The gift of solitude.

Solitude can be hard to find in our modern world. So much noise, so many distractions; real or imagined.

When I talk about solitude, I also mean silence.

Silent solitude.

Time spent alone in quiet contemplation. A quiet space to simply be. This might involve deep thinking, or space to think nothing at all. It might mean taking a quiet walk in nature, amongst trees, listening to the sound of the wind in the leaves or the chatter of birds and the rustle of small creatures amongst the grass.

It might mean writing quietly in the pre-dawn light, a moment of time alone to process your thoughts, listen to your heart & gently coax the secrets of your soul to reveal themselves (when we first begin this work they are often tiny whispers - you have to get very quiet and lean in to hear them. This requires a gentle touch.)

Often we avoid time alone because we’re afraid to hear what our heart wants to say. We’ve become so used to the booming voice of our mind, always shouting, always yabbering on about one thing or another. The noise is so loud we don’t realise how small we have become. How much of our life is governed by fear, or comparison, or anxiety or any number of things built on a foundation of stories our mind is running on repeat.

Taking time to be alone & quiet helps us to connect with ourselves in a way we can’t when surrounded by other people & the multitude of distractions that fill our lives.

Silence is where peace, creativity, self-awareness, courage & power reside.

The place that is waiting for us beyond fear.

Today I offer you the invitation to give yourself the gift of silent solitude. Make space for it in your life, with gentleness, with kindness.

To read more of my long-form writing, head to my Substack page.

 

Previous
Previous

Learning to sit in the softness of your heart