Loneliness and Solitude

 

Loneliness and Solitude

On a cursory look at these words, they may appear to some to be synonyms – but are they? In reality the difference between them is huge like chalk and cheese! Loneliness is something which one feels on losing a friend or on not having any friends or someone to talk to. When one cannot share the ups and downs of life with someone you feel lonely. Loneliness presents itself as the biggest punishment in life.

Solitude is when you are happy being alone as you contemplate life and its conundrums in solitary splendor. When one becomes introversive solitude becomes a way of life as you start savouring the silence as you journey inwards. When this starts happening on a regular basis solitude becomes a boon and the one who experiences that silence would never miss it for the world!

Invariably loneliness has negative connotations as we can still feel lonely in the presence of people. This feeling of loneliness is marked by a feeling of isolation, of being separated from the group even when you are part of the group. It is a negative aspect of human nature which treats people in this manner – you will never see this occurring in the animal world. When one is lonely one has a deep sense of being alone in the world with no one to turn to and that preys on the mind resulting in stress, tension with all its attendant ramifications.

Solitude is when you are alone but not feeling lonely – you are comfortable with the ‘self’ – not just comfortable, but happy and blissed out! When one becomes introversive and finds one’s own core then even when one is in the presence of a huge crowd, with noise and chaos all around, one is calm and at peace, that is because one is unified with one’s inner consciousness, where there is only silence, peace and bliss.

The journey from loneliness to solitude is one which takes you from the path of aloneness, fear, stress to silence, peace, bliss, inner communion – this is a journey in which we ourselves are the path, the traveler and the destination all rolled into one! This path can be easily traveled by practicing yoga and meditation. Meditation leads you slowly and steadily inwards as you embark on your journey to inner peace. This journey is full of spiritual experiences which make you ultimately overflow with love and compassion towards everyone. It is a journey which is a must for all those who seek inner peace and enjoy the sound of silence – of solitude!