The Poetry Foundation website includes a page of “Poems about Loneliness and Solitude” with the subheading: “Poetry offers solace for the lonely and a positive perspective on being alone.” Among the categories of selected poems are Celebrating Solitude, Wallowing in Loneliness, and Being Alone in a Crowd. Includes podcasts of readings and reflections on the relationship of poetry, loneliness, and solitude.
Ricard on the hermit
“The Hermit” is a short blog entry by the celebrated Buddhist writer/photographer Matthieu Ricard, offering basic advice to all who recognize the need (occasional or otherwise) for solitude:
For someone who remains in the freshness of mindfulness of the present moment, time does not take on the heaviness of days spent in distraction, but the lightness of a life fully savored. If the hermit loses interest in certain ordinary concerns, it is not because his existence has become insipid but because he recognizes, among all possible human activities, which ones will truly contribute to the happiness of self and others.
URL: http://www.matthieuricard.org/en/index.php/archives/2012/07/
Susan Cain TED Talk
Susan Cain, author of the recent book Quiet: The Power of Introverts, presented a 19-minute TED talk in February 2012. Cain’s book offers a refreshing look at introversion.
URL: http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html
Rauch on introverts
The Guardian item titled “This Column Will Change Your Life: Introverts” by Oliver Burkeman follows up interest in the forthcoming book Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain with a retrospective on Jonathan Rauch’s popular Atlantic article of 2003, “Caring for Your Introvert.”
The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/03/this-column-change-your-life-introvert
Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/03/caring-for-your-introvert/2696/
Solitude in Judaism
An article on solitude in Jewish contemplative practice, from the blog Jewish Contemplatives. The little essay serves as a useful introduction to the topic, as in these important observations:
The two main reasons for the apparent dearth of solitary practice in Judaism are its insistent focus on communal activity and its objections to life-long celibacy. Judaism does not generally encourage physical withdrawal from society, it encourages the pursuit of justice and mercy through social action. Judaism does not encourage monastic celibacy as a way of expressing devotion, dedication, or as a spiritual technique. Instead it regards procreation (Genesis 1:28) and the education of children by the family unit (Deuteronomy 6:7) to be positive mitzvot — commandments to be observed. It also insists that communal liturgical prayer is the ideal form of Jewish worship, and it makes the presence of a minyan (ten worshipers) the condition for many full liturgical usages in order to assert this directive somewhat forcefully.
Nevertheless, if we look at the lives of Jews with a leaning towards meditation, contemplation, and meticulous religious observance we may find surprising and highly significant anomalies in the practice of religious solitude. I am not merely referring to fringe pietist groups or minority eccentrics here, but towering figures like Moses our Teacher, Elijah the prophet, Rabbi Isaac Luria the eminent kabbalist, and the Baal Shem Tov, founder of “modern” chassidism. These are not Jews on the fringe. They are the generators and exemplars of quintessential Jewish spiritual practice.
URL: http://jewishcontemplatives.blogspot.com/2012/02/solitude-in-jewish-contemplative.html