When do You Hear Your Soul — Alone or in a Group

When you find yourself expanding with knowledge, insight, and a feeling of connection with the world –

are you alone or in a group? Someone asked this once during a group exercise, and I was surprised that I was the only one in the group that does my best work alone. All the others found a sense of expansion and wonderment in a group, where the emotions ran strong. I have to admit, people distract me from being aware of things beyond what is in the present. This means that I do all my most creative thinking, analysis, and work – alone.

There are those who talk to think; when they hear what they say, they know what they think. Others rift off the ideas of others so that they all soar together, feeding off each others’ ideas. Sometimes I enjoy these situations, and I can participate. But that isn’t when I get the best ideas or am inspired to do something new; that only happens when I’m alone. There are some who would shame me, and call me an introvert as if it was a mental illness. I know it isn’t, though. There are many different styles of thinking and processing ideas. No one process is perfect or better than the others.

My best ideas and greatest insights come from a connection with my spiritual self or nature. My inner voice is quiet and doesn’t push; it needs room to come to the surface. It’s hard for me to juggle that part of me when I sense the energy (and more) of others around me. It’s harder to stay connected with them AND with my spiritual self. When I’m among other people, I often sense their energy and more. It’s distracting and often disquieting; it keeps me away from my awareness of creative information beyond my knowledge. Thankfully, this has become easier, and there’s more ease and flow in my life as a result.

Being alone can also help me to mull over ideas that blossom over a long period of time, with bits of clarity that build one upon the other. At other times, I get an idea of whole cloth – in one big piece. Follow-up can take a while as I fill in the supporting facts, ideas, and concepts to hold up the entire structure. Reflecting can take more time than I have with a group.

I wonder if people connect to concepts, ideas, and mysteries far beyond them when they’re in a group because they are building on the spirits of those around them. Is it as if each one stands on the spiritual shoulders of those around them? How people do this in groups is a mystery to me, but it really doesn’t matter, so long as we think new thoughts and generate ideas that add to our lives. People aren’t the only expansive ones we can connect with. Plants, animals, mountains, rocks, rivers, ideas, concepts, and more – all things that we can connect with that genuinely want to be heard. They aren’t heard with the ears, but with the soul.