The Medicine of Solitude

༄Tʜᴇ Mᴇᴅɪᴄɪɴᴇ ᴏғ Sᴏʟɪᴛᴜᴅᴇ (ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ғᴜʀʀʏ sɪᴅᴇ-ᴋɪᴄᴋ) ༄

With so much isolation, loneliness, and grief, it's a seemingly unusual path, to rest in deep solitude. In the current state of affairs, the busyness and noisiness is distracting. Busyness is always distracting, but these times have a different tone. There's a way where it sneaks in as a false answer to our ever increasing discomfort. The cost of getting caught in it, is it amplifies what's below the surface.

I spent the last week for the Winter Solstice in Southern New Mexico, hiking, exploring, communing with the land...ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ (with my furry side-kick of course). I needed to cultivate a deep sense of solitude - away from the computer, the "to-do", the "keeping on top of everything." A place where the truth and heart can be rediscovered in a new way.

This is not something new to me - solitude is a path that I know. It's a commitment, and at times it's very hard to do. But to be honest, options are seemingly limited at the moment. I knew I had to do something. These 2 years have worn on most of us in profound ways. I needed to take time at the close of this year to see more clearly what's happening inside. Shedding layers that were ready to go. In ceremony and prayer, I let old emotions and long-forgotten memories release back into the Earth. I rested in quiet and in stillness, ending subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) internal struggle and conflict.

I welcomed my dear old wise friends - the Earth, the winter Sun, the Moon, the long starry nights, and some precious plant teachers. I brought them inside to help me clear out what is not needed, and make more room for the truth. It's an experience of pure beauty and love, to rest in solitude in this way. Never truly alone, always connected to the infinite flow of life's wisdom, teachings and mystery.

Returning back to "the world," I notice again many emotions - the tangible loneliness, grief, heartache, fear, desperation - they are still very much pulsing within us humans. Grateful for the moments of true relief and release- through laughter, joy, and connection - these are also much needed medicines. Medicines of being in it together. Here, too, we can rest for a moment, let go, and refind our truth that's just beyond the surface. Whether in solitude, or in true connection, it's the moments of that truth that are pulling us through it all. In the grand scheme of things - it's all rather incredibly beautiful. Let's keep going.

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