“Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god. ”
~ Aristotle, Greek Philosopher and Intellectual
What is Spiritual Hermit Syndrome, a.k.a. Buddha on the Mountaintop? It is a psychological disorder similar to agoraphobia which some spiritual seekers, mystics, prophets and gurus can develop. It sneaks up on you and you don’t realize that you’ve developed such a bad case of it until it becomes a serious problem.
It is not a catastrophic development but rather is a social dysfunction that builds over time leading to a psychological type of disorder.
At some point on a spiritual path all seekers will choose to distance themselves from society and the mundane for a brief period of time in order to connect to their true self and to take stock of their spiritual progress. Some may even come to this point more than once on their path if they remain dedicated to self-improvement and mindful connection. But for most this is a six-month to one-year process after which they reemerge, reaffirmed and ready to rejoin their family, friends and society.
For some, a rare few, the process can become a lifestyle. These folks may be working toward ascension, toward spiritual mastery, at a pace and at a depth which many seekers have yet to attain. They may have more reincarnations under their belt and be closer to the next step on the journey of spiritual evolution. Whatever the reason, these seekers do not return to “the norm” after withdrawing to find their inner solace.
You may view this as a stagnation or you may view it as an awakening. But this is not a pattern of behavior brought on by depression or by conceit but rather by reaching a sort of spiritual height, by raising one’s energy vibration. It stems from a desire to maintain a spiritual balance that we have reached, to not mingle our energies with the energies and behaviors of those who we fear may drag our vibrations and our awareness downwards.
At any rate if you think about it, many of … Continue reading →