Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the nature and effects of extended experiences of solitude. Profound solitude, defined for this inquiry as a voluntary retreat of four to ten days in a remote mountain cabin, has been described primarily in theological literature, and in biographies of practitioners. Recent theoretical writers have extolled many forms of solitude as psychologically beneficial. There has been no previous research into profound solitude, though the nature of brief solitude has been explored. ;An heuristic framework informed the researcher in developing the methods and design of this study. The researcher conducted a ten day solitary retreat, and provided a similar experience to four other participants. Each participant made multiple daily tape-recordings in solitude. Each was given extensive pre- and post-retreat interviews. Transcriptions of all data were analyzed via heuristic processes by the researcher, who later created narrative depictions. The researcher rewrote each depiction until accredited as accurate and complete by the pertinent retreatant. Participants reviewed all other depictions to stimulate cross-fertilization of ideas. ;The results indicate that profound solitude for this research "team" is characterized by an initial period of psychological distress and adjustment, a long middle interval of intense self-examination and heightened equanimity, and a brief termination phase marked by re-emergence of baseline anxiety and daily preoccupations. Themes of reunion with a "true" self, clarification of life path or purpose, psychological healing, creative activity, and magnification of perceptual discrimination were noted during the middle period of many retreats. Psychological "holding" during solitude by a supportive, empathic other appeared a central and necessary element in the experience of many retreatants. ;This research corroborates religious and anecdotal views of profound solitude as facilitative of emotional reparation and experiences of transpersonal unity. One implication of this research is that psychotherapeutic processes appear possible outside of traditional interpersonal avenues