In my childhood and teenage years, I used to go to the summer camp organized by the parish. There, I spent weeks full of friendship, laughter, playing, and some learning.
One of the most transformative activities for me was the 'desert' experience. It was a half-day immersion in solitude and silence, where we were encouraged to find a secluded spot. This was a sacred time, an opportunity for the divine to speak to our souls, and for us to listen.
The whole point was to receive some illumination about ourselves and, maybe, the calling that would give meaning to our lives.
Have you noticed that when prophets and sages look for their visions, they always go to isolated places, like the desert or the peak of a mountain?
There are no sources of knowledge, no books to read, and nobody they can talk with or ask for revelation. They go alone, searching for meaning in the nothingness.
Perhaps this is why prophets and sages seek their visions in isolation. As Amit Goswami suggests in his book 'See the World as a five-layered cake,' information is old meaning. If you're on a quest for a vision that will truly give meaning to your life's journey, you're seeking something unique, not a mere repetition of someone else's.
These moments of solitude and contemplation, I hold them dear. They are not just a break from the noise of the world, but a time for me to connect with my inner self, to listen to the whispers of my soul.
So, I'm curious, what are your practices when you embark on a journey to discover new meanings or visions in your life?