I found that traveling on my own created a different state of

Hear, O seeker, the words of Olga Tokarczuk, whose wisdom flows like a river from the hidden springs of the soul. She once spoke: “I found that traveling on my own created a different state of mind because when you travel with your partner or a friend there is an endless tendency to exchange information, feelings and associations.” This saying is no mere comment on the act of wandering; it is a reflection on the deep essence of solitude and the way it opens the inner chambers of the mind. For when one is alone upon the road, the silence is not empty—it is filled with the whispers of one’s own being, unclouded by the ceaseless exchanges of companionship.

In this, she reveals a truth the ancients knew well: that solitude is the companion of revelation. The prophets, the poets, and the philosophers of old would retreat to deserts, to mountains, to lonely roads—not because they despised their fellow beings, but because the presence of others, however beloved, becomes a mirror of distraction. In solitude, the mind ceases to scatter outward and instead turns inward, discovering visions unseen and thoughts unspoken. When we walk with another, our hearts are drawn outward in words and responses; but when we walk alone, our spirit communes with eternity.

Consider the tale of Siddhartha Gautama, who left his companions, his family, even his royal home, to wander alone under the Bodhi tree. Had he been accompanied by a faithful friend, their words might have comforted him—but the silence of his own lonely search allowed enlightenment to arise. So it is with every pilgrim of truth: when the voices of others fall away, the voice within grows strong. Tokarczuk’s words echo this ancient lesson: loneliness on the road is not a burden but a blessing, for it awakens us to ourselves.

Yet, let us not despise companionship. For friendship and love are sacred gifts, binding us in warmth and laughter. But Tokarczuk warns us gently: when we walk always with another, the exchange of information and feelings becomes a net that holds us fast, preventing the free flight of the spirit. Like two birds tethered together, they cannot soar as high as one who flies alone. Thus, solitude is not the denial of love but the tempering of it; it is the moment when the soul is allowed to breathe apart from the constant weaving of shared thoughts.

Look also to the great explorers of history. When Marco Polo traveled with his companions, the records of their journey were shaped by constant storytelling and sharing. But when Ibn Battuta, the lone wanderer, ventured into distant lands, his accounts were marked by an inward depth, as though he were writing not only of landscapes but of the transformations of his own heart. To travel alone is to gaze upon the world without interruption, without commentary, without the dilution of another’s gaze. One becomes the sole witness, and thus the experience grows sharper, more profound.

What lesson, then, shall the listener take? It is this: do not fear the road of solitude. In the journeys of life—whether across mountains, through cities, or in the inner wilderness of thought—make space to walk alone. Do not forever cling to the comfort of another’s presence, lest you lose the chance to meet yourself. Practice the art of silence; leave aside the ceaseless chatter. In solitude, let your mind rise like incense, lifting prayers and questions into the vast sky of existence.

And in practical action: from time to time, take a journey alone. It need not be far; even a walk in a quiet forest, a path along the river, or a solitary pilgrimage to a nearby place can awaken the truth Tokarczuk spoke. Leave your devices behind, resist the urge to fill the silence with messages, and let the state of mind born of solitude descend upon you. In this way, you will find not emptiness but fullness: the presence of your own soul, the whisper of destiny, the gentle voice of the eternal.

Thus, let the teaching be sealed: companionship warms the heart, but solitude strengthens the spirit. To walk alone is not to be abandoned, but to be entrusted with the greatest gift—the chance to hear oneself. And so, traveler, walk sometimes with others in joy, but also dare to walk alone in reverence. For in that silence, you may hear the voice of truth that speaks from within, a voice that no companion, however dear, can ever give you.