Solitude on the Mystic Path

This afternoon I decided to take a quick nap before Aikido class. Listening to traffic go by the house, we live on an increasingly busy street, I had Alexa play forest sounds. What I got was a frothy soup of traffic, wind in the trees with occasional bird calls and, with my wife's office the next room over, various home office sounds.

While in that froth I felt a familiar desire for solitude rising. Not a new feeling, I have carried it for quite sometime now. Occasionally, I do get some time to myself, now and then, even in a quite place.

I wasn't always this way. For a long time I was able to create inner sanctuaries for solitude. Now though I need more. I don't know if this has to do with age? Or, maybe the world's response to the Covid pandemic has made solitude even more attractive? No doubt my personal development is a factor.

Time away from the crowd is definitely at the top of my priority list. An ocean beach or lonely river or mountain retreat? Somewhere to spend a day or two.

Before solitude there was another feeling. Ironically, loneliness was a challenge for quite some time. Why? The path is a lonely one. In my case I spent too many decades living in two world. The normal every day world and the real world.

Apparently, I needed to get a good long lesson about the two worlds. Eventually, I did let go of the day to day world. By then the loneliness had been gone for a while. The desire for solitude though was just beginning to show up. The deeper I dive into my path the stronger the desire.

All of this is par for the course. For many on this path seems to deal with some version of loneliness and solitude seeking. Ironically, meditation helps one deal with the day to day world uncovering sensitivities which increase the desire for alone time.

Some people say not to run from the noise. Yeah. Not buying it. As we walk this path for our growth we need some distance from the everyday world. Time and space to explore the inner spaces and other dimensions of the Cosmos.

It is kind of like Dark Sky Parks. Check out that link if you want to find one near you. Dark Sky places are where the light pollution is kept to a minimum or non-existent. You can see the stars like our predecessors not that long ago saw them. I hear the sight is awe inspiring. Hopefully, soon, I can make a trip to one of the parks near here.

There are experiences we can have which if not require are far more accessible with separation from daily life. We need our Spiritual Dark Sky where we can touch other realms.