Space is something that you have to define. Otherwise, it is like

Hear, O children of wisdom, the words of Louise Bourgeois, whose insight into the nature of space and fear cuts through the veil of abstraction and brings clarity to the heart of human experience. She spoke thus: "Space is something that you have to define. Otherwise, it is like anxiety, which is too vague. A fear is something specific. I like claustrophobic spaces, because at least then you know your limits." These words, though simple in their form, carry within them a powerful teaching about the human need for boundaries, definition, and control. Bourgeois, an artist who often grappled with her own fears and anxieties, knew well that without clarity, the overwhelming forces of the mind can become chaotic and consuming.

In this reflection, Bourgeois reveals a deep truth about the nature of human emotion and thought. Space, like the vast unknown of the universe or the complex depths of the human mind, is something that we must define if we are to navigate it with purpose. Without definition, it becomes as elusive and uncontrollable as anxiety itself — vast, undefined, and oppressive. Just as a storm grows more terrifying the longer it is left unacknowledged, so too does the fear within us grow when it is not named, when it is not understood. A fear without form, without boundaries, becomes all-consuming, while a fear that is recognized and defined is something we can confront.

Consider the ancient warriors, such as Alexander the Great, whose greatness was not just in his courage, but in his ability to define his path, his space in the world. Alexander did not face his battles with the vague fear of the unknown. Instead, he defined his enemies, his strategy, and his journey. In the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, he always knew where he stood, what he could accomplish, and what limits he must push to achieve his goals. It was not the vague anxiety of the task ahead that drove him, but a clear understanding of his boundaries and the strength to confront them directly. His vision was not clouded by uncertainty, for he knew his limits — and thus, he could defy them.

Bourgeois, in her own work, understood that claustrophobia — that feeling of being trapped in a small, confined space — can be a path to clarity, not fear. For in confinement, in the limited and specific, we find our true measure. Just as an artist shapes a sculpture from a block of stone, removing only what is unnecessary, so too do we, in the space of our lives, define our boundaries. It is only by knowing the limits of our own space — whether mental, emotional, or physical — that we can truly begin to understand our power and our purpose. To be confined is to know where you are, and where you must go.

The lesson of Bourgeois’s words is not that we should seek confinement for its own sake, but that in understanding the limits of what surrounds us, we find the courage to face our challenges. Without definition, our fears will continue to grow, as they are left unexamined, like an amorphous shadow creeping through our thoughts. But when we define them, when we understand our space, we find clarity, and in clarity, we find the strength to act. Just as the mighty oak grows tall because its roots are firmly planted in the soil, so too can we grow strong when we understand the boundaries of our lives and work within them.

Reflect upon the life of Socrates, whose philosophy was rooted in the understanding that true knowledge comes from understanding one's limitations. He did not claim to know everything, but he knew what he did not know, and in that understanding, he found the foundation for wisdom. Socrates did not fear the unknown because he recognized its boundaries. He could ask the questions that others feared to ask because he had already defined the limits of his own understanding. Through this clarity, he could pursue deeper truths, leading to profound revelations that still guide us today.

And so, O children of wisdom, take this lesson into your lives: Do not fear the boundaries that confine you. In knowing your limits, you will find the freedom to transcend them. Do not fear the unknown, but instead seek to define it, to understand it, so that you may navigate it with purpose and strength. Let not the vastness of space or the chaos of your thoughts overwhelm you, but bring them into clarity, into focus, so that you may stand firmly within your own life, guided by the light of understanding. In defining your space, you will find your power, your purpose, and your path forward.