A Healthy Introvert?

[Bring4th_Austin]

I guess before the question can be asked, one has be clear on the definition of an 'introvert'.

One version goes:

* someone who is happy to be with groups of people, but after a while, they find it draining, and need some 'me' time to recuperate.

An extrovert, on the other hand, can happily spend all their time with others, and not find it draining, but rather, on the other hand, invigorating.

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so I guess the question is, is there a healthy introvert?

I guess I am asking the question because I think I have always associated introversion with neuroses.

It's interesting that you have associated introversion with neuroses...what gave you that association?

I do think that there are certain neuroses that seem to be expressed by introverts in "anti-social" or "non-social" tendencies, perhaps the same way an extrovert would express certain neuroses through elevated social interaction.

I'm a rather extreme introvert myself, needing plenty of "me time" to recharge my batteries, but I do not shy away from social interaction. At times I crave it and love to interact with groups of people. There are other times where I feel I simply do not have the energy to deal with other people, or just simply not desire to do so.

The way I have always understood the difference between introversion and extroversion is similar to what you have described, maybe using personal batteries as a metaphor. Introverts use alone time to recharge their batteries, extroverts use social interaction to recharge their batteries. In this sense, introverts have no problem being social, there is just necessary recharge time that involves lack of social interaction.

I personally feel like maybe introverts have it a bit easier as far as spiritual evolution goes. It's a pretty well established concept in the Law of One and many other spiritual philosophies that meditation and silence are key to unlocking the path of spiritual evolution. I have been good friends with some extroverts, and one common factor I have noticed is that they really don't like to be alone. They get antsy and nervous, and have a very hard time sitting still and not going about looking for some sort of social scene to rest in.

Since I haven't experienced extroversion, it's hard for me to really draw a real conclusion, but it seems to me that when one feels a compulsion to constantly be within a social setting and experiencing a constant stimulus of social interaction, finding time to process the interpersonal catalyst could be difficult, especially if one does not feel comfortable being alone.

For me, as an introvert, taking up a practice of meditation was quite easy since sitting alone in silence was already something I was prone to do in order to recharge my batteries. Then, as the idea of consciously processing catalyst entered my toolbox, I have found my introversion to be a gift. I am able to make the most out of "real life" social interaction and then take it back to contemplation and meditation to process. It's turned into a system I am rather comfortable with that I think works well.