Restorative practice

Solitude must be welcomed and practised as a healing process as we navigate the noisy traffic of our lives. Solitude is different from loneliness, although both words imply being alone. The former fosters introspection, contemplation and the positive restructuring of the mind, whereas loneliness is an experience of loss and negativity arising from feeling distanced from the familiar crowd.

Jean-Paul Sartre said, 'When you're lonely, when you're alone, you're in bad company.' Spiritually, solitude is voluntarily embraced to allow the mind to hold a dialogue with the soul and reflect on true purpose of one's life. On a mundane level, solitude offers a serene opportunity to collect one's thoughts, weave ideas and stimulate the flow of creative energy. Albert Einstein observed, 'The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulate the creative mind.'

Every religion encourages solitude or a retreat from the regular hustle and bustle of life. 'Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul,' said Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher. Psychologists, too, view solitude as an emotional reset button that restores balance to a troubled mind. Keeping away from the madding crowd can, therefore, be a deeply restorative practice.