Anyone ever spent a long time alone in a wilderness?

Im curious has anyone done this...or does anyone on this site live alone in an isolated area?. If so have you experienced anything radically different compared to living in a populated area..like UFO's or ghosts or anything like that.
Im not a religious man...but I note that Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness alone...I have a theory that if there are intelligent beings...unknown to science...that perhaps they only communicate with people when a person chooses absolute solitude.
This might be done to use people as messengers within society, without exposing these intelligence's to the world at large..why they would choose this route of spreading their message etc, is beyond me but it opens up questions about religion and the possible manipulation of mankind through techniques such as this ...and of course this idea is just speculation and a theory...but I suspect there may be something to this idea.

Had to laugh at your theory. Best kept that way. I live in a very isolated area in BC on top of a mountain. Go to town maybe twice a month. Have lived here for 13 years. I am a women. I am 49 years old. Why would ghosts or aliens or anything for that matter think that a quiet life makes me any different from you or the next person. I'm not any different from anybody else. Not extraordinary in any way. I just enjoy the peace and quiet. I hate the big city. I visit my family a couple times a year in Calgary. Everybody is in a hurry to get everywhere. The faster they go it seems the more they spin their wheels all for not. People need to take it down a notch. Their so busy doing nothing and buying stuff that they have forgotten what it is that really gives us literally life and our existance. THIS PLANET. She needs to be observed and appreciated more. As far as Aliens. Its dark at night. Pitch black so ya you get to observe the night sky unobstructed without all the background light of the city. Beautiful. I see as many UFO"S as the next person who's actually making a point of keeping watch for them. Sadly most people do not know how to live like this or alone by choice. Society has created co dependence on everything and each other. Most people are very uncomfortable being alone and would not last long. I have dogs and horses. They are much better company than most people. People these days are so out of touch with the REAL WORLD their hardly even human.

Originally posted by FreshAirGirl
Had to laugh at your theory. Best kept that way. I live in a very isolated area in BC on top of a mountain. Go to town maybe twice a month. Have lived here for 13 years. I am a women. I am 49 years old. Why would ghosts or aliens or anything for that matter think that a quiet life makes me any different from you or the next person. I'm not any different from anybody else. Not extraordinary in any way. I just enjoy the peace and quiet. I hate the big city. I visit my family a couple times a year in Calgary. Everybody is in a hurry to get everywhere. The faster they go it seems the more they spin their wheels all for not. People need to take it down a notch. Their so busy doing nothing and buying stuff that they have forgotten what it is that really gives us literally life and our existance. THIS PLANET. She needs to be observed and appreciated more. As far as Aliens. Its dark at night. Pitch black so ya you get to observe the night sky unobstructed without all the background light of the city. Beautiful. I see as many UFO"S as the next person who's actually making a point of keeping watch for them. Sadly most people do not know how to live like this or alone by choice. Society has created co dependence on everything and each other. Most people are very uncomfortable being alone and would not last long. I have dogs and horses. They are much better company than most people. People these days are so out of touch with the REAL WORLD their hardly even human.

So, are you stating you are completely on your own?

Ill be more specific to what qualifies as completely alone and isolated.

I know plenty of people live in rural areas...but most people....even in rural areas... will have neighbors...I suspect most people have neighbors within a short walking distance...of no further than a few hundred yards.

What I want to know is...if anyone lives alone in an area...where their nearest neighbor is miles away.

I don't need an exact location etc...I am just curious if you have experienced anything extra ordinary...possibly due to your isolation.

reply to post by TheBlackHat


Yes. Completely on my own. Nearest neibor is 2km away. The places up here are all far apart. The only thing you would hear would be an occasional gun shot. Hunters as such. People do drive thru the area on occasion. This place is really off the beaten path. Isolation is a state of mind. I don't think I'm isolated at all. The world is still around me. City's make me mental. Thats no way to live. Noise and more noise and traffic and everybody in a hurry. I have satelite and a phone and internet as such. I keep up with whats going on around the world as a person should. Being aware of your surroundings is important no matter where you are. We create our own elusions by our perceptions. Your only alone if you think you are. Your only lonely if you think you are. There is nothing to fear living way up a mountain. You use common sence and don't take stupid chances when working or playing around. There is no cell service where I am and I have never owned a cell phone. I have freinds and a male freind and see them when I choose too. They love coming here when invited because its like a holiday away from all the hustle and bustle. Life is what you make it and create. Mines no different from yours except for the Peace and Quiet. Its not a scary thing. I have never been scared. I walk around at night without light and never worry about anything.

