Somnium Space and ‘La Dolce Far Niente’

When I roamed Somnium Space the other day, West of the mountains, where the air is fresh and hills with gentle slopes extend a long way into the distance, I remembered a few passages in Thoreau’s book Walden:

…When I go out of the house for a walk, uncertain as yet whither (to what place) I will bend my steps, and submit myself to my instinct to decide for me, I find, strange and whimsical as it may seem, that I finally and inevitably settle southwest, toward some particular wood or meadow or deserted pasture or hill in that direction…

…The future lies that way for me, and the earth seems more unexhausted and richer on that side…

…Eastward I go only by force; but westward I go free. Thither (To that place) no business leads me. It is hard for me to believe that I shall find fair landscapes or sufficient wildness and freedom behind that eastern horizon…

…Let me live where I will, on this side is the city, on that the wilderness, and ever am I leaving the city more and more, and withdrawing into the wilderness…

I love this contemplation.

Walking around in Somnium, finding areas where I can be alone, ‘in the wilderness’, is a form of meditation for me. I am somehow drawn to these far corners. I have no plans, I just walk and climb the mountains and admire the magnificent views from up there, let them move me. There are no goals, nothing that needs to be achieved.

La Dolce Far Niente

La dolce far niente is Italian for “the sweetness of doing nothing”. In our modern, supersaturated and connected world many people are freaked out by the mere thought of doing nothing, of having no particular business or activity they can engage in.

Many people find it distressing to do nothing. We’re so conditioned to be busy and connected all the time, to follow daily routines full of tasks and deadlines, to answer emails and messages instantly, that we forgot all about ‘la dolce far niente’. Even though we’ve been told by doctors and psychologists that it is vital for our mental and physical health.

I live in the busy capital of Denmark. There’s noise from people and traffic all around me. Almost 24/7. Don’t get me wrong, I love the hustle and bustle of city life and all it has to offer. But sometimes I just need to unwind and get away from it all. That hasn’t become easier with the arrival of Corona.

But thanks to Somnium Space, I can escape without leaving my home. If you think ‘that can’t be the same as traveling to some other place in real life’, I totally agree. Climbing a mountain in Somnium and admiring the views is not the same as climbing a real mountain and get blown away by what you see. No one would claim it is the same. Rather, Somnium is another option. A parallel world. A world that is so immersive that it triggers very similar emotions to those you experience in the real world. And because it is capable of doing that, it can affect you, help you, heal you, calm you. That is what makes Somnium so real.

The power of Somnium Space is that can I find real moments to meditate and relax. Real escapes from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.

You should try it. Immerse yourself, accept Somnium for what it is and what it is not (yet). And experience how it affects you.

Land owner

When I realized the power of VR worlds in general and Somnium in particular, I quickly acquired a few land parcels. If I could build a home in a far corner, perhaps at the slopes of a mountain or on the shores of Deep Oasis Lake (the large body of water in the middle of Somnium), then this would be an ideal place to relax after a long working day.

VR headsets are still a bit chunky which is still a bit of a hurdle for some people. But rest assured that entering VR – the Metaverse – will get easier and easier over time. It will become as easy and as natural as grabbing your smartphone to check out the news.

Imagine being in a crowded place. Today many people withdraw by listening to music. Imagine you can withdraw by putting on some lightweight glasses, jump to your home in Somnium and listen to music on the shores of Deep Oasis Lake! This is not science fiction. This is a revolution that is happening here and now.

Secondary Land Offering

Somnium Space is putting a lot of new parcels on sale these days, during a campaign they dubbed ‘Secondary Land Offering’ or SLO. If you’re interested, make sure to check out the Somnium Space VR marketplace on OpenSea and visit our ultimate guide here on Somnium Times.

Useful links

Somnium Space Website

Somnium Space VR marketplace on OpenSea

Somnium Space interactive map

Somnium Space on Discord