Helpful Verses:

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35

“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12–13

Interesting Quotes:

“Settle yourself in solitude and you will come upon Him in yourself.” Teresa of Avila

“Let him who cannot be alone beware of community... Let him who is not in community beware of being alone... Each by itself has profound pitfalls and perils. One who wants fellowship without solitude plunges into the void of words and feelings, and one who seeks solitude without fellowship perishes in the abyss of vanity, self-infatuation, and despair.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“In quiet and silence the faithful soul makes progress, the hidden meanings of the Scriptures become clear, and the eyes weep with devotion every night. Even as one learns to grow still, one draws closer to the Creator and farther from the hurly-burly of the world.” Thomas A Kempis

“Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life. Solitude begins with a time and place for God, and for him alone. If we really believe not only that God exists but also that he is actively present in our lives – healing, teaching, and guiding – we need to set aside a time and space to give him our undivided attention.” Henri Nouwen

Podcast:

Pete Greig, founder of 24-7 Prayer and who leads Emmaus Road Guildford with his wife Sammy, discusses his thoughts on the practice of solitude. Pete explains how it is one of the most radical things we can practice in our apprenticeship to Jesus whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert.