Solitude ...

[slobake]

I love it in short spurts. I NEED it in short spurts.

My favorite is a trip to our family farm. I pull my truck under the oak tree that was my grandfather's favorite spot. I have one of those hammocks that ties on each end. I tie one end about 8 feet up the tree. The other end gets tied to the roof rack on my truck.

I try to get there mid morning. I set up "camp" (tie the hammock up) and begin to wander. I usually do a 24 hour fast when I go. Just water, nature, my thoughts, and Jesus. The only.sound of civilization I can hear from there is distant log trucks when their air brakes kick in. I'll walk a while, sit on the ground, wade in the creek, sit on tue tailgate of my truck, etc.

I come out recharged.

I used to do it at least once a month. These days every 6 to 8 weeks is about as much as I can do. I can sleep in the hammock down into the 50s (F). But once it gets into the 40s I'll bundle up in a sleeping bag on a single inflatable mattress in the camper shell.

The phone is off except long enough to.call the family and tell them goodnight.

It's awesome.

That being said, I have kayaked down many a snake filled river. That's a close second.

There is a place in the woods near Santa Cruz that is great. Beautiful spot in the woods and you get a 8x8 shack with a carpet a light and outlets, that's it. The place is run by two older and crazy (in a good way) Korean women. They don't speak a lot of English and I think they are widows. You can't stay more than three days and a donation for your stay is optional.
Love that place, maybe it is time to return.

 

[slobake]

We probably are. Sorry about that! I'd be happy to hear about your experience.

no worries, I think we are good.

 

[two fingers]

There is a place in the woods near Santa Cruz that is great. Beautiful spot in the woods and you get a 8x8 shack with a carpet a light and outlets, that's it. The place is run by two older and crazy (in a good way) Korean women. They don't speak a lot of English and I think they are widows. You can't stay more than three days and a donation for your stay is optional.
Love that place, maybe it is time to return.

There are several cabins like that on various rivers here in Eastern NC. You can "rent" them from the state for about five bucks. Some of them overlook the river. I haven't tried that yet. That's probably about as "camping" as the Fingers ladies will do.

 

[Samatza]

I love it when we play a great show and the energy is really high, then we tear it all down and go for a drink and talk among band members. I leave the venue feeling very content indeed and then the next day I'll drive to a beach somewhere and just sit on the sand and stare out to sea and remind myself how lucky I am.

That's my solitude moment, those few hours alone near the ocean when I feel everything is in its correct balance.

 

[slobake]

I love it when we play a great show and the energy is really high, then we tear it all down and go for a drink and talk among band members. I leave the venue feeling very content indeed and then the next day I'll drive to a beach somewhere and just sit on the sand and stare out to sea and remind myself how lucky I am.

That's my solitude moment, those few hours alone near the ocean when I feel everything is in its correct balance.

Mrs. slo loves sitting by the ocean too.

 

[Gaolee]

It's not really cool in everyday life when I'm trying to make sense of a world that doesn't even pretend it wants to understand. But it's cool that you do understand

Zen wanted to break me. By the time I got to Zen, I was already broken.

But that is the point of zen, isn't it! It didn't break you. It thinks nothing. It just is. And as Slo says, the drift may be out of bounds.

 

[LBS-bass]

But that is the point of zen, isn't it! It didn't break you. It thinks nothing. It just is. And as Slo says, the drift may be out of bounds.

It didn't break me but my teacher still thought I needed to be broken. I couldn't bear it twice. But yes, you are right. And ultimately it was good, and lest we go out of bounds that's all I'll say about it out here in the open forum.

 

[4Mal]

It’s a decent ski area but Alta is more my style.

Actually, I prefer Solitide for the most part. Alta is freakin' crowded these days and at Solitude, you have to work to get to the good stuff. That let's a lot of people out and hey Solitude ;-)

Truthfully you have to work Alta for the really good stuff as well but there are many more people doing it... but hell at least it isn't Snowbird...

 

[slobake]

But that is the point of zen, isn't it! It didn't break you. It thinks nothing. It just is. And as Slo says, the drift may be out of bounds.

