I was walking above the spectacular Teign Gorge last week (see photo, along with some tree roots from Venford reservoir), when I was gripped by a feeling of loneliness. After a minute or two, I thought I don't have to accept this painful feeling uncritically. The answer isn't necessarily to be around more people, and it certainly isn't the answer to put the sticking plaster of a relationship over it.
No, it's telling me something: stay with it, disidentify. Some people happily live as hermits. I could see how accepted as it is, loneliness can corrode you, it can eventually kill you, probably along with a load of self-medication along the way.
Loneliness is a feeling of lack of connection. We have a profound need to be connected, and life can seem not worth living without it. Having others around can be a superficial way of doing this. That is why being around others can be a lonely place, if they are satisfied with a level of connection that you are not.
The real connection that loneliness asks of us is with ourselves and therefore with Spirit and the whole universe. We are the whole universe. You can imagine your spirit helpers saying why are you feeling lonely? Have you forgotten about us? We are always here around you, wanting to connect, we love you, the universe loves you. This is what you will return to when you die.
So loneliness is our friend, if we rise to her challenge. Being on our own is often the time when we can connect most deeply to Spirit.
Here’s to loneliness :-). I understand the poetic approach better than yours but sometimes they appear to be quite similar. You might enjoy listening to this podcast with David Whyte, poet and philosopher https://podtail.com/podcast/the-lonely-hour/-33-how-loneliness-tells-you-where-to-go-with-davi/
ReplyDeletePS: Happy birthday, Barry
PPS: From Nuria
Hello Nuria, Nice to hear from you :)
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