Feeling lost? Your key to self-discovery is in one simple word
“It is very important to go out alone, to sit under a tree – not with a book, not with a companion, but by yourself-and observe the falling of a leaf; hear the lapping of the water, the fishermen’s song, watch the flight of a bird, and of your own thoughts as they chase each other across the space of your mind. If you are able to be alone and watch these things, then you will discover extraordinary riches which no government can tax, no human agency can corrupt, and which can never be destroyed. “
This quote by Jiddu Krishnamurti has so much depth and wisdom in it. It challenges you to face yourself without distraction, to remove yourself from the everyday and “just be.” And in the last sentence it promises not just riches, but extraordinary riches. Interesting, right?
Why then do we shy away from solitude?
I believe there are many reasons. The first reason is: solitude can be enlightening. And while enlightenment doesn’t have a negative connotation, it doesn’t immediately feel comfortable either. Why? Because if we’re being honest, getting to know ourselves isn’t always comfortable. Perhaps this is why we choose to surround ourselves with people and noise, rather than taking the time to wander off and unsubscribe from the bustle of life, and unplug from technology…even if just for a moment. But when we do, our minds begin to unfold, and for the first time, we come face-to-face with the deep (and sometimes frightening) truths about ourselves.
I discovered this during a particularly lost time in my life when I felt disoriented and off-course. Everything I did felt empty, and nothing I did made it better. I came to the realization that I knew more about other people than I knew about myself. Who even was I?
I didn’t actually know.
And to tell the truth, I wasn’t quite sure how to find out. I tried to reflect, but I couldn’t quiet my mind. So what did I do? I chose the simplest thing I knew: to sit under the oak tree outside my house. This was mostly because it seemed peaceful, and my dog loved to lay there quietly watching the birds. I would sit there in silence day after day, alone with myself and my thoughts. I didn’t even have my cellphone, which, not ironically at all, was the most difficult part. And I don’t know when it happened, but I began to recognize something: Not only did I feel more peaceful, but I didn’t feel quite as lost.
Other things started happening too. I began to trust myself more, and suddenly I didn’t care as much about the opinions of others. I felt grounded for the first time, because I had started to become attuned to my own inner voice. And though it may sound odd, I would wake up in the morning excited to go and sit beneath that tree.
Now…your initial moment of self-discovery may not happen beneath an Oak tree, but it will begin with a choice to break away from the crowd, and experience yourself…in solitude.
There is not only beauty in solitude, but there is clarity, peace, and enlightenment. And while discoveries of self may not always be pleasant, they are true. And it is with this knowledge of self that power comes. Lao Tzu once said, “He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.”
For me, the key to self-discovery began with the courage to embrace solitude. Was it easy at first? No. But it has opened so many doors, and shown me so many things about myself that I didn’t know were there. And the best part is? I don’t feel lost anymore.
And neither will you.
Olivia xx
