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The great Tamil saint. Avvaiyar, was asked which she felt was a human being's sweetest experience.
She replied, "solitude." The Bible also refers to Jesus, Who went to the
mountains to pray "alone" (Mathew: 14, 23).
Effective solitude is not
merely physically freeing oneself from others or being alone in a room. It
also presupposes dwelling on the harmonious self within in a state of true
detachment from the outside world and also from one's own imperfections,
prejudices and preconceived notions. This solitude therefore is not
loneliness. It actually is being in company with the sublime truths and
spiritual richness abounding all over and also the power within that waits
to be explored and harnessed. This is that supreme inner joy, inner peace
and inner light, referred to in Bhagavad Gita as antasukah, antararamah,
antarjyoti (5, 24). The Bible also observes likewise, "Behold, the kingdom
of God is within you." (Luke:17, 21).
One who brings himself to
experience true solitude also experiences this divine state of bliss, the
Kingdom of God within -- that state of inner joy, inner peace and inner
light, as referred to above.
The path to discovery of this
power within commences with the aspirant withdrawing himself physically,
mentally and spiritually, even if this be for short periods, to spend time
with himself. Known by different terms such as meditation, introspection,
prayer, self-analysis, spiritual exercise, etc., this process serves to analyse, identify, resolve and cleanse the spirit of those toxins, stresses
and withholds, which had merely served to retard one's progress to
effectiveness and freedom.
It could also be argued that
man is essentially a social being and that solitude would make him a
recluse, shutting out all pleasures of life. The answer to this argument
lies in the fact that even without compromising on socialising or on
interacting with this world of men and matter, spiritual evolution through
inspired moments of solitude is also possible concomitantly.
This happy outcome is akin
to the situation of the lotus leaf growing in water, without being affected
by it. The evolved self, thus is also likewise not damaged but is in fact
nourished by whatever circumstances that may be encountered. This indeed is
the inner power generated through the enduring rewards of true solitude! |
