Solitude Is Not Loneliness. Here's the Key Philosophical Difference.
“Solitude is a condition of peace that stands in direct opposition to loneliness. Loneliness is like sitting in an empty room and being aware of the space around you. It is a condition of separateness. Solitude is becoming one with the space around you. It is a condition of union.”
— Kent Nerburn
One of the best ways to step back and get a more balanced, less worldly perspective on matters is through the Disciplines of silence and solitude.
Donald S. Whitney • Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
An intellectual man in complete solitude has excellent entertainment in his own thoughts and fancies, while no amount of diversity or social pleasure, theatres, excursions and amusements, can ward off boredom from a dullard.
Arthur Schopenhauer • The Wisdom of Life
but being alone isn’t what makes you feel lonely.
Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga • The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness
Solitude, by contrast, is a state of peaceful aloneness … it is an opportunity for self-reflection and a chance to connect to ourselves without distraction or disturbance.’