In Leon Uris’ epic novel, Trinity, a shanachie spirit appears to the young coming-of-age protagonist and speaks of the great mystery of our existence in relationship with God, others, and ourselves. He says, “We live with a number of rooms inside us. The best room is open to our family and friends…and we show our finest face in it. Another room is more private, and we permit very few others into it. There is another room where we allow no one to enter—it is a place of the most intimate thoughts we keep unshared. And in every person, there is one room more. It’s an inner chamber into which God alone has access; so hidden away is it that we don’t dare enter it ourselves. Locked inside are all the truths that are too deep to comprehend. And there is also a special chamber inside God, Himself, into which none can enter but you. There, the last of our rooms gets unlocked, and all that is unknown to you escapes, and it is revealed to you that contained, also there, are the secret things of the Father. And it is there that we catch a glimpse of the reason that we exist.”

This thoughtful image is reminiscent of Saint Teresa of Avila’s writing, Interior Castle, in which she explores various internal dwellings that eventually lead us to God’s presence deep inside, a place that we can visit in prayer or stages of spiritual grace but not remain long while in our earthen state. It also points to dreams in which we enter structures and explore various chambers while in unawakened conscious states that may reveal much about us. According to Jungian psychology, when we dream of a house, the building can be symbolic of our soul; as we make our way through different rooms we are exploring different aspects of our being.

Many dream analysts believe that the house in our dream is a direct map of our psyche where every floor, corridor, and room mirrors a different layer of our self or represents a different part of who we are. Postings on social media clearly reinforce the idea that we eagerly welcome others into our best room. We want to illustrate happiness, adventure, beauty, and friendships. But, as we all know, there are lots of other rooms: some that are dark, damp, drab, or even dangerous. Entryways may illustrate how we greet others; the main floor can reflect our daily persona in the work world or major activities; upper floors may represent our intellect or higher thinking; an attic could be forgotten memories or things that connect us to ancestors or ethnic heritage; basements or cellars can symbolize deep-seated emotions or repressed fears; stairways might depict transitions to higher levels in one’s life. Various other rooms could be specific to our nourishment (kitchen or dining room), cleanliness (bathroom), relaxation or engagement (family room), or rest and refreshment (bedroom), while secret chambers or locked doors could stand for aspects of ourselves of which we are unaware or have not yet discovered.

Carl Jung, Leon Uris, Teresa of Avila, and other spiritualists encourage us to explore our interior being because it enhances our authenticity. Beyond the best room, we also need space to worry, to weep, and to wonder. It is often helpful to do so with others we love. Our search through various chambers of self-discovery helps us find our way to God and gain a glimpse of the reason that we exist. Though we love to show off our best room and welcome others into it, we cannot stay there all the time. There are many rooms inside every human person, and we do well to explore them as part of our mysterious inhabitance.