Alone let him constantly meditate in solitude on that which is

“Alone let him constantly meditate in solitude on that which is salutary for his soul, for he who meditates in solitude attains supreme bliss.”
Thus spoke Guru Nanak, the luminous founder of the Sikh faith — a sage whose words shine with eternal clarity. In this teaching, he reveals one of the most sacred truths known to the seekers of all ages: that solitude is not emptiness, but the garden where the soul communes with the Divine. To meditate in solitude is to step away from the clamor of the world and turn inward, toward the wellspring of spirit that dwells within every heart. And in that sacred stillness, free from illusion and distraction, one finds not sorrow, but bliss — the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Guru Nanak spoke these words in a time when the world was divided by religion, caste, and pride. He walked among kings and peasants, yet he sought no throne, no ritual, no ornament of power. His temple was the open sky; his altar, the silence of the self. To him, solitude was not exile but union — for when a person sits alone in meditation, they are in the company of the Eternal. He taught that truth does not dwell in noise or argument, but in the quiet flame of contemplation. In that flame, the soul begins to remember its divine nature — that it is not separate from the Source, but one with it.

To meditate constantly means not merely to close one’s eyes for a few moments each day, but to carry awareness like a sacred lamp through every hour of life. Solitude is not confined to the forest or the mountain cave; it lives in the heart that remains centered amidst the storms of the world. The bliss Guru Nanak describes is not fleeting joy, but the boundless serenity that comes when the mind is purified of desire and fear. The one who lives thus no longer seeks peace from outside, for peace has become his very being.

The ancients of many lands spoke of the same truth in different tongues. The Buddha, too, found enlightenment not among crowds, but beneath the Bodhi tree, alone in silent meditation. The prophets of the desert — Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad — all withdrew into solitude before returning with divine revelation. Their solitude was not isolation, but preparation. They emptied themselves of the noise of men so that the voice of truth could be heard within. Guru Nanak’s teaching stands in this lineage of wisdom — a call for every soul to find in solitude not loneliness, but communion with the Infinite.

Consider the story of Guru Nanak’s own enlightenment. One morning, as he bathed in the river Bein, he vanished beneath its waters. For three days he was unseen, and many thought he had drowned. But when he emerged, his face shone with radiance. He had touched the eternal stillness — that “supreme bliss” of which he later spoke. From that day, he declared, “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim — only the One.” His solitude had revealed unity; his silence had spoken louder than any sermon. This moment became the foundation of his life’s mission — to awaken humanity to oneness through love, meditation, and truth.

To meditate on that which is salutary for the soul means to turn one’s thoughts toward what uplifts and purifies — compassion, humility, gratitude, devotion, and the remembrance of the Divine Name. The mind, left to wander, becomes entangled in fear and desire, but meditation gathers it back into wholeness. As the river returns to the ocean, so the restless heart returns to peace. In that peace lies the “supreme bliss” of which Guru Nanak speaks — a joy untainted by circumstance, eternal and free.

The lesson of this teaching is both profound and practical. Seek solitude not as escape, but as renewal. Withdraw daily, even for a few moments, from the world’s noise. Sit in silence, breathe, and remember who you are — not the roles you play, but the soul that watches and endures. Let your heart dwell on what is pure and true. In time, you will find that the solitude which once frightened you becomes your friend, and that silence, once empty, overflows with presence.

So, my child of the spirit, heed the words of the Master: be alone, and meditate constantly on that which nourishes your soul. Do not fear solitude, for it is the doorway to the divine. When the mind grows still, the heart blossoms. When the self dissolves, the Infinite is revealed. And in that revelation, you will taste the bliss that the saints and sages have known — the supreme bliss that needs no witness, no companion, and no end.