Image by Denis Collette...!!! via Flickr
Solitude Saturday!
"It is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult;
that something is difficult must be a reason the more for us to do it.”
— Rainer Maria Rilke
“In solitude where we are least alone” — Lord Byron
“Solitude is strength; to depend on the presence of the crowd is weakness.
"The man who needs a mob to nerve him is much more alone than he imagines.”
— Paul Brunton
Good Morning,
These past few weeks have been a great adventure for me. I am learning the fine art of spending time alone away from all of the noise of the world and the constant sounds of a ringing phones, nonsense texting, tweets, and other of life full distractions. For thime being, I have turned off my phone and have only turned on to check my work~ scheduled appointments and checked if new clients needed services. Other than that, the phone was off and I spent time meditating, reading spiritual books, watching nature, saying prayers~~~~ for myself, others, our community here on the Gulf Coast dealing with oil spills and the like. I ventured inward to connect with myself on a deeper deeper level. I found a Solitude to be comforting, soothing for my soul and just what I needed to recharge and refresh myself from a very busy summer. Ahh....how good it feels to have time to just breathe and just be.
You may think that to be alone is to be anti-social! On the contrary, solitude is undervalued these days. "Having a deep connection to yourself above others is rarely pursued as an art." We are so plugged into technology, the latest and greatest gadgets, phones, tools, and we’re news hounds, too. Unplugging is so uncommon yet so necessary. I find that people bemoan their single hood, not having full social calendars, and chilling out with a glass of wine and a remote while wearing sweatpants means you’re a loser without a life. Not true. But that’s also not the way to fully nurture yourself, either." There must be a balance.......both are necessary without a doubt!
As you know, I love having scores of friends, checking out crowds, going to the beach, and spending time with loved ones. But sometimes it’s excessive and escapist. Taking a break and a time out seems almost selfish, but it’s the opposite. It is responsible and necessary to find time to be a "recluse." It is in this solitude, I can think undisturbed, meditate, cultivate intimacy with my own needs and desires, and create, create, create!!!!!! I love to write in my journal, scribble, make collages, vision boards, listen to music, meditate, enjoy and appreciate myself.
Sometimes taking a bath, a walk, a hike, or a stroll undisturbed is when our best ideas and "epiphanies percolate without force. "They simply appear. They’re often our best because we didn’t have to brainstorm with anyone else, we didn’t have to cull them on deadline, and they’re our own, from a deep place inside…
As you know, I love having scores of friends, checking out crowds, going to the beach, and spending time with loved ones. But sometimes it’s excessive and escapist. Taking a break and a time out seems almost selfish, but it’s the opposite. It is responsible and necessary to find time to be a "recluse." It is in this solitude, I can think undisturbed, meditate, cultivate intimacy with my own needs and desires, and create, create, create!!!!!! I love to write in my journal, scribble, make collages, vision boards, listen to music, meditate, enjoy and appreciate myself.
Sometimes taking a bath, a walk, a hike, or a stroll undisturbed is when our best ideas and "epiphanies percolate without force. "They simply appear. They’re often our best because we didn’t have to brainstorm with anyone else, we didn’t have to cull them on deadline, and they’re our own, from a deep place inside…
So, whatever, whatever is going on in your world, now maybe a good time, especially since it is Saturday, to find things that please you....things that you want to do and NOT HAVE to do. I know you are extremely busy with family and friends, but can't you take just a morning or late afternoon and be alone.....and do nothing or something you want to do...
Think about it, then decide if you would appreciate.....moments in solitude!
I relish mine.....
Happy Saturday!
Live well, live boldly, and Appreciate YOU!
darlene
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