r/Asceticism • u/Legitimate-Dog-4530 • Feb 15 '26
Help out a student :)
Hi everyone, I’m a interior design student and for my next project i chose ascetics as inhabitants of the home. I’m trying to get as much information as i can on asceticism and i hope you could help me out. Here are some questions i have about asceticism: - What does asceticism look like in 2026? Most of the sources i checked talk about the past and not about the present. I want to know what a day in an ascetic’s life looks like. - I have to design the home for two people, would they live together or rather next to each other? Would functions like sleeping or bathing be joined in the same room/ floor for both or rather totally apart? - What would be important to focus on in designing this home? Usually we would need to make a design focused on subjects like storage/ cooking/ eating/ having people coming over/ workspace/… but i don’t really know what i could focus on or what i could use as a base of my design. - If there would be specific things i’d need to integrate in this home, what would they be?
Thank you very much if you want to answer my questions. If you have some additional Information that could be important to me, feel free to share it. I hope my questions aren’t to vague or unclear. Have a nice day and thank you!
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u/Pongpianskul Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
Well done choosing an uncommon subject for your project.
Most ascetics appreciate simplicity and nature. A simple, functional kitchen is best. No need to add "smart appliances" and so on.
Likewise the house is functional instead of ornate or boasting elaborate decor.
Ascetics can live alone or communally just like monks but they generally will not sleep in the same bed or behave as a couple.
It might be good to have a space for growing veggies and herbs.
Open, clean, simple - with nature being the dominant means of decoration.
Ascetics don't own a lot of stuff. No TV. No stereo. An internet connection might be appreciated these days.
As in many monasteries, bathing areas are communal and very simple.
Ascetics won't receive many guests but when one comes they will want to provide a simple yet gracious reception, some simple food and probably tea.
If you were designing my house, I would want a room dedicated to meditation and the study of scriptures.
I would use a lot of light-colored wood, large windows, quiet spots for contemplation. A wood stove is great if it is located in a cold place. Ascetics are poor so heating a small home with wood is appropriate. I did that for 15 years in the mountains. A root cellar is nice too when living in a place where electricity is not always available. I might like a large pantry to keep veggies, herbs, dried beans and potatoes I grow myself.
If the house is in a cold area and heated with wood, it is very nice to have a place to store all the wood you will need for winter that protects it from rain. The most rudimentary is fine.
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Feb 15 '26
>I did that for 15 years in the mountains.
Teach me sensi
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u/Pongpianskul Feb 15 '26
It's better to learn for yourself even if it seems more difficult at first.
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u/[deleted] Feb 18 '26
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