The Out of Room Experience

"The Out of Room Experience" is the story of how James Mattingly was liberated from the captivation of an immaterial room. This room was his place of refuge, and it had a life of its own. Its walls were built as a defense against reality. Behind them lived his real self, afraid of being exposed, yet longing to emerge. And while that half was being suppressed, the room composed a false self whose goal was to fabricate the appearance of happiness. His happy self became the imposter who posed as a success for the community. This split-person process was proposed by the room with the promise of peace. But it was fraudulent. The splitting into two selves became an illusory routine, a chronic withdrawal, and a loft y escape from reality.

This is the author's personal story of how excessive introspection led him to the isolation and despair of this analogical room. But it was introspection that eventually began the quest of rescuing his withdrawn self and bringing him back to reality-a reliable reality in which his real self sought to live fearlessly and authentically.