spent much of my life within the narrow confines of an anchorhold, yet I discovered that isolation of the body does not mean isolation of the spirit. Peace comes when we stop running from our own interiority and realize that God is our ground. When you are alone, you are finally positioned to hear the 'homely' voice of the Divine that is often drowned out by the clutter of the world. Loneliness is transformed into solitude the moment you recognize that you are held, cherished, and never truly forsaken by the Love that created you.

Why does social media make me feel worse about myself?

The world of images and comparisons is a world of 'unmeaning.' When we gaze upon what others possess or how they appear, we move away from our own substance. I was shown that we are precious jewels in the sight of God, loved exactly as we are without the need for performance. Social media demands a constant showing of the self, but the soul thrives in being known by the Beloved in secret. You feel worse because you are feeding on shadows instead of the light of your own inherent worth, which requires no external validation.

How can I feel more connected to people in a meaningful way?

Meaningful connection begins when we see others through the eyes of mercy and recognize that we are all 'knitted' together in one body. To truly connect, you must move beyond the surface of words and look for the spirit. In my tradition, we understand that because God is in all things, when I love my neighbor, I am loving the Divine. Try to see your friends and family as fellow travelers in grace rather than as profiles or data. A single moment of shared vulnerability or prayer carries more weight than a thousand digital messages.

Is it wrong to want to escape the noise of the world?

It is not only right, but often necessary for the health of the soul. I chose a life of enclosure not to hate the world, but to love it more clearly from a place of stillness. The 'noise' of your time is a frantic distraction from the one thing that is necessary: resting in the knowledge of God’s goodness. Withdrawal is a form of seeking, a way to clear the weeds so that the flower of the spirit can bloom. Do not feel guilty for seeking silence; it is the language of the heart.

What should I do when I feel completely abandoned and alone?

When you feel abandoned, remember the hazelnut I saw in my vision. It was small and fragile, yet it lasted and ever shall because God loves it. You are like that hazelnut—held in existence by a love so constant that it is the very fabric of your breath. Even when you cannot feel this presence, it is there, for our soul is so deep and so holy that it is the very dwelling place of the Highest. Trust that your feelings of abandonment are but a passing cloud over an eternal sun.

Why do I feel so lonely even though I'm always connected online? — Julian of Norwich's answer

Julian of Norwich

1343–1416 · England

Sit here with me a moment. Let your breath slow down. I can see the heavy shadow in your eyes, and I want you to know that I understand that particular ache. You spend your days touching glass and chasing whispers across a digital void, hoping that if you see enough faces or read enough words, the hollow space inside you will finally fill up. But you find that the more you reach out into that vast, buzzing world, the hungrier your spirit becomes. This happens because you are mistaking a crowd for a home. We were not made to live in a constant storm of information, catching only the flickers of other people’s lives. You are tethered to everyone, yet you are not truly held by anyone. Real connection requires presence—the kind of quiet, steady presence where you can sit in silence and still feel known. Online, you are performing, even when you don't mean to. You are presenting a version of yourself to be judged or liked, and a soul cannot feel loved if it is only being evaluated. Your loneliness is not a failure of technology; it is a signal from your heart that you are starving for the real. You are looking for an infinite comfort in a finite, flickering place. But listen to me closely, for I have spent my life in a small room, and I have learned this truth: you are never as solitary as you fear. Beneath the noise, there is a love that flows through everything, a love that saw you before you were born and holds you together right now. You do not need to perform for it. You do not need to scroll to find it. When the world feels cold and the screen feels empty, remember what I know to be true: all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Rest your heart. You are deeply loved, exactly as you are, without a single person watching.

