Time is very important to human beings. We have need to structure time: to fill our time in different ways. One of the worst ways to treat anybody is to deprive them of all sensory input and to leave them with no way of filling the time available to them. Even withdrawal which might seem to be a period where we do nothing is deceptive in this regard, Rather than doing nothing we are actually engaged in a process of introspection.
Someone who withdraws to a cabin in a forest will fill his day with many things apart from pure introspection. The need to obtain food, to keep, hunt for fuel – all these are activities which can be very time-consuming. Many people under such circumstances sleep a lot, as time spent in sleep is outside the boundary of time that needs to be structured. Sleep could also be regarded as one of the acceptable ways of structuring time.
In amongst the busyness of games, pastimes, rituals work activities and intimacy; we all feel the need to have some time to sort things out in our heads. For this purpose we need an uncensored period, free of other activities requiring thought. Teenagers often demonstrate such a need, as they are busy with a stage of life where they encounter new experiences.
This time may be a brief temporary withdrawal, but these temporary withdrawals are often in the way of distractions rather periods of introspection. Students in a classroom may occupy their time with thoughts of more interesting activities and completely miss the import of any lesson being presented.
The really useful time for introspection requires seclusion, so that one is not forced to give attention to other challenges. An activity which may distract the mind but presents no challenges or threats can assist the process by occupying the conscious mind while the subconscious seeks some clarity on a concern. Many people prefer different modes of such distraction, such as listening to music or reading an undemanding book.
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