THE HERMIT

WITHDRAWAL
SOLITUDE
INTROSPECTION

"You have to push your neuroses around until they're in a place they don't hurt. You don't need the love of others, you need to feel you have made the most of yourself."
Quentin Crisp

Have you ever felt lonely or isolated from other people? Have you experienced the loss of a loved one, friends or the social network provided by a job?

What issues arose for you?
How did you cope?
What was positive about the experience?

Social skills and relationships are highly valued in the modern world, yet the ability to be alone can be equally important, allowing contemplation and the cultivation of individual values.

Start the day slowly, becoming aware of how you are and what's going on for you.

Time for yourself

Imagine spending a week alone.
Where would you go?
What would you take with you?
What would you do?

How much time do you want to spend alone?

Do you have this time now? If not, how could you create it?

Underside meditation

Those who practice meditation in one of its many forms testify to the experience of discovering the treasure within. Find a quiet place where you can close your eyes and relax in whatever way works best for you. Let the phone ring, the cars pass, and all the sights and sounds of the ordinary world drift by as you move into reverie.

Consider the underside of your body.

Bit by bit, focus your attention on every part of your body.
Feel the weight in each part of your body, and feel it dropping down to the underside of that part.
Keep going until you feel all the weight in the underside of your body.
Now notice the weight in your mind, made up of your thoughts.
Let the weight of your thoughts drop to the underside of your mind.

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