I think you are exaggerating the amount of separateness that is associated with a meditative life. If you’ll note, the monk discusses compassion, and new research in genetics. He is not pulled back from the world. He is engaged. He also spends a few hours a day meditating. Also, he is not examining his life when meditating. Meditation is not psychotherapy. It is practice. You practice being able to separate yourself from your thoughts. This is how you can experience happiness, they say—by coming to be able to practice the idea that you are not your thoughts. I don’t know what humans are if they aren’t their thoughts, but I hope to learn, since this practice is helping me deal with depression. Of course, I’d rather get there by understanding than by practice, but I suppose, sooner or later, I might have to practice. Although, I do think I have my ways of practicing (making music, dancing).