Even though solitude is an inherently value-neutral word, many in western cultures would think of it negatively. Neil Postman published Amusing Ourselves to Death in 1985 – well before the advent of social media. The number of external distractions vying for our attention at the beginning of this third decade of the 2020s = legion2.
There is an art to being alone without being lonely which most people in western cultures are not taught. The world inside each of us is a complex and troubled place, and learning to be at home in it takes effort. Meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, and centering prayer, are some of the ways we can practice solitude and learn to sculpt, refine and create a welcome place for the soul where we can experience freedom from the madding crowd of our thoughts and the world around us.
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