Yes, and No.

Yes, I go on annual wilderness treks in different parts of the US, annually. Some times I go for a week, and some times for a whole month.

When I do, I'm alone, by myself, totally solo, and my goal is to trek as far away from any other human as I can.

Never once have I encountered anything spooky in the sense of UFOs, Bigfoot tracks, Ghosts in the woods, Blaire Witch, fairies, unicorns, werewolves, smurfs, or anything unusual.

Originally posted by FreshAirGirl
reply to post by TheBlackHat

 

Yes. Completely on my own. Nearest neibor is 2km away. The places up here are all far apart. The only thing you would hear would be an occasional gun shot. Hunters as such. People do drive thru the area on occasion. This place is really off the beaten path. Isolation is a state of mind. I don't think I'm isolated at all. The world is still around me. City's make me mental. Thats no way to live. Noise and more noise and traffic and everybody in a hurry. I have satelite and a phone and internet as such. I keep up with whats going on around the world as a person should. Being aware of your surroundings is important no matter where you are. We create our own elusions by our perceptions. Your only alone if you think you are. Your only lonely if you think you are. There is nothing to fear living way up a mountain. You use common sence and don't take stupid chances when working or playing around. There is no cell service where I am and I have never owned a cell phone. I have freinds and a male freind and see them when I choose too. They love coming here when invited because its like a holiday away from all the hustle and bustle. Life is what you make it and create. Mines no different from yours except for the Peace and Quiet. Its not a scary thing. I have never been scared. I walk around at night without light and never worry about anything.

Well you have my utmost admiration...I am so used to living with people around me....it would be almost unimaginable for me to live in total isolation...Id fear cabin fever... and going stir crazy...although at the same time solitude very much appeals to me.

Originally posted by Druscilla

Yes, and No.

Yes, I go on annual wilderness treks in different parts of the US, annually. Some times I go for a week, and some times for a whole month.

When I do, I'm alone, by myself, totally solo, and my goal is to trek as far away from any other human as I can.

Never once have I encountered anything spooky in the sense of UFOs, Bigfoot tracks, Ghosts in the woods, Blaire Witch, fairies, unicorns, werewolves, smurfs, or anything unusual.

Thanks for contributing...I would have bet money that people who lived isolated lives..or at least spend extended times in isolation..would have unusual experiences...so i am surprised to hear nothing to validate my theory so far...but the thread is young.

reply to post by TheBlackHat


I've spent three days out in the woods alone a couple of times years ago. It was fun when I was young. I liked to sleep under the stars back then, had a good sleeping bag. It would have been no problem living in the woods for 40 days back then. Jesus was only around thirty something when he did that, I'm fifty seven now, I'd prefer to sleep at home

I myself have done many trips alone in the US, and in the middle east, never once have i ever ran across anything that is out of the ordinary for the country that I'am in. Now don't get me wrong I have seen some things out of the twilight zone but it has never been in isolation from civilization. But WOW is it fun to think about. Great post.

Much Love
RangerClark29

Originally posted by RangerClark29
I myself have done many trips alone in the US, and in the middle east, never once have i ever ran across anything that is out of the ordinary for the country that I'am in. Now don't get me wrong I have seen some things out of the twilight zone but it has never been in isolation from civilization. But WOW is it fun to think about. Great post.

Much Love
RangerClark29

edit on 28-10-2012 by RangerClark29 because: (no reason given)

well Im beginning to feel kinda stupid now haha...lots of isolation but nothing out of the ordinary,,,Im curious to hear what you have seen though "out of the twilight zone".

reply to post by TheBlackHat


Have you heard of the Phoenix Lights in 1997? I was right in the middle of that, that was pretty awesome. Also was up north, when i heard the trumpet sounds, kinda like the sounds on War of the worlds with Tom Cruise. I searched for a total of about 3 square miles and couldn't find anything that would have made that sound. Seen and heard alot of things after i got back from the middle east, but not sure if i should mark those up too to having some form of PTSD.

