Insight of the Week: The Meaning of Being Alone

It is true that humans are social creatures and meant to live in community. However, we have taken to living lives of distraction as opposed to lives of purpose.  Socializing is an important aspect of the human experience – what does that look like?  To very many of us it has come to mean that we fill each moment of our day with an activity.  And if no activity is at hand we are “bored”, constantly looking for the next stimulation.  This has become truer with each passing year and decade.  The advancement of technology and the fast-paced lives we lead leave little room for quieter moments.  Is it any wonder we are all so disconnected from ourselves?  For it is in the silence, without distraction that we get to know who we are.

Why are so many us afraid of the quieter moments? Of sitting with our thoughts and feelings for any significant length of time?  We have become a society of over-achievers – we have “to do” and try everything and do it all well to boot…we have to be up on all the latest tech advances, news reels and pop culture trends at the drop of a hat.  Something that is changing at such a rapid rate its hard to keep up with on a good day.  What are we trying to prove by being constantly in the know?  That we’re smart? Cultured? Valuable?  While all of these are traits to ascribe to, the question remains at what cost to our inner self and emotional well-being do we go to maintain this “in the know” status? Why have we created such a pressure cooker?

In Western culture spending time alone Is not revered as in the East, where it is considered commonplace and part of the human development.  Yet there is much to be learned from Eastern philosophies on this.  Spending a day alone doing nothing of any significance is not “unproductive,” it’s actually quite productive to learn to just “be”.  The state of just “Being” allows for creative thought, inspiration, re-evaluation and re-direction of our lives.  It allows for the processing of pent up emotions needing to be healed and released. In short, it allows us to breathe into who we are instead of who we think we should be.  Counterintuitive as it might seem, this is the most valuable time you can spend and although many feel “lonely” or “alone” you are not.  Being with yourself is the most complete you will ever feel as it can fill you in a way no-one else can when embraced properly and for its sole purpose of re-connecting you to yourself and your source.  Try taking your next adventure solo and see where it takes you.