Mostly you hear it stressed to "spend time alone". How much is good and practical, and how much is unhealthy?
—James, us
Spending time alone allows us the possibility to let go of some of the endless distractions that intrude upon us and offers us the opportunity to be more with God.
Paramhansa Yogananda said that when we are with people we should give them our full attention but when we are alone we should be completely with God.
The amount of time that one should spend alone is different for each individual and needs to be put into context of one’s life. Regular daily meditation certainly is a very important way to establish the foundation of our inner relationship with the divine. Outside of your meditation periods try also to have times throughout the day that you can be alone, even if it’s only for five minutes at a time.
Spending time alone becomes unhealthy when we are contractive and hiding from life, and also when we are out of balance. Strive to live a balanced life in which you are able to serve outwardly as well as being able to dive deep within.
Start with a few minutes of solitude each day and increase gradually. Let the time you spend alone be expansive. If you approach it in this way you’ll be able to sense how much time is right for you.
