SOLITUDE VS COMPANIONSHIP

I believe Thoreau got it perfectly right. Solitude is a companion in itself, for it compels us to explore within, it tweaks our curiosity to wander into areas that remain uncharted within our selves. 

We think we know ourselves, that we have complete and thorough knowledge of what it is to be us, but, most studies in science and psychology tell us a different story. The biggest enigma of all times is our own undiscovered self, which eludes us perpetually, it dodges us and distracts us from coming close to its true nature. Therefore, the majority of us are mysteries to ourselves. Ironically, we believe we know who we are, but that is mere illusion.

The great philosopher and my personal hero Socrates decried 'KNOW THYSELF' what he meant by it was seeking self-awareness, and understanding our own limited person hood opens vistas beyond our imagination. When we understand that we know 'nothing' especially about our own inner nature, we begin to walk the path of knowing. It may seem rather paradoxical and I believe it is. Our sense of who we are is mostly based on our 'raections' to the external stimuli. We act and react in response to other people and their actions, words, thoughts that are manifested. We listen and say things, we build relationships, we raise and harbour families and friends. Yet, there remains a subterranean plane unreached and hidden from us.

Just as the earth covers its core, we cover our inner person. Of course, not out of choice, but because of that is how we are built. Freud believed that most of  our visible actions, our words, our personalities are based on this subconscious stream of thoughts that we remain oblivious to. He suggested dreams as doorways to this inner caverns of our psyche and considered dream interpretation a viable tool to understand our hidden motives, fears, and desires, so as to get at a better understanding of our emotions, feelings, and intentions.

Being alone by choice is a blessing. Isolation, lack of constant conversation and persistent chatter, silence, peace and quiet create a haven for self-reflection. When we are alone with our thoughts, we are able to see and think them better, our concentration levels increase because there is no distraction, we plunge into the abyss that is us. This does not necessarily mean that all solitude leads to better understanding of self, but a healthy and voluntary time-out from other people, from the routines of life, from noise and sounds all bring us close to a stillness within and without. And it is this stillness that is an arbour of creativity, of intuition and intelligence and at times of genius.

We so mistakenly believe that being busy, running the rat race, multi-tasking, net-working, socializing, being constantly in touch with the outside world through social media makes us successful. We have come to equate Busyness with success and power. We think, albeit wrongly, that a man who has no time is to be honoured and revered. It is in his unavailability we seek his significance. For me, the opposite is true. Even the most busiest of men who are successful and live well, take time out for themselves, to nurture their souls, to reach out and soothe the inner vulnerable person that we all are. 

For me being on my own is the best therapy for over thinking, agitated, stressed out mind and body. I love the sound of silence punctuated by my thoughts. The struggle to not think, the myriad images of time gone by, of now, and of time to come flood my senses. I have to be quiet and I have to be alone for long periods of time to regain my balance and find my girth.