Hari OM
'Text-days' are for delving into the words and theory of Advaita Vedanta.
All the advanced texts of Vedanta advise "WITHDRAWAL" for the serious spiritual student. Clearly, to be away from all the distractions of the world is going to assist in focus on the essentials of spiritual practice.
However, it is also made plain that transferring physically from city to forest or mountain is not the kind of withdrawal which is being advocated. For most people, it can only lead to greater frustration, for it soon becomes apparent that the troubles which haunt us in our home place only travel with us. It comes back to our old friend - mind! By all means, once a level of self-control has been attained, then moving to more tranquil surroundings and leaving behind the 'rat race' may be appropriate. Until then, the junior saadhaka must practice in the centre of the melee of life.
The withdrawal meant here, then, is that of the senses. We live in a time when there is a great deal of external stimulation. Everything is about gaining 'sensation'. The problem with our senses is that they can become immune to certain levels of stimulus and start to demand greater levels of input.
Think about when you are most satisfied, though; when you are most truly relaxed and not feeling pulled by one sense or the other to indulge in this, that or the other thing. It is a fair likelihood it is when you are in your garden, or favourite corner of your home, with minimal noise or visual interaction. You might be focused on working a jigsaw puzzle, or making a model, or simply gazing upon the trees. There comes a point at which you are in a state of aware alertness and all sense of time is lost. Nothing outside of that moment matters.
That is the kind of withdrawal and presence which is required for meditation and spiritual practice. It is also something to be worked upon for daily interaction. Maintaining that level of detachment from things and from investment in what comes next is what frees us to act more readily to any situation and, also, not to mind if things don't go as expected.
Withdrawal of this nature can seem, in the early stages, to equate to aloofness or a lack of caring. However, with practice, the opposite becomes true.