Much love
RangerClark29

Originally posted by RangerClark29
reply to post by TheBlackHat

 

Have you heard of the Phoenix Lights in 1997? I was right in the middle of that, that was pretty awesome. Also was up north, when i heard the trumpet sounds, kinda like the sounds on War of the worlds with Tom Cruise. I searched for a total of about 3 square miles and couldn't find anything that would have made that sound. Seen and heard alot of things after i got back from the middle east, but not sure if i should mark those up too to having some form of PTSD.

Much love
RangerClark29

Yeah I have heard of the phoenix lights...it was very well publicized. Did you see the v shaped aircraft, that some people saw...or was it just a light formation?

Originally posted by TheBlackHat

Originally posted by RangerClark29
reply to post by TheBlackHat

 

Have you heard of the Phoenix Lights in 1997? I was right in the middle of that, that was pretty awesome. Also was up north, when i heard the trumpet sounds, kinda like the sounds on War of the worlds with Tom Cruise. I searched for a total of about 3 square miles and couldn't find anything that would have made that sound. Seen and heard alot of things after i got back from the middle east, but not sure if i should mark those up too to having some form of PTSD.

Much love
RangerClark29

Yeah I have heard of the phoenix lights...it was very well publicized. Did you see the v shaped aircraft, that some people saw...or was it just a light formation?

It was the V-shaped that I've seen. The Government tried telling the public that it was a National Guard unit dropping flares from the sky, that is a load of bull. I've seen flares and those were not!! If you look it to that, you will see that it actually followed the path of the highway. Very strange if i say so myself.

Much love
RangerClark29

OK heres my story. I live in Myrtle beach S.C. I grew up an hour inland out in the middle of nowhere. We had no neighbors and the closest store was and still is 8 miles. At night it is so dark, there are no lights from other sources and not even distant lights. The only thing that happened as far as I remember was this one thing.
In 1983 my dad, sister and I were at the dinner table eating and we noticed a tractor in the yard had its hazard lights on, so my dad and I went out there and nothing unusual. The next night ,same time at dinner table, my dads forrestry truck light came on,the big red one on top. Those lights required someone to flip a toggle switch. They blamedit on me and thought I was tricking them but I wasnt.
Third night, my dad was drinking alcohol and my sister and I were eating. Out of nowhere a light so bright that it illuminated the whole outside of our property just appeared, no sound. So my dad, drunk,in his boxers and I ran outside and the light source vanished as fast as it showed up, no sound ,nothing. Back then I wasnt thinking aliens, i was scared it was a helicopter that had found my dads liquor still in the barn. We made it for fun. But years later I thought about it lots and Ive decided that there was some funky stuff going on,like close encounters or something. Other than a pillow being thrown at me once in my bedroom from the living room sofa while i was alone in the house, nothing unusual has happened.


Behind our house is a HUGE hay field,totally cleanand cleared out with a nice size pond,super remote and isolated, I wouldlove to host a collective of the minds/camp meditation bonfire sometime soon,all unique minded peaceful individuals welcome.

reply to post by RangerClark29


Thanks for the input man..

Good luck to you sir.

reply to post by TheBlackHat


No worries, a great thread!!

RangerClark29

Hello, I am new to ATS and this is my first post. I just wanted to just share my experience of solitude.

Born In the early 80's and raised in Los Angeles I was of course apart of that generation that lived on a steady diet of television and Nintendo. I lived in a place where the roads were crowded, classrooms were crowded and stimuli of every kind continually vied for my attention.

I Cant say that I was particularly bothered by it or even really gave it much thought, I knew nothing else and the commonality of it made it all but invisible, and actually when it came to the entertainment aspect of it I would say i liked it.

Fast forward to the early 2000's. By this time i'm in my mid twenties and the novelty of the reckless abandonment I enjoyed in my late teens and early twenties was wearing thin. I had started to become more introspective, reading more and earnestly searching for more meaning in my life.

