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Ignorance may be bliss, or a good distraction may be a boon in times of personal crisis. Best way to beat emotional distress is to get busy with something – may be pursuing a hobby or meeting friends etc. In spite of multitude of remedies, we tend to be unhappy in life. Loss of concentration; wandering mind restless to search for means to get away with depression; and ultimately weakening of spirits because of elusiveness of the happiness we are searching for. Not withstanding the cliche that happiness is within us, humans would never stop looking for it outside their own body and soul.

Many philosophers and  authors have always tried to escape the cacophany of the material world and recluse themselves into a secluded world where they could unleash their creative geniuses to weave masterpieces or to just get some mental peace. Henry Thoreau wrote his classic Walden, or Life In The Woods, when he was under self imposed exile conducting experiment with simple life in Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts. American poet Robert Frost wrote of Thoreau, “In one book … he surpasses everything we have had in America.” And that masterpiece was the outcome of his experiment with simple and solitary living in the woods.

But was he happy to be alone in the woods? I don’t know, but the book, his creative child would have definitely brought him much joy later.

Jawaharlal Nehru wrote Discovery of India when he was imprisoned in Ahmadnagr fort during 1942-46; also his other classic Glimpses of World History, a collection of 196 letters he wrote to his daughter Indira, were written while he was imprisoned in various jails between 1930-33. Mahatma Gandhi, a prolific writer(his Complete Collection of Works run into some 40,000 pages!!!), was always at peace in his ashrams where he weaved unforgettable quotes for the mankind to find solace in times of hardships.

Peace of mind is what brings best out of every human being. Quietness, and distraction-free hours to contemplate are the needs of the time we are living in. Surrounded by gadgets of all kinds which have invaded our personal life leaving us little or no space of our own to ponder over or muse about simple things that life offers us, we have virtually become slaves of materials that do not emote. Solace which we need is expected from machines, and people living next doors or people living within our very own indoors are neglected and forgotten.

Antonio Gramsci, important Marxist thinker and political philosopher of 20th century wrote some 3000 pages of essays, analyses while he was imprisoned in Rome by Benito Mussolini. When he was awarded imprisonment, his prosecutor said of him, ‘ we must stop his brain from functioning for 20 years’!. Yet the imprisonment helped Gramsci contribute immensely to the political philosophy of the world in the form of Prison Notebooks. The prosecutor, little did he realize that brains function best when put away from worldly distractions.

Invasion of technology into our lives when becomes pervasive will only breed contempt. We are social animals, but that is to mingle and breed. In the end it is very own personal space that will give us our joy.

Montaigne wrote his Essays locking himself in his library in the famed Tower of Chateau.  These essays are considered as path breaking literature of its kind and a world classic. He wrote about himself:

‘……… long weary of the servitude of the court and of public employments, while still entire, retired to the bosom of the learned virgins, where in
calm and freedom from all cares he will spend what little remains of his life, now more than half run out. If the fates permit, he
will complete this abode, this sweet ancestral retreat; and he has consecrated it to his freedom, tranquility, and leisure.’

He was a rich man but was afflicted by the poverty of happiness. He resorted to solitude.

Solitude brings freedom. This freedom will help in realizing one’s creativity and bringing it into fruition in some artistic form. Any freedom from worldly distractions will spark creativity. Buddha attained enlightenment in solitude; Swami Vivekanada meditated to get nearer to the god. He once said, ‘that man has reached immortality who is  disturbed by nothing material’. That is only a saying for he himself could not rescue from the material world. ( read The Monk As Man). But he attained greatness unsurpassed at a very young age. That is indisputable.

Earlier I used to sit for 3-4 hours continuously and read. Now it is not happening thanks to internet, tablet, laptop and TV. Still these can not beat aroma and substance of real books. Fortunately with which I am still in touch.

What we need is long lonely walks; few hours in a room full of books where cell phone is switched off and internet is absent; or if you don’t like books, replace them with people you love, talk to them switching off TV and PC. Solitude is not entirely loneliness, it is about giving ourselves substantial time out of 24 hours to rescue us from being engulfed by unnecessary pursuits that will bring harm in the long term.

If at all you are wondering where your creativity has vanished, try solitude, contemplate – free yourself from facebook and get into a real book. Or if you don’t like books just talk, cook or meditate. Best, just sleep.

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