Seeking environmental silence when mentally ill

[white knight]

In my 20's (I'm 66yo), I sought to be a hermit. It didnt work out, but it was a reflection of my desperation to leave society. I needed peace. Once I went from Melbourne to the Otway ranges, pitched a tent in the dark and woke up the next morning and my view was of a pine forest with timber workers along with the noise. I lost all hope of silence and tears fell.

Since then I've lived in the country mainly in small towns with the hope of a quiet lifestyle. I've learned however that where ever people are there is noise and holidays bring the dirt motorcycles and that rat-a-tat-tat all day. Most are on towns outskirts but some in the town itself on small blocks. These (often) city people if asked if they would like that noise next to them where they live they dont associate their city block with the same sized country block - odd.

Three years ago we found the balance. A town of about 4000 people. That size town usually has a hospital with after hours treatment, at least one large supermarket, medical services, vet and other services. It also has bylaws prohibiting such recreational vehicles within the town boundary. While building our kit house ourselves we resided in a caravan on the land and realised it was a quiet street not used as a through road for traffic and luckily quiet neighbours. We installed double glazed windows. We stumbled on the best mix. 

Quietness is among the major needs of the mentally unwell and if loud and consistent enough will hinder recovery. It also can interrupt meditation periods. So my philosophy is "if you can't beat them... get away from them. 

Any ideas on seeking a quiet life?

TonyWK 

[Guest_1584]

Meant to ask to , so did you leave your bush block Tony and built another place now or ?

ps , that was meant to be if l was 25 again btw, and also intimacy.  But anyway yeah ldk thinking about touring the world, trying to change it, attitudes, direction, so many have though haven't they really, but as yet to no avail.

Know what you mean ER , don't know why but things with most people just don't seem to  come out well if they get too much of a good thing do they.

rx

[white knight]

Hi RX

Yes, sold up our bush block 3 years ago and bought a town block Western District. Built our own house (my knees are paying for it) in a country town with hospital, large supermarket etc. Basically preparing for old age. Now have given up all building stuff, less gardening and built a slot car set in the shed with train set incorporated (yes boom gates, bells and flashing red lights). So have my hobby in the morning, on this forum in the arvo if not taking a nap lol.

TonyWK

[Doolhof]

Hi All,

I don't travel to the city often, I'm in S.A. so Adelaide  is the big smoke for me. There are wonderful places there to enjoy nature, along the River Torrens, the botanical Gardens, a variety of parklands around the city including a lovely Japanese garden filled with tranquillity.

Our main shopping area is Rundle Mall. It fascinates me when I see people sitting amongst what feels like chaos and hecticness to me,  seemingly to be at peace, entwined in all that is going on around them and calmness seems to surround them.

For some people peace and calmness can be achieved anywhere. I need quiet and tranquillity for my mind at times, nature has a natural power that is refreshing and renewing.

Some areas I have visited feel very ancient and the connection to the landscape is strong. It would be very interesting to learn more of people's connections with the land.

[Guest_1584]

Ah so you've left the block , fair enough.

Although a bit younger l'm selling this place soon and was thinking bush block but we've had a few acreage places and although mine now is not acreage it bloody feels like it work wise . lt's a funny prob like that this one l can never figure out why but it just takes a lot of work , far more than most.

But after the others and now this one, lately l think l'm loosing interest in acreage now and couldn't be bothered with more property work. l've been feeling just of late it'd be so nice to just not have to work on a property for once and have spare energy for just living or doing nothing for once instead.

Hi dool. l really liked Adelaide myself , l love the dryness feel of it and the land around it , love the roads too, a real pleasure to get around and about in after Melb.

Funny you should mention the land thing.

There's something in the land around my house here and the 3000ac across the road, there's just something about it. l even feel it walking around on it especially barefeet. Sadly as it would mean it was stolen from them but l'd just about prettywell guarantee it was ancient Aboriginal land   . We do have a lot of areas up here that were but l've never investigated my exact location though but l'd be 99% sure it  was one of their camps right around my property .

lt has a really strange sort of ancient feel about it, a depth in some way. it's hard to describe but there's some kind a a peace and feel coming from the earth itself when you walk around outside. Others have felt it too.

There's a river over near my brothers place that was all Aboriginal area but along the river are these incredible big old twisty gums. A lot of them prob well over 500yrs old and you can feel it all around that river but particular around the gums and the tribes would have lived around them .

rx

[white knight]

Hi,

Although I built this house 3 years ago I have a number of physical issues like blood clots, gout, arthritis and so on. We needed to be near medical facilities. We have a low maintenance home. Lawns cut in 15 minutes with electric lawn mower, snipper etc, heating and cooling in every part of the house and time saved by a small block allows more time sipping latte at a cafe, 35 drives to the beach in our vintage convertible. So life is good but we planned it all to be like this. Even the decking on verandahs is Ekodeck no maintenance.

TonyWK

[Guest_1584]

Hi there Tony. l can fully appreciate what your saying and the choice, especially with added health issues.

l've envisioned something like your new place too just of late , as apposed to all this stuff here or acreage.again would be triple this. l use to love it but lately l realize how much time and labor l spend and that l'm really just not enjoying it much anymore.

My brother and l have been talking a lot about all this last few yrs, he has a few ac and his getting sick of it too.

There's been a hold up with selling my place but maybe it's been a blessing bc my ideas have totally changed just this last yr or two. and if it sold earlier l'd probably be in a new situation l just couldn't be bothered with now,

rx

[white knight]

Hi all,

We drove to the beach today. I'll not mention the people there only because its not what I focussed on.

What I love is the infinite waves crashing close to shore and the ocean as the horizon. I only just tolerate the sand, the worry of security of our stuff if going in for a dip but I dont go past knee height if that. Our two mini foxies - one loves water she's 7 months old, the other 10yo hates it lol.

Those waves are just therapeutic. On a lookout I could sit on a rock, feel the seabreeze on my face and inhale, it is like no one else lives on earth.

TonyWK

[quirkywords]

I found it was easier being a hermit during lockdown but now I fi d social events no matter how small so much of a challenge. 
partner  nags and says I need to make an effort but I am already making one. 

[white knight]

Hi Quirky

My lovely wife has a semi hermit desire. She isn't social, happy with her own company.

When she tries hard to be social, I know it because to me it's obvious. To expect more effort than that would mean my desire is to take her out of her comfort zone and it would mean I hadn't accepted her for her social capacities

TonyWK

[Doolhof]

Hi RX, Tony, Quirky and all reading,

We have just over 5 acres here. Maybe if it was easier to maintain and we didn't have a very busy and noisy highway just near the back yard I would enjoy it more. I never wanted to move here, my husband did, telling me I was the one to look after the property.

I'm trying to make the most of it. We have a ditch that flows when there has been a lot of rain. A few ancient looking old twisted low height gum trees nestle where the water flows down the back. I like to sit near them, look at them and wonder who else has sat there.

A history book of the region states there were Aboriginal people here in the past. A little spring fed creek in town may well have been a resting/feeding place for them as it was early white settlers.

I like to find a place where I can't hear the traffic, along an old dirt road somewhere.

As a child in a country region, I would walk for kilometres through paddocks, along fence lines, follow creeks and trek along the coast. It was wonderful to have that freedom. It was a small town, most people knew each other and no one seemed to mind a kid wandering across their land.