One of the interesting states of being that seems elusive to many people is the comfort with the state of being alone with themselves. Just think about it for a moment. How many people do you know that truly do have difficulty with being completely and unalterably alone with themselves for a period of time? The answer to that query may just be a lot more surprising than you think.

Well, if it will help any, think on this.

Being alone with oneself is one thing, and in some form, we all spend some time alone and in a state of inner-contemplation each and every day. In many ways we are more alone with ourselves than when we are amongst others, so the state of aloneness is not really all that much of an oddity as might be thought.

Now, think on those times when you felt all alone when you were amongst others in the world. Perhaps it was in some off-shot social scene or situation. Perhaps you were attending some family function where you found yourself the only silent corner in the entire room. Perhaps it was just a time when you really did want to be around others for some supportive reason but you realized that even when you were buried in the presence of others, you really felt as if you were all alone when in that room or that setting of people.

Now, that is really a frightening scenario for some and especially so when it is a new feeling or a novel state of being that hasn't really been encountered all that much along the path of life.

The news of the day on this theme is that everyone has this feeling at some time and for varying reasons. The benefit of this state of being is the spiritually removed presence of the self that comes along with this feeling of being alone when amongst others. Some have a terrible time keeping to themselves even when they try to do so.

Think of all of the reasons that someone might want to remain alone and to themselves and then think of all of the reasons that one may wish to immerse themselves in and amongst people and what could motivate both diametrically opposed states of being.

Ironically in many situations and for most reasons the critical factor that motivates both of them is not the feeling of fear that many may think motivates both of them. The critical factor to both of them is something that most wouldn't even begin to think of as their reasons for both wishing for and wishing to be apart from others.

The reason is the driving force that continues ones own state of personality, the state of spirit, or if it's easier to contemplate, the state of the individuality that makes a person who they are and who they wish to truly be.

We all, each and every one of us walking along this experience and this path have the "me" that we always have yearned to be and the "me" that we know deep down at the very core of our individual soul that we know ourselves to be. This begins to fall into those masks that we tend to wear to cover ourselves and to the social self that we present to others when we are out and about everywhere we go throughout our days and nights.

Eventually however, we all at some point in time come to that instance of being when we must face ourselves as we truly are not as we would wish of ourselves. This is the definitive moment when we bring ourselves into line with that same core of the soul, and people face this when they feel driven to immerse themselves amongst people and when they are driven to be absolutely and unalterably alone with themselves.

This is the face in the mirror that can never be altered no matter how much makeup is applied, how many facelifts one purchases, or how many photo touch ups one applies to that picture. It can be said that:

"In the end, the me that I'll be, is the me that you see", and when a person has reached that singular nexus that bridges the many comfort levels of being quite at home with being alone in a crowd or at home with being alone with oneself, this is when one can truly take a good hard look at themselves and come to realize that they have taken a big step towards the spiritual state of aloneness that feeds the spirit instead of the state of aloneness that detracts from any other state of being whether in and amongst others or when all alone with oneself.

You see, you have always known you and in many ways, others have always known you as well. One actually hides from little in all of existence and one never will hide from others as much as one sometimes wishes one could hide from oneself.

Existence was never meant to be entirely a practice in isolation and solitude. Sometimes the experience is a group activity and sometimes it's a practice in healthy solitude.

One morphs aloneness into a state of isolation when and if one begins to run from oneself.

Think about it...

As Always,

WD Allan

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