 

[4Mal]

One of my favorite places for introspection is a bicycle. Specifically a road bike. You have only two things to think about in the immediate. Pick one foot up, up the other down and keep it on the road... In the 50's there was the term 'egghead' to describe someone brainy, like a scientist... when I'm on my bike, I'm trying to achieve 'egg plant' and if you've ever sliced one you'll have my drift. pick one foot up, put the other down, stay shiny side up...

on a mountain bike this is a recipe for surgery...

 

[4Mal]

everybod knows the old joke... monk at a chicago hot dog stand says to the cart guy 'make me one with everything' ... but few know the rest. Said monk only has a large bill with which to pay for the dog. Cart guy puts it in his pocket and as the monk begins to object... the cart guy says 'true change comes from within' ...

 

[Funky Ghost]

Mrs. slo loves sitting by the ocean too.

The wife and I can spend more than an hour, sitting side by side staring at the ocean, and not say a word. In those moments I know we are uniquely compatible. Santa Cruz and it's neighboring areas were once my home away from home. It still has the appeal, but humanity has invaded what once was a quaint, quiet place. I drive further north along the PCH to find those places and moments now. The further north you go the more rugged, and majestic it gets.

 

[Groove Doctor]

That's my solitude moment, those few hours alone near the ocean when I feel everything is in its correct balance.

Well said.

I like to get in touch with the cycles - sunrise/set, moonrise/set, lunar phases, wind, cloud, rain, tides, currents, surf, wind swell, seasons, etc. I sync with nature and it restores my soul.

 

[FilterFunk]

I wish we'd get real rainy seasons here in the Central Valley of California again. After a typical long, hot, and monotonous summer, it's always refreshing to just sit, watch, and listen to the rain. Love that fresh rain smell, too.

 

[Mike JV]

Another vote for hanging out in my backyard. I've always been the shy, loner type. It just feels totally natural to me. I was a full time musician for many years with no fear of playing in front of anybody. And while I would go and mingle from time to time (and liked it) it wasn't something I went out of my way to do.

Been single and alone since my divorce in 1993 and I wouldn't change a thing. I like being the king of my little house with no objections from anybody. I can do what I want, when I want, how loud I want or how quiet I want. I go days at a time without talking to anybody.

Retired in March of 2020 right at the start of the lockdown but it had no ill effect on me. I always knew when I retired what I'd be doing and that was just hanging out at home. After working all these years I've had enough of office politics and with others trying to control your every move at work. Not to mention the daily commute. I don't miss any of it. I play bass and guitar, I play at church and during this past winter I started to dabble in the art world. So I know how to occupy myself just fine. So yeah, hanging out in my backyard away from all the insanity out there is nice.

I do like seeing other people but it's nothing that I crave. But I wouldn't mind taking an art class for drawing and painting to learn some techniques. That would be interesting.

 

[LBS-bass]

I wish we'd get real rainy seasons here in the Central Valley of California again. After a typical long, hot, and monotonous summer, it's always refreshing to just sit, watch, and listen to the rain. Love that fresh rain smell, too.

Yep, we had no rain at all this spring. A lot of wind. It was pretty weird.

 

[Solarmist]

I live 5/8 mile up a private dirt road, 2nd house to the end on a heavily wooded 3 acre lot at the top of a hill. I'm in solitude the minute I hit the dirt road, but walking around in the woods, yardwork, and playing with my dog is next to paradise for me.

 

[el jeffe bass]

Not so sure it's an "either/or" thing. I'm an introvert. I LOVE solitude. But I also love being with friends.

I think a lot of people have a misconception of introverts. We introverts also love being with good people. The difference is that we can only take it for so long. Then we feel a need to "escape" to our solitude and re-charge our "batteries". Yes, we also love socialization. But we like ours in smaller doses (if that makes any sense)...

This is about the best explanation of how I am

 

[grimjim]

I go on a hunting trip every fall. 9 days in the Shawnee National Forest. With the first and last days dedicated to travel and camp set up/tear down, that leaves 7 days of solitude in the woods. Time for self reflection, quiet, calm. I'll get out there before sun up and just stare at the stars. It's like therapy to me.

 

[yodedude2]

Not so sure it's an "either/or" thing. I'm an introvert. I LOVE solitude. But I also love being with friends.

I think a lot of people have a misconception of introverts. We introverts also love being with good people. The difference is that we can only take it for so long. Then we feel a need to "escape" to our solitude and re-charge our "batteries". Yes, we also love socialization. But we like ours in smaller doses (if that makes any sense)...

great post