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Isolation is beautiful when it is not an escape || Acharya Prashant (2017)
Acharya Prashant
1.4K views
8 years ago
Isolation
Truth
Duality
Ego
Superiority
Escapism
Self-reflection
Freedom
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that real isolation is never afraid of mingling with others. He clarifies that if one feels uncomfortable or afraid in a crowd, then their isolation is merely a surreptitious way of being connected to others through fear. True isolation is the nature of truth; while truth has no second and is the most isolated entity, it also freely mixes with everything. One must have the total freedom to be both a recluse and the center of a gathering. Duality is transcended only when both ends—solitude and togetherness—are held together. Isolation becomes dangerous when it is used as an escape or a refuge from the troubles of the crowd rather than being an independent celebration of beauty. He further distinguishes between avoiding a crowd because it is a drain on the senses and avoiding it because one feels threatened. Using the analogy of a vampire avoiding the sun, he explains that if one's personality feels threatened by the light of others, that avoidance is unhealthy. Regarding the feeling of superiority, Acharya Prashant asserts that true superiority does not feel threatened by the 'inferiority' of others; instead, it seeks to extend a hand and share its illumination. If one truly possesses something better, they should be willing to share it with those who might be waiting for it. Finally, he addresses the difficulty of self-reflection and writing. He states that seeking a 'method' or a 'how-to' for expressing truth is a burden and a block. People often avoid writing freely because they fear losing control over their words. Controlled words protect the ego, whereas uncontrolled expression exposes what is truly happening within. He compares this to the fear of intoxication, where people avoid losing control because they are afraid of revealing the parts of themselves that 'stink.'