Aloneness
The Osho Zen tarot is among my very favorite tarot decks. Because regardless of what tarots are supposed to do, these cards have a wisdom in them that far surpasses any other deck I’ve come across, or even any book! I shuffled the other day and drew Aloneness. It’s such a beautiful card with a beautiful meaning. A meaning I think a lot of us need to understand. I’ve been noticing a lot of lonely girls and guys out there lately and been wanting to say something to them but every time I tried I didn’t know how! And yet I think this card pretty much sums up everything I need to say and more.So without further ado, I give you Aloneness ...
When you are alone you are not alone, you are simply lonely - and there is a tremendous difference between loneliness and aloneness. When you are lonely you are thinking of the other, you are missing the other.
Loneliness is a negative state. You are feeling that it would have been better if the other were there - your friend, your wife, your mother, your beloved, your husband. It would have been good if the other were there, but the other is not. Loneliness is absence of the other.
Aloneness is the presence of oneself. Aloneness is very positive. It is a presence, overflowing presence. You are so full of presence that you can fill the whole universe with your presence and there is no need for anybody.
Osho The Discipline of Transcendence, Volume 1 Chapter 2
Commentary:
When there is no "significant other" in our lives we can either be lonely, or enjoy the freedom that solitude brings. When we find no support among others for our deeply felt truths, we can either feel isolated and bitter, or celebrate the fact that our vision is strong enough even to survive the powerful human need for the approval of family, friends or colleagues.
If you are facing such a situation now, be aware of how you are choosing to view your "aloneness" and take responsibility for the choice you have made.
The humble figure in this card glows with a light that emanates from within. One of Gautam Buddha's most significant contributions to the spiritual life of humankind was to insist to his disciples, "Be a light unto yourself." Ultimately, each of us must develop within ourselves the capacity to make our way through the darkness without any companions, maps or guide.
posted by Peach @ 5:12 AM
14 Comments:
"When you are alone you are not alone, you are simply lonely "
i disagree, and i dont think it makes sense (?)
rephrase to : when ur alone, ur not lonely.. ur simply alone
Deep Post.. made alot of sense.. i like how you differenciate between lonely and loneliness.. ;)
I love my aloneness, that does not mean that I’m not a sociable person, on the contrary, I like to socialize, and when I do, I do not burden the others with my daily problems because when I am alone I consult me and figure the solutions so that when I’m out there, all are solved and I give joy to others instead. Many people do not understand that, for instance; I’m traveling with family now and as a result I have to be with them all the time, it’s ok and I can handle it, but I also need sometimes alone, they don’t seem to get it though and they think that there is something wrong with me. But when they see how refreshed and jolly I become after sometime of solitude they appreciate that. Loneliness is a state of immaturity where we have to emotionally depend on others to feel happy, it is ok if it happens to us once and a wile, but to constantly be on that state is not healthy, and the ones who are suffering from that should get to befriend themselves more, and they’ll soon find out that it’s really rewarding. Nice subject peach :)
temetwir, U can not be alone unless u are nobody. Cuz even on your own you are always there. YOU. You're there with yourself. Does it make any sense now? lol.
Ok, so when u get the feeling that you are Alone even though you can't be, that means that u are feeling lonely. That's what the phrase basically means. U can still disagree if you want to though ;)
Charisma, Isn't it! I know, and btw I didn't write that it's the meaning of the card.
Ayya, No one coulda said it better ;) I'm the same way, I always need to be alone after being around ppl for too long otherwise I space out and start being alone in the midst of ppl! Alone recharge time is great if you know how to tresure it. But like u said that doesn't have to mean u're not social.
I support Temetwir's argument.
I don't have a significant other, but I don't feel lonely; yet I am alone.
mbh ;) Thank you very much, U make my point. You don't have to feel lonely if you are alone. Just like alot of ppl could feel lonely even amongst ppl.
This card is for those who do suffer lonliness. It tells them to let go of thier lonliness; a negative state, and start enjoying thier aloneness; a positive state. Just like ur doing right now ;)
" mbh ;) Thank you very much, U make my point."
I do!? Aaah shoot .. I was looking for a fight ;p
Btw, any idea on the source of these? The origin?
I need time alone everyday and feel agitated if I am not allowed that time.
And I agree with Jeff, you can be lonely even in the company of people.
Very meaningful card Peach
Dear Peach,
If there is one writer that can console me in my solitude it is Rainer Maria Rilke...below is a short passage from a book I hold close to my heart...
“And you should not let yourself be confused in your solitude by the fact that there is something in you that wants to move out of it. This very wish, if you use it calmly and prudently and like a tool, will help you spread out your solitude over a great distance.
Most people have (with the help of conventions) turned their solutions toward what is easy and toward the easiest side of the easy; but it is clear that we must trust in what is difficult; everything alive trusts in it, everything in Nature grows and defends itself any way it can and is spontaneously itself, tries to be itself at all costs and against all opposition.
We know little, but that we must trust in what is difficult is a certainty that will never abandon us; it is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be one more reason for us to do it.”
- Written in Rome, on May 14, 1904.
Truly,
Misguided
MsBaker, I knew u would love it ;)
Mbh, I knew u were LOL and yeah I know the source too ;) I'm a bit reluctant about sharing it, refer to previous posts you'll find me saying quote "I'm selfish" :p But what the heck here u go, www.osho.com
Jeff, "you can be more yourself when you are with other people", very good point I never thought of it this way before!
By the way, I officilly got a delivery failed this time. Something is up with ur Gmail.
Jewaira, definatly! Alone time is almost like coffee in the morning ;)
Dear MisG, :)
I can't say I agree with Rilke about difficulty But I do like her style :) Thanks for sharing.
Truly,
Peachah ;p
Peach, I didn't mean where to buy one, I meant about its history, where it came from, its inventor & its usage.
Petita, Thanks honey that's so sweet ;)
MBH, Do u mean this particular deck or tarot in general? Or maybe u mean Osho himself?
This is about Osho,
http://www.osho.com/Main.cfm?Area=Magazine&Sub1Menu=Tarot&Sub2Menu=OshoZenTarot&Language=English
As for tarot, Some say they were first created in the 14th century in northern Italy. It would take a whole post to talk about thier history ;)
Which do u mean exactly?
MBH, the link I gave u doesn't seem to go to the Osho page so on the left panel click on osho, on osho and then when the page loads there is a little link on the upper left corner; about osho.
osho ---> on osho ---> about osho
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