How to overcome loneliness

Nowadays the majority of people live in very large cities. It is hard to imagine that in cities of millions of people that anyone could feel lonely. However, it is because of the huge size of the cities that we do feel this way. Twenty years ago, you probably knew everyone who lived in your street, at least by sight. Now you are lucky if you know your next-door neighbors.

In a world full of television, videos, computers and the internet, it is easy to be isolated in your own house. We don't even have to go out to work or shop any more. It can all be done sitting a desk with a computer connected to the net. Sometimes we do not even converse with those under the same roof. The violence and crime we witness every day via the nightly news and through serials and movies on the television, make us afraid and sometimes even a little paranoid of those we do not know and sometimes even those we do know.

Years ago, when we lived in small villages, we all felt we had a place we belonged. Everyone had a job that contributed to the lives of those they knew and cared about. You knew that you worked for the good of the whole village. Without television and computers, people would talk, interact, make music, be creative and play games together.

Of course, there were some drawbacks, everyone knew your business and at times you may have even felt a little claustrophobic. But there was not this desperate sense of isolation that seems so common today. In large cities, it often feels like we have become nothing more than a number and if we left tomorrow, hundreds of people would be right there ready to take over our place. In times when we are feeling low this may give us the feeling that we are unimportant and that nobody cares if we are around or not.

For most of us, it is not practical to uproot and move to a small town. Therefore, for our own peace of mind, we need to find a sense of belonging in another way.

A great way to feel a part of your population and not so alone is to be apart of the community. Get involved by doing some type of voluntary work. You could help out by reading to the elderly in nursing homes or donating your time to your favorite charity or sporting club. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, build your self-esteem and get back in touch with that feeling of being an important part of your neighborhood. To find out the volunteering opportunities in your area try searching on the internet or contact your local council, they will know how to put you in touch with.

On a more esoteric level you can work with your base charka. An energized Base chakra can give us the feeling of connection and belonging that we carve. The Base chakra is our connection to the earth and every other living being, it is our connection to oneness. (To find out more about charkas go to http://www.exaltedliving.com/charkas.htm )

To develop a sense of belonging, go and find yourself a piece of grass to sit on. Then feel or visualize your Base charka (which comes out and down from the root of your spine) going down connecting you strongly to the earth. If your focus is strong, you will feel a connection with all of life that is around you. If you practice this exercise over a period of time you will start to know that you are connected to all life and that you are in fact all life. You will know oneness. In this state you will know that there cannot be a thing called loneliness, how could there be when all is one.