The Importance of Solitude:
From Reducing Stress to Increasing Productivity,
Why You Need Time Alone
by www.Sedona.com “A man should keep for himself a little back shop, all his own, quite unadultered, in which he establishes his true freedom and chief place of seclusion and solitude.”
-- Michel Montaigne, French Renaissance writer and scholar Our lives are often so hectic that from morning to night we are surrounded by others. For some, the only time they truly spend “alone” is while they’re sleeping. Yet, solitude – simply being by yourself to do whatever it is you please – is something that experts say is a basic need as important as having relationships with others. Not allowing yourself time for solitude “is the cause of many manifestations of psychological and physiological distress," says psychiatrist T. Byram Karasu, M.D. in a Natural Health article. Among them, a disruption to your body’s “biopsychological rhythm,” which is responsible for keeping your mood and sleeping patterns in check. Not having alone time is also a surefire way to become anxious, stressed out and perhaps even depressed. Quite simply, constantly being around others can be exhausting and can overload your body. You need to take a “time out” now and then to recharge your body and your mind. “The source of all power and knowingness lies within us. When we are busy in life we tend to focus outside ourselves – and become cut off from this natural source of power and wisdom that lies within us,” says Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training of Sedona Training Associates. Solitude is a positive state – not to be confused with loneliness, which is a negative one – in which your mind and body are truly free. Taking these respites for yourself are known to refresh you – leading to increased productivity – calm you and contribute to enhanced feelings of freedom, creativity, intimacy, and spirituality. Though it may seem counterintuitive, spending time alone can actually strengthen an intimate relationship because the solitude allows you both time to grow and nurture yourselves. If you are constantly together, you miss out on valuable time to ponder the world around you, dream or just be in the moment. Snatching a few seconds to be alone can be a challenge nowadays, but you should revel in solitude whenever you can, such as: • While you’re alone on the elevator
• First thing in the morning, before everyone else wakes up
• At night, after everyone else has gone to bed
• Taking a walk by yourself during your lunch break
• Closing yourself in the bathroom to take a bath When you do have it, how can you make the most of your alone time? “When you are alone allow yourself to be quiet with yourself. Release and let go of all your stress and tension; then your intuitive knowingness and the unlimited source of energy within you will become more available to you,” Dwoskin says.
Sources
Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, Volume 33 Issue 1 Page 21-44, March 2003
Natural Health January 2004
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