Loneliness as a doorway to connection – guided meditation
March 15, 2013
Loneliness can be a doorway to connection. Contained within the feelings of loneliness is our capacity for connection. Our podcast meditation – Guided Meditation for Loneliness – encourages you to go deep into the feelings of loneliness to connect with yourself and ultimately with others.
So often we resist emotions that we feel are threatening or unpleasant. Most of us don’t want to feel pain, but resisting our feelings alienates us from ourselves. This is especially true with loneliness. When we are lonely, we may feel deeply sad or have a strong sense of yearning. We might feel anxious, especially if we feel that there is something wrong with us for feeling they way we do. And yet going into the very heart of loneliness, experiencing it all the way, allows us to feel the most important connection of all — the connection to ourselves.
Remember — loneliness is a normal human feeling. It’s a result of your natural capacity and desire for connection. I would love to hear about your experiences with this meditation.
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18 Responses to “Loneliness as a doorway to connection – guided meditation”
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I am regular meditator since last ten years. My third eye opened and undergone the shakti path. My problem is I am not getting good sleep. I am full awareness in the sleep. I am in practice of breath awareness meditation. Kindly suggest my problems.
Kulkarni
Kulkarni, you need to find a teacher who can discuss your situation with you in depth. Problems with sleep can be due to many different things. Good luck.
Thank you mary for your response.
Kulkarni
Namaste Kulkarni,
You may want to try Yoga Nidra. It’s an ancient practice that does not involve any yoga postures.
You can get a free download by going to iTunes, to podcasts, to Elsies Yoga, to episode number 62.
The first fifteen minutes she’s chatting with a fan, so you can fast forward through that.
This practice, which engenders theta brain waves, is best listened to with ear buds. Not only will it ease you into sleep, but it has a cumulative effect.
Good luck!
Hi Mary!
I have been battling with this emotion having lost my parents in my childhood and then taken on the role of being the “strong” sibling growing up.
I am now learning, however, that emotions are okay to experience and you don’t have to cover them up nor should you.
Also, I’ve started down my spiritual path more than 3 yrs. ago but am fairly new to meditation (<6mos). For me with meditation, it’s been an on / off feeling like perhaps I'm not getting that true connection with myself because I may be trying too hard. I've commented on one of your other pages that so far, I've found the most help with your guided meditations so again, thank you for that.
But most recently when I listened to your guided meditation on loneliness, I had a different experience all together and I guess it’s because this emotion might hit home with me more.
I listened to it the other night after having stopped meditating for a few days due to that aforementioned feeling of trying too hard and there was a moment in my meditation where everything just stopped….this the best way I can describe it. I don't know for how long or any other helpful details I can think if but there was a moment that came that sort of pulled me out of it when a thought snuck in saying that I didn't even feel like I was in my bedroom or even anywhere for that matter.
Do you know what this experience is or has anyone else had this type of experience before? Whatever the case it was certainly, the most different experience I’ve ever had.
Reeya, Sometimes it can happen meditation that either the thoughts settle down completely, so that no thoughts are happening, or that the mind can become so expanded and relaxed that there’s simply no awareness of thoughts, sounds, etc. going on. Awareness is left alone by itself. Often this happens for brief periods without us even being aware of it. It could happen for a split second or for a few seconds. It sounds like this time it happened long enough for you to notice it. You only notice it when the experience is ending, because noticing it requires active attention on the part of the mind. What you noticed was when the mind was becoming active again. You described as a thought pulling you out of it. Sometimes we are actually able to experience that transition, and that’s what happened in this case. It IS very hard to describe! Let me know if you still have questions.
Thank you for your response, Mary. It was also funny to me that I wanted back in and tried. Which as you already know the answer to what happened to that.
Another experience I wanted to mention is the one I had the second time I listened to this GM. It helping me analyze this emotion within myself a little more and see where I’ve tried to connect with others in my every day life.
Whenever someone was telling me a story about their family, pet, job, food they ate, anything…I had to find something relatable to bring to the convo, instead of just listening. Moreover, I used to look at others the same people that did that “one uppers”. But I understand that in my case, it’s not that at all. I just want to fill that void of what I lost as a child. So I guess I’ve been doing that to relate and/or connect to my associates in some way.
So your meditation on loneliness is not only allowing me to finally connection with the one person who matters ME, it’s also giving me a better understanding of human behavior overall and so that I can be more understanding the next time I see someone who I used to call a “one upper” whether it be in the mirror or in the streets, and perhaps look at them with more love & compassion.
Thanks again Mary! You are a blessing!
Reeya, I can’t tell you how fulfilling it is to hear this. It’s all I could have hoped for in creating this meditation. Thank you for your openness and courage. May you connect more and more deeply with yourself!!! I’m going to quote some of this in a Facebook post. I hope that’s OK with you. I think your experience could inspire and support others!
hi mary
i have just subscribed and am very interested in the loneliness meditation
i have searched around the site and do not see it offered
how does one go about acquiring it in an mp3 downloadable format?
reed
Reed, you can listen to and download all of our podcast episodes on our Listen to Our Podcast page — http://www.meditationoasis.com/podcast/listen-to-podcast/ Let us know how the meditation works for you!
Great post.
It’s very easy to get sad during loneliness, but as you say, it’s a great opportunity for connection to your higher self/source
Thanks, Oliver. When we suppress an emotion, we do cut off our connection to self. Being fully alive and connected means experiencing the emotions we enjoy and the ones we don’t!
Hi there again Mary! Of course I am ok with you sharing anything I post here on this website on facebook. Especially in an effort to inspire others the way you inspire me.
I’ve been meditating since my school days. I am living in the US, away from from my home India. In my meditation I see lot of pictures and sort of forget the sense of time and space. Today after doing mediation, I had this sense of loneliness overwhelm me. I am not able to figure out what it is. Is it a normal home sickness, being away from family and friends or there is something else that I am not able to figure out.
Kumar, the best thing is for your to investigate that feeling of loneliness and see what it is. It could certainly be “normal home sickness” or something else. Sometimes, though, we can’t figure out exactly where a feeling comes from. In any case, it’s important to let yourself feel it, not running away from it. All feelings are temporary and pass.
I have my own way of meditating, though there are some cases I may consider certain meditation techniques so that it could be more effective. Thanks for sharing.
Very good meditation. I am battling with loneliness from within a troubled marriage, despite my efforts to build an independent ‘life’ for myself through volunteerism and other activities. Your meditation eased my mind, settled my soul, and gave me a fresh starting point for changing my life. Everlasting thanks. Namaste.
Ruanda, an everlasting you’re welcome to you! I’m so glad to hear the meditation is helping. Best wishes as you continue on your path.