One evening I found myself at a party. I found a few of my friends hanging out in one of the back rooms chatting with a guy who had recently moved to town and who wound up living with one of our friends.

It turned out he was from Alaska and his family owned a business near Denali national park where he had also lived. For those of you who don't know this is located between Fairbanks and Anchorage and is literally in the middle of no where and was the setting for "Into The Wild". The conversation turned to wishing we could leave our home town for some sort of adventure. It was then that our new friend invited us to work the summer in Alaska.

So that summer myself and a few buddies made the trek up to Denali to work for our friends family during the tourist season. It was great! We got to hike, drink, meet cool travelers from all over the world, and when the season ended we were all gearing up to head back home to the lower 48.

However I was given the opportunity to stay on the property in the off season in one of the A frame cabins they rented to tourists. I was to perform the basic duties of keeping an eye out for squatters and to shovel and plow the endless piles of snow. It would be a 8 month stay in an area almost deserted during the off season.

Now to the relevant part of the story. As summer jumped straight into winter, I suddenly found my self living alone in a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness without a radio, internet, or television. It was me, a stack of books and a whole lot of time.

Almost immediately I panicked. I had that feeling prisoners must have when they hear the cell door shut behind them. That feeling of "what have I done" and an understanding that you're in it for the long haul.

The first few weeks continued to be filled with anxiety and I greatly struggled with the lack of external stimulation I was accustomed to. I just paced around allot. I tried to journal and read, but the silence was deafening. My thoughts raced and I felt extremely disoriented.

But as the weeks went on things began to change. My mind began to rest, the restlessness of the situation gave way to a feeling of peace I had never encountered, and I started to feel extremely aware. I felt as though a fog I didn't know was there had lifted, and my sense of self and of my environment took on a new dimension.

I read and understood in a way i couldn't before. Every word was extremely vivid and often accompanied by strong visualization of the material. I wrote with a clarity and originality i had never experienced, venturing into areas of thought completely new to me and I just felt as if every sense was heightened. I, in a strange way, felt clean. It was an experience that has continued to shape my life to this day.

I know your thread is asking about the supernatural component to solitude and all I can really say to that is there were indeed some other worldly things i did experience. I did not have contact with ghosts or aliens or anything like that, but I did encounter for a lack of a better word "voices'.

The Voice I encountered wasn't audible I don't think, but It felt as though it did come from outside myself. I felt comforted by it and I felt that it would direct my attention to things that really moved or enlightened me in some way. what I encountered that winter would eventually set me on my current path of being an artist and writer focusing on perception and cognitive states.

So that's my story of isolation. I am not a monk or particularly pious, but for me there was absolutely something bordering on mystical that i encountered in the silence.

Originally posted by jazztrance
OK heres my story. I live in Myrtle beach S.C. I grew up an hour inland out in the middle of nowhere. We had no neighbors and the closest store was and still is 8 miles. At night it is so dark, there are no lights from other sources and not even distant lights. The only thing that happened as far as I remember was this one thing.
In 1983 my dad, sister and I were at the dinner table eating and we noticed a tractor in the yard had its hazard lights on, so my dad and I went out there and nothing unusual. The next night ,same time at dinner table, my dads forrestry truck light came on,the big red one on top. Those lights required someone to flip a toggle switch. They blamedit on me and thought I was tricking them but I wasnt.
Third night, my dad was drinking alcohol and my sister and I were eating. Out of nowhere a light so bright that it illuminated the whole outside of our property just appeared, no sound. So my dad, drunk,in his boxers and I ran outside and the light source vanished as fast as it showed up, no sound ,nothing. Back then I wasnt thinking aliens, i was scared it was a helicopter that had found my dads liquor still in the barn. We made it for fun. But years later I thought about it lots and Ive decided that there was some funky stuff going on,like close encounters or something. Other than a pillow being thrown at me once in my bedroom from the living room sofa while i was alone in the house, nothing unusual has happened.
Behing our house is a HUGE hay field,totally cleanand cleared out with a nice size pond, I wouldlove to host a collective of the minds/camp meditation bonfire sometime soon,all unique minded peaceful individuals welcome.

