The practise of spiritual solitary silence, or looking within is a method of self-journey within yourself. It has been practised in one form or another for centuries, from the Tibetian lamas in thier secluded caves to monks in thier quite cells.
The practise of spending time in silence and reflection is important for those trying to communion with that which is bigger than themselves. As Jesus once said, the Kingdom of God is within you. And as spiritual seekers we should take heed of the advice given. Whilst books, teachers have provided invaluable information only can we take the first step of the journey within.
There are several pointers to help us in making this time more productive than just taking a break out from the daily pressures of our life. Before I cam across this technique, I always intuitively knew that I needed silence and time off in isolation to find the answers to the questions that I was seeking. I used to always ask myself, "What am I called to do?" and "Why did God put me here?" or "How come I struggle with work so much?" There are no shortcuts, the answers to these questions can only be found by looking within, and they are best heard in quiet and silence.
Richard Rose gave me the best description of the attitude one should take. He said not to approach isolation as challenging God or the universe for an answer. Don't draw a circle in the sand and say you won't come out until you are enlightened. Instead, and this is my interpretation, work as hard as you can and be thankful for whatever happens
~ Shawn Nevins
When you make the commitment to spend time alone in a solitary retreat, don't forget to watch, to look at the various internal mechanisms before and during that time, your mind will try to get you to postpone, leave early, or pass the time day dreaming. If nothing more, you have made the effort to look within yourself and that's a good thing.
