Meditation on Solitude

For the 3rd day in a row, I've picked the Solitude ritual out of a stack of shuffled cards. I think the Universe is sending me a not so subtle message!

But to capture the ritual of silence:

"All around you is a swirl of activity that never stops. Your commitments, as important as they may seem, become distractions if they fill up all the spaces of your life. Over time, this can lead to the belief that who you are is not enough, and that you need something more, different, or better to be happy.

The paradox is that the search for happiness outside yourself becomes a distraction that keeps you from the fulfillment you seek. To come back to a more balanced state of mind, you must discern who you are and what you want, as distinct from what others want you to be or have.

To know yourself, as many great teachers have suggested, you need time to be alone. In the silence of your own thoughts, your true self can be revealed. "