My soul needs solitude

Women need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves
-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

This came to me one day before I was set to leave on a solitary retreat. My face broke open into a delighted smile at the coincidence - this is the kind of synchronocity I haven't felt in months. For a while now, I've been feeling like a rudderless boat, entirely getting lost in the daily tosses, turns and turmoils. Even though this has been the most worry-free, contented time in my life, I can't help missing the deep joy of the previous 3 years, the divine connection I had felt, the attention of the universe bestowed on me. So when the opportunity came up for me to get away for a few days on my own, I took it.

Ever since the week I had spent alone in a Pittsburgh hermitage, I've been wanting to relive that experience, to retreat from the noisy, grasping, clamoring world, and to recreate that solitude, to try and find the quietness, silence, and stillness around me, and within myself. Without my central rudder, I was feeling like I was blown away by the winds of the world. I'm hoping that, with this solitary retreat, I can collect all my pieces together from all four winds, and bring them back to my center. I need this solitude, space, and time to make that happen, to re-find my center, or as Anne Morrow Lindbergh says, to find the true essence of myself.

Once I got confirmation that I'm reserved for this tiny cottage, I wanted to set an intention for this trip, at least just to try and focus on what I wanted to come here for. When Anne Lindbergh's message came to me, it seemed simply obvious that this is my intention of course. As broad as the statement seems, that's exactly what I need right now. It doesn't really matter if I set my intention of how to go about it - because it's all the same old things I'm craving for - quiet time, silence, books and meditation. That's all really.

And so here I am, happy to be in my pj's, settled into a plump pink chair, writing, reading. I'll do some exploring tomorrow. For now, I'm content as a cat.

Thank you for reading! If you've ever gone away by yourself to find yourself, please write and tell me about your experiences. If not, you should try it!