Empowerment Through Solitude
There are many ways to connect with God, our Higher Power, Spirit, the Divine, or whatever name you choose to use. Prayer, meditation, music, spending time outdoors in nature, and service to others are a few of these ways. Each person needs to find what specific ways of connection to God best meets their individual needs. Most of us have busy schedules with multiple obligations and we often place ourselves last on the list of people to nurture. Deepak Chopra said, "To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of....because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.”
Many of our lives are always on the go...always shifted into overdrive.These days people are compelled to stay socially connected through modern technology. We often feel obligated and pulled in several directions by social obligations. Most of us are on our cell phones or computers, working, or knocking out our to do list. But when we become still, shut off our mind, and let our egos go, we can listen to God. God is always talking to us but we aren't always listening. With moments of silence, we can find our center and gain wisdom in the calmness. We need to find the balance between doing and being, between moving and stopping, between talking and listening. There is nothing selfish about requesting alone time. When we make alone time a priority, quiet our mind, and listen to our inner self, we can recharge and as a result offer more authenticity to our friends family and coworkers.
Silent reflection can help us tune out the noise of our busy lives and tune in to God. In solitude, we can begin to free ourselves from the bonds of human expectations and respond more to God's love and desire for us.
Mother Teresa summed it up when she said, "God doesn't look at how much we do, but with how much love we do it with.”
I invite you to clear your busy schedule, create time for self imposed seclusion, turn off your cell phone, listen to your inner thoughts, and recalibrate your sense of self. Recently,I traveled to Sedona to experience a time of healing, self reflection and solitude. I was amazed at what I discovered in my silence. Listed below are some personal truths I discovered in a time of solitude:
* It is our birthright to be happy
* Right in this minute, we have everything we need to fulfill our lives
* Gratitude and self worth come hand in hand
* We can spend all of our time pulling weeds, or we can plant flowers
* The quality of our lives is proportional to the quality of questions we ask
* Our inner voices should be louder than our outer voices
* Often our lives detour off our path, but these side trips remind us to get back on track
* Our relationship with others is a mirror of our relationship with ourself
* It is not about being right or wrong, it is about learning
* We need to find the balance in giving and receiving
* We must let go of our guilt and our need for perfection
