Standing as an Individual- Can you be totally alone?

What do we mean by being an individual and being alone? Contrary to the idea that an individual is separate from the rest, individual actually means being indivisible, undivided, and whole.

Here is what the dictionary says:

Individual as a noun means “a single human being as distinct from a group”, and as an adjective means “single; separate”. However the Latin origin constitutes of two words: ‘in-’ meaning ‘not’ and ‘dividuus’ meaning ‘divisible’ combined as ‘individuus’ and so it means ‘indivisible’. 

So, how come we have moved from understanding that individual is not a separate person from others to one that is separate?!

Being an individual may seem difficult for many, because we are constantly told who we are as a single person. We get, and somehow become addicted to, the reinforcement from others about who we are, what traits and character we have, how we look, what we own, etc. Actually, the idea we have about ourselves is coming from others J

So, when we are being alone, we stand completely free from influences, biases, belief systems, ambitions, hopes, and illusions. It is different than being lonely. Being alone is definitely not being lonely. How can one be whole, indivisible and be lonely?! In that aloneness and individuality, there is a different kind of relationship. One that includes the other and not relate to them, from a distance, as separate from oneself.

With that individuality, there is a tremendous responsibility. The responsibility to be true to that wholeness in every action. It is the ending of corruption, and the ending of one’s psychological suffering.