House of the beloved has its origins in the Monastery Brussels, an initiative of Elke van Campenhout and Stijn Smeets. Founded in 2015 in Sint-Joost-ten-Node, this trans-spiritual residential community intended to:
“… rethink our lives and relationship to the others and the world around through actively engaging in spiritual practice and research. Supported by a monastic rhythm of shared meditation, prayer, body practices and meals, participants are invited to develop their own spiritual path through study, individual practices, and community contribution. In an atmosphere of radical intellectual freedom and openness to diverse spiritual practices, understanding of the (non-)self is deepened and conditions for relational transformation are created.”
The monastery Brussels, mission statement, Elke van Campenhout & Stijn Smeets
In the Summer of 2020, the monastery moved to two new locations. Elke van Campenhout continued the Monastery Brussels in Solwaster (south of Liège), Stijn Smeets continued in Tongeren (north of Liège), renaming it to “The House of the beloved”.