Rich Inner Life

I was reading an article today about the sleeping habits of people from different walks of life when I chanced upon this quote: "you have to have a very rich inner life to be a baker". The woman who was quoted has a working day that starts at 3:00 a.m. and ends at 10:30 a.m. on most days. When she is baking, she is usually alone, which she enjoys. The phrase 'rich inner life' stuck with me and I wondered what my definition of it would be. I would say it entails relying on passive external stimuli--books, movies, articles, any form of art--to give life to a vibrant inner world made up of thoughts and emotions. When I googled the phrase, I found that someone on Quora has defined it as when thoughts and impressions are mostly enough to make us happy and satisfied. I slightly disagree as I believe building a rich inner world requires engagement with the outside world, but of the passive kind. There is a reason solitary confinement is considered one of the worst forms of torture.
Looking back over the past two years, I realize that I have been actively  seeking a rich inner life. It hasn't been a conscious choice, and if it were maybe I wouldn't have made it. It could be seen as disengaging from the external world, which is a privilege only a few can afford. At a time of grave political injustices and upheavals, it could be seen as a cop-out. On the other hand, it could be argued that it is an effective coping mechanism. Or that having a rich inner world and actively rather than reactively engaging with the external world are complements, not substitutes. This is a tough one and I see myself pondering  over it in the days, weeks and months to come. But, I firmly believe that we are first responsible for our own happiness and then of those in our close vicinity. And, if that involves building a world of one's own and spending an inordinate amount of time in it instead of chasing worldly pleasures which can be terrible for the environment and for those less fortunate, is that such a bad thing?
The song that comes to my mind is 'A world of our own' by The Seekers, with the 'we' substituted with 'I' to make it relevant to my current situation.

Close the door, light the light
We're stayin' home tonight
Far away from the bustle and the bright city lights
Let them all fade away, just leave us alone
And we'll live in a world of our own

We'll build a world of our own that no one else can share
All our sorrows we'll leave far behind us there
And I know you will find there'll be peace of mind
When we live in a world of our own

Oh, my love, oh my love, I've cried for you so much
Lonely nights without sleeping while I longed for your touch
Now your lips can't evade the heartache I've known
Come with me to a world of our own

We'll build a world of our own that no one else can share
All our sorrows we'll leave far behind us there
And I…

P.S. My blog is an integral part of my rich inner world