Solitude and Silence: Catherine of Siena: The Interior Cell

Catherine of Siena (d. 1380) was a Dominican tertiary who lived an active life of service while maintaining deep interior solitude. Her spiritual director, Raymond of Capua, recorded her teaching on "the interior cell" -- an inner place of solitude that one carries everywhere. Catherine said: "Build yourself a cell in your heart and retire there to pray." This democratized solitude, making it available to anyone regardless of circumstances.

Catherine demonstrated that exterior solitude is not always necessary for interior communion with God. She maintained her prayer life while caring for the sick, negotiating with popes, and traveling extensively. Her "Dialogue" records conversations with God that occurred in the midst of an extraordinarily busy life.

Practical application: Create a mental image of your "interior cell" -- a quiet, peaceful place where you meet God. It might be a garden, a chapel, a mountainside, or a simple room. Throughout the day, especially in stressful moments, briefly "enter" this interior space. Catherine teaches that the most portable solitude is the solitude of the heart.