Being Alone

[Ella S.]

n isolation, perhaps apart from a job, you should do what interests you the most - study, paint, travel, exercise, body building, gardening, growing bonsai plants, feeding animals. There must be something that you are interested in.

Not really. Every day I wake up, I'm dismayed that I'm still here. No amount of therapy, medication, religion, or meditation has ever really helped, but a lot of it has made my life worse.

 

[syo]

I seek answers. So, I ask. So, I seek questions too. I am not alone.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

I am not a vacuous spiritualist, not into mysticism, I put duties 'dharma' before anything else. Politically I support the current government in India (Narendra Modi) becfause he is honest. The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty which ruled India for 55 out of 75 years was anti-Hindu and, in the later stages, financially corrupt.
I am interested in architecture. We have various architectural styles in India which are beautiful. But my work-life was in different fields.
Well, that is not correct. You may not have been good at one thing (Yeah, I too could not digest Mathematics), but there certainly must have been things in which you had your interest and must have been good at.

Maybe what I wrote was a little unclear - I am interested in it aesthetically. Aesthetically, architecture is wonderful, and maybe there is something 'non-material' about it, after it reaches a certain point of beauty. I am not interested in being an architect or engineer however.. I can also see the downside of the materialism. I will take the rich mountain eco-system over the suburban metropolis, if I can. I don't know

I am sort of good at music, but I never learned to sight-read. I am sort of artistically inclined. I kind of like writing

 

[Aupmanyav]

Not really. Every day I wake up, I'm dismayed that I'm still here. No amount of therapy, medication, religion, or meditation has ever really helped, but a lot of it has made my life worse.

I would only say, get involved, find at least one thing that you are interested in.

I will take the rich mountain eco-system over the suburban metropolis, if I can.
I am sort of good at music, but I never learned to sight-read. I am sort of artistically inclined. I kind of like writing

I could have stayed in mountains but I had family responsibility. At this age I cannot tolerate cold, therefore hills are out. Furthermore, there has been a lot of degradation in Himalayas with so-called progress (roads, travel industry, rail), land slides, that the old charm is lost.
My family is also interested in music. In our younger years, myself and my son used to sing. My father was interested in painting. Continue doing what you like. These days, my interest is limited to science and religion. I am a committed poster at RF (Religious Forums).

 

[RestlessSoul]

Not really. Every day I wake up, I'm dismayed that I'm still here. No amount of therapy, medication, religion, or meditation has ever really helped, but a lot of it has made my life worse.

I'm sorry to hear this; but it won't always be this way. As the old song says, "One of these mornings, you're gonna wake up singing".

 

[idea]

I seek answers. So, I ask. So, I seek questions too. I am not alone.

Just as there are different kinds of love, there are different kinds of alone. You can be in crowd and still feel alone.

Part of us is made from the same atoms and energies with similar human experiences, some of us is separate. Clinging we see only what we need. Letting go we see things as they are.

 

[idea]

Not really. Every day I wake up, I'm dismayed that I'm still here. No amount of therapy, medication, religion, or meditation has ever really helped, but a lot of it has made my life worse.

When therapy, medication, religion failed, I learned to look within myself. Let go of attachments, nothing outside to save you, when all that is without fails - that is when you discover the strength of your own two feet.

So, instead of following the blind, follow your own path. You, and only you, are responsible for ending up in heaven or hell.

The solo hike through wilderness ...

Exactly.

Solo hike. Blessings on your journey.

 

[Clara Tea]

"For the aspect of Zen in which I am personally interested is nothing that can be organized, taught, transmitted, certified, or wrapped up in any kind of system. It can’t even be followed, for everyone has to find it for himself.
As Plotinus said, it is “a flight of the alone to the Alone,” and as an old Zen poem says:If you do not get it from yourself, Where will you go for it?
Fundamentally, this is in a sense the position of the whole Zen Buddhist tradition. Strictly speaking, there are no Zen masters because Zen has nothing to teach."

Alan Watts ~ This is it (pg 80)

For other seekers, in your nomadic detached wandering, have you found beauty in your solo hike? Do you ever feel what you seek is no longer to follow another, but instead to awaken your own inner light?

The main issue of hanging out alone is: Are we hanging out with a bad crowd?

 

[Clara Tea]

I seek answers. So, I ask. So, I seek questions too. I am not alone.

