fall into oneself

fall into oneself (third-person singular simple present falls into oneself, present participle falling into oneself, simple past fell into oneself, past participle fallen into oneself)

1. To enter an introspective or meditative state.
   • 1964, The Illustrated Weekly of India - Volume 85, page 67:

     He fell into himself, his half-closed eyes looking into an edgeless nowhere.

   • 2002, R.A. Salvatore, Transcendence:

     He lost all sensation of time and space, fell into himself more completely than he had ever known possible, touched his life force with his consciousness for the first time.

   • 2010, Sandy Grason, Journalution, page 142:

     Jot down a few sentences about your outer world, then fall into yourself; observe your inner thoughts and musings and then write from the part of you that is always watching.

   • 2012, Genevieve Wood, Kindling Our Stars: Nurturing Bright and Dark Flames, page 136:

     The more you hold on to the everyday, the farther away you are from surrendering. Fall. Fall into yourself, into the deep spaces that lie within.

   • 2015, James C. Harrington, Sidney G. Hall III, Three Mystics Walk into a Tavern:

     The celebrated Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, for example, in the 20th century will describe, almost hauntingly, his mid-life experience of falling into himself.

2. To become shy or withdrawn.
   • 2002, Dana Johnson, Break Any Woman Down: And Other Stories, page 185:

     But you fall into yourself around these, these jokers. You become a mouse.

   • 2012, Tau Malachi, The Gnostic Gospel of St. Thomas:

     When trials come and you fall into yourself and close your heart, suffering is increased and intensified.

   • 2017, Hannah Polanco, Words of Venom:

     Mama, who had been looking so strong this morning, seemed to fall into herself. Her blankets would swallow her alive if she sank further into the bed.