Alone

“All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.” - Blaise Pascal

How often are we really alone? All too often I sit with person after person in my counseling practice that does not have the ability to "sit quiet in a room alone." We often do not because we would truly have to deal with ourselves and our thoughts. When we do we find that it brings us anxiety, worry, sadness, frustration, and restlessness. So we avoid this time alone so that we can avoid feeling these ways. However, we must sit alone and in the quietness to be able to change these feelings. If we never get alone and quiet our beliefs and thoughts that bring on this will continue, the feelings will continue, we keep avoiding the solution for something else we think will cure it, and finally end up exploding or imploding and having to deal with it anyway. In fact, I find that most people who are able to get alone and quiet find that after a very short time of practice they no longer are afraid of what they experience during this time - they actually look forward to it. They become aware that it is the catalyst for change, that all our misery is taken care of in those moments because we can challange our beliefs, our thoughts, and find a connection to the Creator of the universe. There is no more misery. Jesus gave us the example:

As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Matthew 14:22-23

Jesus insisted on this time and He was God! It appears that it was a fundamental way of living for our Master. Practice it today. Spend some time, five to ten minutes, alone in a room with no noise. It may seem wierd or scary at first, anxiety and worry may show there faces but that is the perfect time to become aware of what has made them show their faces. What are you thinking about? What is true about those internal statements? What is false about them? Do you hear yourself saying things like "always," "never," and "nobody?" What does the voice of God say about those statements, what does the word of the Creator tell you about the truth of who you are? Practice and you will insist on this time by yourself and begin to solve your misery. God will meet you daily and walk with you through your day. You will know that God is right here, right now and never leaves!

Namaste'