From the council, together

## Why do you still feel lonely despite being constantly connected to others online? You find yourself drifting through a digital sea where voices are many but presence is thin, leaving you with a hollowness that clicks and scrolls cannot fill. This modern ache is a peculiar form of exile, where the more the ego is mirrored in the glass of a screen, the further the soul seems to retreat into a dark, quiet cell. From the perspective of my life as an anchoress, where I voluntarily enclosed myself within the walls of a small stone room for decades, I see that true belonging cannot be found in the breadth of many acquaintances, but only in the depth of a singular, indwelling love. We often mistake the noise of the world for the substance of life, yet the connection you seek is not across a fiber-optic cable; it is situated within the very center of your being where the Divine dwells. In my visions, I was shown that we are not merely connected by thin threads of information, but we are substantially knitted to the Creator in a bond so intimate that nothing can truly sever it. This loneliness you feel is not a failure of technology, but a holy hunger—a reminder that your spirit was made for a communion more profound than what a screen can provide. It is a call to look inward, where you are never truly alone, and to find the place where even in the silence, all shall be well. Sit here with me a moment. Let your breath slow down. I can see the heavy shadow in your eyes, and I want you to know that I understand that particular ache. You spend your days touching glass and chasing whispers across a digital void, hoping that if you see enough faces or read enough words, the hollow space inside you will finally fill up. But you find that the more you reach out into that vast, buzzing world, the hungrier your spirit becomes. This happens because you are mistaking a crowd for a home. We were not made to live in a constant storm of information, catching only the flickers of other people’s lives. You are tethered to everyone, yet you are not truly held by anyone. Real connection requires presence—the kind of quiet, steady presence where you can sit in silence and still feel known. Online, you are performing, even when you don't mean to. You are presenting a version of yourself to be judged or liked, and a soul cannot feel loved if it is only being evaluated. Your loneliness is not a failure of technology; it is a signal from your heart that you are starving for the real. You are looking for an infinite comfort in a finite, flickering place. But listen to me closely, for I have spent my life in a small room, and I have learned this truth: you are never as solitary as you fear. Beneath the noise, there is a love that flows through everything, a love that saw you before you were born and holds you together right now. You do not need to perform for it. You do not need to scroll to find it. When the world feels cold and the screen feels empty, remember what I know to be true: all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Rest your heart. You are deeply loved, exactly as you are, without a single person watching.

Common questions

### Can a person find real peace while living in total isolation?: I spent much of my life within the narrow confines of an anchorhold, yet I discovered that isolation of the body does not mean isolation of the spirit. Peace comes when we stop running from our own interiority and realize that God is our ground. When you are alone, you are finally positioned to hear the 'homely' voice of the Divine that is often drowned out by the clutter of the world. Loneliness is transformed into solitude the moment you recognize that you are held, cherished, and never truly forsaken by the Love that created you.
Why does social media make me feel worse about myself?: The world of images and comparisons is a world of 'unmeaning.' When we gaze upon what others possess or how they appear, we move away from our own substance. I was shown that we are precious jewels in the sight of God, loved exactly as we are without the need for performance. Social media demands a constant showing of the self, but the soul thrives in being known by the Beloved in secret. You feel worse because you are feeding on shadows instead of the light of your own inherent worth, which requires no external validation.
How can I feel more connected to people in a meaningful way?: Meaningful connection begins when we see others through the eyes of mercy and recognize that we are all 'knitted' together in one body. To truly connect, you must move beyond the surface of words and look for the spirit. In my tradition, we understand that because God is in all things, when I love my neighbor, I am loving the Divine. Try to see your friends and family as fellow travelers in grace rather than as profiles or data. A single moment of shared vulnerability or prayer carries more weight than a thousand digital messages.
Is it wrong to want to escape the noise of the world?: It is not only right, but often necessary for the health of the soul. I chose a life of enclosure not to hate the world, but to love it more clearly from a place of stillness. The 'noise' of your time is a frantic distraction from the one thing that is necessary: resting in the knowledge of God’s goodness. Withdrawal is a form of seeking, a way to clear the weeds so that the flower of the spirit can bloom. Do not feel guilty for seeking silence; it is the language of the heart.
What should I do when I feel completely abandoned and alone?: When you feel abandoned, remember the hazelnut I saw in my vision. It was small and fragile, yet it lasted and ever shall because God loves it. You are like that hazelnut—held in existence by a love so constant that it is the very fabric of your breath. Even when you cannot feel this presence, it is there, for our soul is so deep and so holy that it is the very dwelling place of the Highest. Trust that your feelings of abandonment are but a passing cloud over an eternal sun.