When you listen to your grandparents talk about how the world was a few decades ago, you understand that life was much simpler and more peaceful back then. People used to do their work, tend to their families, and take some time out every day for their own selves. They used to sit on the porch, or in their backyard and just enjoy the present moment. What’s surprising is that they didn’t have to plan all of this. It was just the way of life!
Now, however, we have to actively plan and manage our routine if we want some alone time. Solitude has become a luxury of sorts. This is one of the main reasons why people are so dissatisfied, anxious, and stressed today. If we could only figure out that we need to give our own selves some time and attention too, we would all live much happier, peaceful, and balanced lives.
Contrary to what people believe, solitude is not just something you do to rest or unwind at the end of the day. It is a powerful spiritual practice that can lead to your spiritual development. It derives from the practice of mindfulness and lets you understand the value of each passing moment. It also relaxes the vibrational frequencies of your body and mind to a more pleasant level. This not only enhances your perception but also establishes a deeper connection between your higher self and the universal consciousness.
Now, let’s take a look at exactly how you should engage in this spiritual practice. Below are some points that will enrich your experience of solitude.
1. Take Some Buffer Time
It is highly likely that you would be doing some intense activity before your solitude practice. Your mind may be rushing with thoughts and your heart may be filled with a plethora of emotions. If you start your practice in this heightened state of mental activity, it won’t lead to anything meaningful. Therefore, you need to take some buffer time and essentially prepare to spend time alone.
You don’t need to do much to enter the required state. Just take a few breaths and mentally prepare yourself to unwind. Leave your worries and stressors behind and picture yourself entering a time bubble filled with bliss and joy. If you do it right, this shouldn’t take more than five minutes. Once you are ready, you can proceed to the next step.
2. Choose A Place Where You Won’t Be Disturbed
Solitude, by definition, is a state where you are alone. This peaceful state can be disturbed if someone else enters your space or you can hear their voice. So, you should be careful about choosing the right place. If you are at your home, you can retire to your room and ask other members of the family to not disturb you for a while. If that is not possible, you could also go in your car and spend some time there!
You could even go for a solo walk in the park. Yes, it won’t be devoid of noise, but that’s ok. To your brain, it will be a part of ambient sound and it won’t disturb you. Rather, you will have the added benefit of being amidst mother nature. Just make sure you don’t bring any music or book with you. The idea is to spend time with yourself, not to get entertained!
3. Pay Attention To Your Surrounding
You could consider this step as the start of the spiritual practice of solitude. When you are sitting by yourself, you should pay as much attention as possible to your surrounding. Take note of all the little details that you might have never noticed before. If you are at a park, just listen to how the birds chirp, how the wind feels against your skin, how the clouds move rhythmically, how the leaves sway, and anything else you can lay your eyes upon.
It might not sound much, but this practice will contribute a lot to your spiritual development. After all, this part is like practicing mindfulness, which has tremendous benefits. Not only will you enjoy the present moment, but you will also learn the value of the littlest of things. You will understand just how much beauty nature has packed inside every small thing. It will fill your heart with bliss and ecstasy and your mind with pleasant curiosity.
4. Be Aware of Who You Are
Lastly, a solitude session is incomplete without you becoming more aware of who you are. During the day, you might not get the time to ponder over your thoughts, emotions, preferences, values, principles, and other fundamental characteristics of yours. However, during some alone time, you could think about these things and get to know yourself better.
This provides the perfect opportunity to perceive things in a non-judgmental manner and understand what steps you need to take to become a better person. At the end of it, you walk away with a clearer head and more motivation than ever before. If you can incorporate solitude into your daily routine, it will do wonders for your personal and spiritual development.
Final Thoughts
In the modern-day world that we live in, taking some time off for your own self has become quite a task. You have to manage your time just to be able to carve out 15 minutes for yourself. Regardless, it is quite vital that you do so. This little time every day could transform your entire life, the way you view the world, and the way you perceive yourself.
There are just a handful of things you need to keep in mind to practice solitude. These will ensure that you are doing it right and can reap the full set of benefits. To take things up a notch, you can encourage your family members and friends to do this as well. It will lead to a much happier family atmosphere and much stronger bonds with those you care about.
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