Now this is the kind of stories i was expecting to hear...I too have no idea what may have been happening with those lights you describe going on by themselves and then the totally unexplained light outside...
The pillow you mention...however...that sounds like the classic poltergeists activity...There has been speculation over the years that flying objects like pillows etc... may well be caused by telekinesis... as these events often happen around girls going through puberty, which can be a very emotionally difficult time..in other words its thought that strong emotions may cause objects to move...
very interesting information..Thanks for contributing.

Originally posted by CitizenKnow
Hello, I am new to ATS and this is my first post. I just wanted to just share my experience of solitude.

Born In the early 80's and raised in Los Angeles I was of course apart of that generation that lived on a steady diet of television and Nintendo. I lived in a place where the roads were crowded, classrooms were crowded and stimuli of every kind continually vied for my attention.

I Cant say that I was particularly bothered by it or even really gave it much thought, I knew nothing else and the commonality of it made it all but invisible, and actually when it came to the entertainment aspect of it I would say i liked it.

Fast forward to the early 2000's. By this time i'm in my mid twenties and the novelty of the reckless abandonment I enjoyed in my late teens and early twenties was wearing thin. I had started to become more introspective, reading more and earnestly searching for more meaning in my life.

One evening I found myself at a party. I found a few of my friends hanging out in one of the back rooms chatting with a guy who had recently moved to town and who wound up living with one of our friends.

It turned out he was from Alaska and his family owned a business near Denali national park where he had also lived. For those of you who don't know this is located between Fairbanks and Anchorage and is literally in the middle of no where and was the setting for "Into The Wild". The conversation turned to wishing we could leave our home town for some sort of adventure. It was then that our new friend invited us to work the summer in Alaska.

So that summer myself and a few buddies made the trek up to Denali to work for our friends family during the tourist season. It was great! We got to hike, drink, meet cool travelers from all over the world, and when the season ended we were all gearing up to head back home to the lower 48.

However I was given the opportunity to stay on the property in the off season in one of the A frame cabins they rented to tourists. I was to perform the basic duties of keeping an eye out for squatters and to shovel and plow the endless piles of snow. It would be a 8 month stay in an area almost deserted during the off season.

Now to the relevant part of the story. As summer jumped straight into winter, I suddenly found my self living alone in a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness without a radio, internet, or television. It was me, a stack of books and a whole lot of time.

Almost immediately I panicked. I had that feeling prisoners must have when they hear the cell door shut behind them. That feeling of "what have I done" and an understanding that you're in it for the long haul.

The first few weeks continued to be filled with anxiety and I greatly struggled with the lack of external stimulation I was accustomed to. I just paced around allot. I tried to journal and read, but the silence was deafening. My thoughts raced and I felt extremely disoriented.

But as the weeks went on things began to change. My mind began to rest, the restlessness of the situation gave way to a feeling of peace I had never encountered, and I started to feel extremely aware. I felt as though a fog I didn't know was there had lifted, and my sense of self and of my environment took on a new dimension.

I read and understood in a way i couldn't before. Every word was extremely vivid and often accompanied by strong visualization of the material. I wrote with a clarity and originality i had never experienced, venturing into areas of thought completely new to me and I just felt as if every sense was heightened. I, in a strange way, felt clean. It was an experience that has continued to shape my life to this day.

I know your thread is asking about the supernatural component to solitude and all I can really say to that is there were indeed some other worldly things i did experience. I did not have contact with ghosts or aliens or anything like that, but I did encounter for a lack of a better word "voices'.

The Voice I encountered wasn't audible I don't think, but It felt as though it did come from outside myself. I felt comforted by it and I felt that it would direct my attention to things that really moved or enlightened me in some way. what I encountered that winter would eventually set me on my current path of being an artist and writer focusing on perception and cognitive states.

So that's my story of isolation. I am not a monk or particularly pious, but for me there was absolutely something bordering on mystical that i encountered in the silence.

Thanks for your input. I cannot comprehend spending so much time in isolation...My grandfather lived isolated for many years, alone in the countryside...and he was pretty much unable to live with people, after so much time alone haha...A cranky old guy...I am sure he seen a few weird things however.