Solitude Puts Us in Touch with the Sacred Core of Others

I make a practice of frequent solitude not because I have trouble tolerating the presence of other people, but because I am so intensely enamored by them. As an Empath, I unconsciously absorb other peoples' energy and then assume it is actually mine. Solitude offers me enough distance to recover who I really am in the presence of The Beloved. However, solitude also enables me to discover the sacred core of others in a manner that is much more effective than when I am physically present with them. Washed of their superficial facades by pine scent, crow caws, gritty granite and silence, the core essence of each person gleams in all of its splendor when I dwell in solitude. Following the paradoxical logic of mysticism, the more alone I am, the more deeply in communion with other people I also am.

Photo: Crow in a Ponderosa Pine snag, Shambhala Mountain Center, Red Feather, CO, October 30,  2015

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I am available for one-on-one sessions giving instruction in Wilderness Insight Meditation, or for spiritual direction / mentoring via phone or Skype. You can contact me at canyonechoes@gmail.com if you are interested. The rate is $65 per hour-long session. You might also want to check out my Spiritual Direction with Stephen Hatch Facebook page.
Many of my photos are available as prints, either mounted or unmounted. Here is a link to the pricing and various mounts available:

http://www.stephenhatchphotography.com/#!mounting-prices/cpr6