-Satyakam Ray

Remember the Vodafone ad in which a pug follows a boy in unlikely locations, prompting the tagline, “Wherever you go, our network follows”? This may be a catchy line from an ad. Still, it can discern our attention-span-demented, dull psyche. Our idea of digital utopia involves constantly checking messages at the beep of notifications, getting a false sense of buzz by counting likes, and sharing trivial things on social media.

Loners—as today’s millennials might put it—are absent-minded individuals who are sometimes profoundly lost in thought and unaware of their surroundings. Some ” pundits ” perceive this as a concern with unsociable behavior; on the contrary, the so-called “loners” enjoy the solace of Solitude. In this frenzy of attention-seeking craziness, it is unimaginable to elicit a subtle, almost empathetic response from the loners.

Solitude can be understood as a means of experiencing the inner self, nature, or, at times, a deeper connection with God. It has been a long, mystical ritual in many religions. Ancient Indian sages used to go to the Himalayas to embrace solitude and practice to eliminate mundane materialistic trifles. Even Solitude practices date back to the Greeks.

The great philosopher Socrates used to stand in Solitude for hours before going to dinner. He described Solitude as a study of contemplation. Greeks seek Solitude to get a life of tranquility by exercising reasoning and deliberation. Aristotle regards solitude as the pinnacle of human perfection, enabling spiritual elevation, self-knowledge, inner peace, and serenity; it also serves as a pathway to happiness and truth.

In a religious context, solitude can be viewed as a means of contemplation and self-awareness, and ultimately as a path to connecting with God. In the 9th century, saints went to the desert to seek Solitude. Using the bare minimum to survive an austere life, they turned to solitude to understand the nature of life and community, as well as their purpose.

Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment by sitting in complete Solitude underneath the Bodhi tree for seven weeks. Judeo-Christian insight into Solitude emphasizes the redemptive power of love, whereas the Buddhist–Hindu school emphasizes the redemptive power of spiritual realization.

Prophet Muhammad often retreated to the cave of Hira several times before God revealed the Quran to him. In the Eastern world, Solitude refers to meditation. Solitude is soul food.

The Old Guitarist By Picasso

Solitude & Creativity: Collaboration is critical to creativity, but exceptional creativity often happens in Solitude. Without distractions, we can lose ourselves in our work when we are consciously in a state of flow. The greatest minds of physics — Einstein, Newton, and Maxwell — corroborate this idea. They created their magnum opus in complete Solitude. Thomas Edison conceived the idea of innovation while thinking alone.

A few hours of Solitude give the wings of the imagination a new height, boundary-less exploration of artistic aesthetics, and pave the way for new inventions. The Old Guitarist, a painting by Pablo Picasso, depicts a man asking for money by playing the guitar in a crowded public space, yet he appears deeply immersed in his own world.

After all, as Picasso said: “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.”

Literature has thoroughly explored the tenets of solitude. In Shrinking Violets, Joe Moran argues that shy, solitary individuals suffer not because of their shyness, but because the world refuses to accept them as they are. In Solitude, Anthony Storr argues that deliberately choosing Solitude is a creative part of the creative life, and we should sensibly embrace it if it suits us.

Erling Kagge views inner silence as both a necessity and a mirage. Silence, Kagge writes, is not about turning away from the world; it is about diving deeper into it and learning to see things with greater clarity and appreciation.

Effects on Psychology: Solitude has a profound impact on both mental and physical health. It allows us to reboot and rewind our brains. By clearing our minds, we can quickly improve concentration and increase productivity. Solitude allows us to discover ourselves and find our voice. That way, we can follow our path rather than be part of a unidirectional, gullible herd.

Solitude helps us work through problems more effectively and can enhance our emotional relationships with others. By spending time with ourselves and gaining a deeper understanding of who we are and what we desire, we are more likely to make better choices about the people we want to be around.

Solitude vs. Loneliness: Solitude is the positive aspect of being objective in isolation. Solitude is not loneliness. Spending too much time alone increases the risk of suicide among adolescents and the elderly. Psychologist John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago studies the effects of loneliness, and his research reveals some surprising ways it can compromise health.

Loneliness is primarily experienced as awkwardness in social interactions. Lonely individuals report higher perceived stress, even when exposed to the same levels of anxiety as non-lonely individuals and when relaxing. Loneliness raises stress hormone levels and blood pressure. It compromises the quality and efficiency of sleep, making it less restorative, both physically and psychologically.

Solitude is fine, but we need someone to tell us it is. Adam Smith ridiculed the idea of Solitude, as it may inflate our egos in the journey of spiritual enlightenment. As Thomas Mann rightly pointed out, Solitude gives birth to the original in us, to beauty unfamiliar. But it also gives birth to the opposite: the perverse, the illicit, and the absurd. Loneliness is to be avoided. Solitude is to be sought.

How can we seek Solitude? We do not need to go to the desert or explore nature to do so. We should disconnect from our phones, the internet, and TV at least once a week. The most profound tranquility and contemplation can be attained by living in society while occasionally withdrawing from material distractions.

Rising early to meditate consistently helps purify both the soul and the body. Before scheduling the week, closing the door to get some “me” time should be a priority.

We should cherish our solitude. Random actions with no prior planning, such as taking a train to a new destination, exploring new places, sleeping out under the stars in unfamiliar natural bliss, going for a trek alone, sitting alone in the park, or even taking a shower.

We can retreat to our zone of supreme excellence, the solace of Solitude. We should trust our instincts and decide whether to fit in, rather than trying to figure out what we are doing here.

Blaise Pascal once said that humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly alone in a room. To all those introverts ridiculed by so-called socialites, learn to say: “I’m not antisocial; I’m pro-solitude.” After all, Rabindranath Tagore advocated for Solitude in his timeless poem “Ekla Chalo Re.” Let us be wanderlust! We should continue to venture into uncharted territory and explore, because walking alone is the most strenuous, yet the hike strengthens us.