The importance of seclusion.

 ✿ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 ✿

During our daily long evening walks, the conversations of me and my wife were mostly centered around spiritual matters, poetry. 

While in college and university, my wife participated in numerous inter college and inter university poetry competitions, debates and had won many awards. 

In fact it was at her behest that I started writing on Facebook (earlier I wrote for newspapers and magazines). She exhorted me to guide wards of Air Force officials on spiritual matters (She herself was the daughter of war decorated Air Force officer). 

As she is no more now (she left for Goloka Dham on February 14, 2024), I have again started spiritual counseling as per her wish. 

Yesterday a boy of about 23 years asked, "Uncle why did the Hindu monks in olden times leave the world and meditated in secluded places like dense forests, slow clad mountains?"

"Son, human mind has been created to achieve a definite purpose but alas we have been using our minds for entirely different purposes. 

Human mind's only objective is to focus itself on the higher self so that eternal bliss can be attained. 

But we have been constantly immersing our minds in insane wordly activities, surround ourselves with material things and beings. 

In the process we may get instant but short lived gratification. 

Our mind is like milk and this world is like water. 

As milk loses it's purity when it comes in contact with water, in the same way mind loses sight of it's original objective when it becomes too much involved in worldly affairs.

So my son, the solution lies in seclusion.

We must take some time out every day and do meditation in a secluded place, away from the hum drum of daily life." said I

"But why is there a need for secluded place, Uncle?" asked the boy inquisitively. 

"Because it is only by keeping the mind (milk) away from the worldly affairs (water) that the mind gets converted into yogurt. 

And by churning the yogurt, butter is obtained. 

Now son, water can do no harm to the immiscible butter! 

Likewise by regularly practising meditation in an isolated place for few hours, mind gets attached to the higher self and it starts losing interest in world and it's activities." said I. 

Satisfied with my answer, the young lad stood up and touched my feet. 

At the personal level, I opine that one must cultivate the habit of savouring one's own company, spending some time far from the maddening crowd. 

I firmly believe that only those who can live alone, relish their own company can truly love others, can themselves be perennially happy. 

A person having the ability to live alone knows that even if the other person leaves, he will be as happy as he is now. 

Such a person's happiness cannot be taken by the other as it is not given by the other! 

~ Sanjay Gargish ~