Many evoke questions by stating answers (some incorrect).

 

[syo]

Many evoke questions by stating answers (some incorrect).

Yup, true.

 

[ameyAtmA]

have you found beauty in your solo hike? Do you ever feel what you seek is no longer to follow another, but instead to awaken your own inner light?

Yes, I love my solo hike but spiritually connected to and in union with ParaBrahman [in spirit] which also happens to be my Guru whom I followed -- and that is the inner light which was at first the light by my side. Just that it wasn't a human Guru.

I interact very minimally in the world because of what I consider my minimal duty,

I did find some very good wisdom in scriptures and some guidelines shared by spiritual masters of past and present, as well as others on the journey.
I did follow my Guru of course, who is both with and within me now, who is the most uplifting One bringing pure joy, due to which the need to look elsewhere is not felt.
All of these helped navigate this world and make the right decisions - both material and spiritual.
Even today I follow my Guru's words in the scriptures especially the Bhagavad Geeta.

What appears as a solo learning journey w.r.t. human world outside was not a solo effort but blessings and deeksha of ParaBrahman in the various God/dess forms at various points.

Just was never a part of any organized group that is all, but I feel inclusive of some/many groups, traditions and cultures as similarly-minded fellow sadhus - and I don't have to actually interact with them. We can be one in spirit when it comes to adhyAtma - inner spirituality, without ever interacting.

 

[shivsomashekhar]

"For the aspect of Zen in which I am personally interested is nothing that can be organized, taught, transmitted, certified, or wrapped up in any kind of system. It can’t even be followed, for everyone has to find it for himself.
As Plotinus said, it is “a flight of the alone to the Alone,” and as an old Zen poem says:If you do not get it from yourself, Where will you go for it?
Fundamentally, this is in a sense the position of the whole Zen Buddhist tradition. Strictly speaking, there are no Zen masters because Zen has nothing to teach."

Alan Watts ~ This is it (pg 80)

For other seekers, in your nomadic detached wandering, have you found beauty in your solo hike? Do you ever feel what you seek is no longer to follow another, but instead to awaken your own inner light?

Yes. Trying to learn from others was mostly unhelpful. Too many wrong turns and sideway motions that were expensive, though occasionally, there were a few nuggets of wisdom.

Ultimately, the answer has to be mine for it be meaningful. It cannot be someone else's answer - regardless of the person's reputation.

 

[Neuropteron]

As Plotinus said, it is “a flight of the alone to the Alone,” and as an old Zen poem says:If you do not get it from yourself, Where will you go for it?

Hi,
From our creator. Jehovah.
Acts 17:27 "...seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us."

 

[idea]

Inner light! What is this 'inner light'? A feeling of satisfaction? Like after a nice meal?

Self-reliant, content at peace with oneself.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Well, that is your way. I sought and found none.

 

[idea]

Hi,
From our creator. Jehovah.
Acts 17:27 "...seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us."

Even Jesus went off alone on occasion. Forsaken at the end - apostles unable to stay awake, forsaken by God - alone.

What do you believe the point of Jesus being completely alone was?

To me, no borrowed light, to follow Jesus I think also includes times being alone through which your own inner strength is found.

 

[idea]

Well, that is your way. I sought and found none.

"Be your own guru" - I agree

 

[idea]

Ultimately, the answer has to be mine for it be meaningful. It cannot be someone else's answer - regardless of the person's reputation.

Humans vs computers/robots, we seem to enjoy creating from within our own free will.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yeah, including many imaginary entities, God, soul, angels, satan, nephelim, heaven, hell. Same in majority Hinduism.

 

[Neuropteron]

Even Jesus went off alone on occasion. Forsaken at the end - apostles unable to stay awake, forsaken by God - alone.

What do you believe the point of Jesus being completely alone was?

To me, no borrowed light, to follow Jesus I think also includes times being alone through which your own inner strength is found.

Hi,
It is difficult to answer a question that is only partly true.

the scripture you are referring to is Mat 4:10.
It says there that Jesus withdrew to the mountains to be "all alone".

The superimposition of the adjectif "completely" is an incorrect rendering that could easily be misscontrued.

Additionally the content shows that he was alone in the sense of not being with his disciples, since verse 11 shows that he was with some angels.