Leaving the monastery

Melkor,  the Dark Lord, from Tolkien's Simarillion by Formenost I have been on a journey which has been both reflective and transformative. The monastic environment I have enjoyed for the past four years has allowed me the necessary space and time to dedicate myself to a deeper understanding of human motivations. Ultimately, it was a voyage of both self-discovery and achieving gnosis. By releasing self-blame I allowed myself to rise above a situation that once caused so much anger. This progression—from confusion, anger, and self-criticism to clarity, acceptance, and self-worth—was incredibly empowering. Reaching a place of peace and strength through such introspective work is a testament to both the supportive power of monastic life and to my own resilience. I knew how I ended up in the monastery, by choice. I did not like that others believed that they had been able to abuse their perceived authority over me and force me into something against my will. The first thirteen months o