On Solitude

Get disconnected and discover what truly matters.

This modern world is a real mess. Thomas Jefferson predicted that humanity would go crazy living on top of each other in the cities. Now, even the city has profound influences upon those who live in the country. In the 1700’s, we absorbed things like morality, character, work ethic, and grit from our immediate family, church, and neighbors. In the 1800s, we acquired those characteristics in similar ways, but the pace picked up as news traveled faster and across greater distances. In the 1900s, we saw an explosive expansion in technologies that were accelerated by printed newspapers, vehicles, television and radio. Suddenly, we were shaped by more distant and even foreign influences while our appetite for these enticing trends grew exponentially. Now, in the 2000’s we tap into a million of these feeds, whether they be news, culture, politics, entertainment, sports, gambling, pornography, or emerging tech…all with the simple click of box on a screen. It’s no surprise that morality, character, ethics, and grit have plummeted to new lows in this Brave New World we have created. We had a saying in military aviation: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” I think society today reflects our collective decisions to do anything we want, just because we can. The pace of this insanity is accelerating.

Image by Denis Nevozhai

This piece is not meant to be a commentary on the state of things but rather an exhortation to get away from it all. Let’s face it, the world will march on in pursuit of “stunningly stupid” new technologies that demand the forfeiture of our privacies with conveniences that come at the cost of total surveillance of our every action, word, and thought. Speed of information sharing and global commerce will only increase. And as the spiderwebs of connectivity grow exponentially, the morality of mankind will continue to plummet as dark forces gain more footholds within the strongholds of mankind’s heart. Yes, this is a cynical view of things, but history teaches us that man is always in pursuit of wealth, power, and selfish things. And unfortunately, in the new economy, YOU and your attention are the new commodity, the new form of gold or priceless oil which can be mined, refined, and sold on the market. This is why we need to be intentional about grounding ourselves in things outside of the reach of man and beyond society’s grasp.

Enter Solitude. Exit the chaos.

I went for a walk as I considered the subject of this piece and found myself immediately wrestling with what I should listen to. I knew that this should be a walk with no external voices in my head. No podcasts, no music, no audiobooks…but the feeling that I would be missing out on some new source of information was quite overwhelming. I am an avid consumer of all types of information. I enjoy interviews with thought leaders, long form talks on emerging tech and I have wide interest in music too. There is no doubt that I benefit from these experiences. Lately, however, I have begun to realize the destructive nature of this habit. In the end, filling our minds with content of any type, ultimately pushes out our own creative nature. It reminds me of the displacement arguments that exist within other regimes like diet, finances, and entertainment—it’s not necessarily what’s on the plate that’s killing you—it’s what’s not on the plate. As we consume media content, there is always an associated consumption of ourselves. There is a subtle exchange or transfer of our own identity, our own thoughts and dreams and our own gifts to the world if this habit is left unchecked. Ultimately, we trade ourselves for the thoughts and musings of others in this ‘attention economy’. Taken to its extreme, our purpose, identity and contributions can be sacrificed on the altar of someone else’s profit. Now, it is not lost on me that this article itself may be dominating your own time and energies, but I hope you’ll forgive me and see that I’m trying to encourage us all to find balance, by running in the opposite direction and tipping the scales of our precious time and attention towards solitude.

Herman Grimm, an art professor in Germany in the 1800s put it this way:

“Solitude gives birth to originality, both in ourselves and in others.”  And Nietsche, when discussing this comment said, “I do not doubt it. But it has to be solitude without books, without letters, without journals, without mistrust. I go into solitude so as not to drink out of everybody’s cistern. When I am among the many I live as the many do, and I do not think I really think. After a time it always seems as if they want to banish myself from myself and rob me of my soul. And then I grow angry with everybody and fear everybody…”

Those are deep waters and lost arts in today’s world of information. Is it any wonder that Jesus Christ would retreat into wilderness before his seasons of powerful ministry? Indeed, some of the greatest influencers upon humanity have always been those who had the courage and resilience to be alone, quiet the external world, and Be Still. Why is this? What is it exactly that we’re finding or discovering out there?

After a great deal of thought and research on this, I have been frustrated with the musings of the world on the benefits of solitude. “Go and spend time with God,” the religious teachers tell you. “Discover yourself and the oneness that can be found in meditation,” the new age, secularists tell you. No one puts a fine point on exactly what it is that we’re actually pursuing in solitude, what its benefits are, and how it can or should change us as individuals. After spending seven years guiding wilderness trips, and incorporating intentional solitude into these experiences, I think I have the beginning of a better answer.

Photo by dreokt

If you accept that all truth is God’s truth and are willing to acknowledge that all truth is in alignment with a Creator God…then what we’re after in solitude—no matter where we are in life or whatever problems we face—our chief objectives could be defined as 1) coming into greater alignment with truth in our lives, 2) ascending towards heaven in our personal relationship with God, and finally, 3) deepening our understanding of our purpose in this universe, as it pertains to bringing order from chaos. These, I believe, are the foundational objectives of solitude. There are many sources that talk around these issues and in the end, miss the main point. Any other pursuit advocated by the world is ultimately subordinate to these objectives and if you look closely enough, you’ll see them all seeking these very things. “I need to clear my head.” “I need to think about this relationship issue.” “I need to find myself.” Each of these are manifestations of the soul needing to spend time with God. When you consider them rationally, these three pursuits are also the foundation of healing, transcending pain and strife of all types, and discovering meaning in every aspect of your existence. Now, ask yourself…”Can I find these things in the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Will I ever find these things with the many distractions that we face daily?” Sadly, this is also where modern new age meditation is an absolute dead end, because without acknowledging a higher power and the source of absolute truth, no matter how many sessions you spend looking inward, you’ll never find the alignment with God that results in truth, grace, healing, growth, or revelation.

After years of helping others discover God and more of themselves in the solitude of wilderness, I now believe that solitude as a practice or discipline is as foundationally important to mental and physical health as diet, sleep, exercise, nutrition, healthy community, and discovering a fulfilling life purpose. In fact, it often precedes, supports, and reinforces each of these aspects of well-being and spiritual growth. As the world becomes more distracted, manic, depressed, and more drugged to deal with these maladies, things will likely get worse. There are much better prescriptions.

I believe wilderness and solitude are so fundamentally important to our physical and spiritual existence that I am endeavoring to write a book on the subject. I hope you’ll join me and contribute your own stories. More and more, as the world moves towards greater connectedness with all the wrong things, we need to develop a discipline of solitude so that we can connect with the right things that truly matter. Let’s unplug, escape the trappings of modernity and drink not from the cistern of others but from the living waters that can be found in seeking God in solitude.

Photo by Courtnie Tosana