A place to breathe

This time of year tends to involve reflection and aspirations of renewal. A chance to try again. When I was considering a place for renewal, I wasn’t expecting to find it in Illinois!

We will resume travel plans and inspiration in January after a needed rest for a few weeks. Happy Holidays.
- Cris

The Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, is a beautiful building perched on the shores of Lake Michigan and so much more. It’s a space that invites people from all walks of life to pause, to breathe, and to step into something larger than themselves. Its presence is subtle yet profound, offering a place where many visitors experience what feels like a personal journey of rebirth and inner renewal. I would have thought you would need to travel to Bali for such inspiration - imagine finding it in Illinois!

From the moment you approach the temple, there’s a sense that this is more than architecture. The House of Worship is designed to convey unity, expressed through its striking nine-sided structure and soaring dome and through the openness it extends to everyone. People of all faiths or none at all are welcomed here to pray, meditate, and reflect on their own spiritual life without ceremony or clergy directing their experience. It’s a rare kind of place in the modern world, and that openness can feel like a release, an invitation to shed the expectations and noise of daily life and just exist in a moment of inner stillness.

Going Somewhere? Protect Your Trip (and Your Sanity)

Walking through the gardens that wrap around the temple’s perimeter is the first step in that process. Each garden, carefully planted and designed, seems to echo a different rhythm of nature. Fountains murmur alongside paths lined with blossoms and greenery, and with every step you take, the world behind you seems to fall away. The tranquility of this space so close to the city yet so removed from its bustle creates an environment where thinking slows down and awareness deepens. For many, that slow, calm breathing in tune with nature is the beginning of spiritual renewal.

I can’t believe we didn’t visit here when we went to Chicago. The Sears Tower is great but this would have been much better. Live and learn.

Inside, the temple is a sanctuary of light and silence. The walls are open to the sky through intricate ornamentation, and natural light pours in, illuminating the space with a soft glow that seems to wash over every visitor. There are no sermons spoken, no rituals to follow. Instead, people sit, stand, or kneel in thoughtful silence, communing with whatever feels sacred to them. Some focus on prayer, others on meditation, and still others simply sit, letting the quiet surround them like a breath. In a world full of instruction and performance, this permission to simply be can feel like a deep and unexpected rebirth.

If you feel like the calm is really unnatural - throw your phone away. Better yet, give it to a trusted friend who won’t give it back until you have achieved a state of calm. Wear a fitbit or some gadget that monitors your pulse and heart rate - you can prove you have achieved calm 😃 

The Bahá’í House of Worship also carries a powerful symbolism that enhances its impact on those who come here seeking renewal. Its architecture incorporates elements from many religious traditions, reflecting a belief in the oneness of humanity and the unity of all spiritual paths. That sense of inclusive spiritual belonging can be transformative for visitors who arrive burdened by division or conflict. Here, the idea that we are all part of a larger human story rather than isolated individuals struggling alone, is not just an abstract concept but something you can feel in the very space around you.

A friend recently commented that “people feel skinned and flayed.” It seemed a bit dramatic at the time, but she may have a point. As I contemplate the power of architecture to restore health and serenity, I am encouraged that all of us may yet be ok if we give ourselves a little break and just stop to breathe.

See you next year. Be well.

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