Seeking my true self, I went on a retreat promising just that—”ontmoet je echte zelf”. My cabin by the water was perfect… except for the spider. A massive, unmoving presence right above my bed. That night, fear crept in—not just of the spider, but of something deeper.

Then came the real challenge: a night alone on an island, left to face my thoughts, my memories, my past. Under the open sky, fear and stillness danced together, until something shifted.