Pack Up Your Practice – Why You Should Take Your Practice With You When You Travel
Going on a travel adventure doesn’t have to mean leaving your entire routine behind. Whatever your practice may be, from yoga and meditation to running, sketching, or music, you should take whatever gives you Zen with you on your next trip. Here’s why.
You’ll Be More Interesting – And Attract More Interesting People
One of the most fabulous things about travel is meeting new, interesting people. Carrying your practice with you characterizes you as a full, interesting, human being – making you intriguing to other full, interesting human beings, and offering an easy conversation starter for anyone looking for an opening to make new friends. Your practice is your practice because you’re passionate about it, and people are most beautiful and attractive when they’re doing or talking about their passions. Relish the opportunity to share – and to learn about what others are passionate about at the same time.
The Bumps in the Road Won’t Slow You Down
In normal, everyday life, we do our practice to help us cope. It makes you better able to handle the small crises of living in the world, and keeps you calm and centered when things go awry. What we forget, however, is that no matter how ideal our destination may seem, or how joyful our adventuring becomes, things will go wrong. Trains will be late, pickpockets will strike, or people who prey on tourists will try to cheat you. If nothing else, when travelling in a country where you don’t speak the language, you’re bound to have at least one miscommunication along the way. Let your practice keep you level headed so that nothing that comes your way can derail you. The better prepared you are to keep your cool, the more likely the unexpected is to become a good story, rather than a disaster.
You’ll Make The Most of Your Time
A little bit of routine in your life is guaranteed to help you make the most of the time you have. When you’re making time for regular practice, you’re a lot less likely to get lost in the vastness of completely unscheduled days, making you more likely to get up and explore every opportunity presented on your adventure. Even if this particular trip is devoted to relaxing on the beach, wouldn’t you rather spend your time in the sand than in bed until noon? A little bit of routine keeps you active and engaged, making you more likely to stay that way all day long.
Most importantly –
Living More Consciously is Travelling More Consciously
When you spend a little time every day on whatever practice helps keep you centered and mindful, you’ll carry that consciousness into your travel experience. Cultivating the habit of being present in the moment will make you more present in every minutiae of your journey – helping make your travel experience that much fuller. So throw your yoga mat, your sketchbook, your mala beads, whatever into your bag, and use them. Regularly. And then just watch the world become even more exciting and beautiful.