Travel is awesome and a solid meditation practice is one of the most beneficial gifts we can give ourselves - but sometimes the two can feel challenging to do at the same time. That doesn’t have to be the case! Read on for 5 ways you can maintain your practice throughout your trip.
1: Timing Is Everything
A part of maintaining any practice during travel that can feel particularly challenging is timing. Most of us are creatures of habit in our daily lives. We wake up, go to work, interact with loved ones, eat, and explore our other interests at approximately the same times - give or take a little. And we find the perfect time to fit in our daily practice(s).
Moving between time zones, staying in temporary lodging situations with various check in and check out times, local cultures, and transportation timing can combine to create a varied schedule. Shaking things up is a joy of traveling and doesn’t have to interfere with your practice!
Simply make time every day to meditate. You can choose to commit to meditating at the same time each day (of course it’s always best to be compassionate with yourself if you miss a day) - or - commit to an amount of time that you will meditate each day and plan ahead for the coming week.
2: Get Outside
Many of us travel to experience the Earth in new ways. Each place on our planet has its own unique power and beauty. Taking the time to slow down and be present while in nature allows us to connect more deeply with the Earth.
Of course the type of trip you’re on will determine how far into the wilds you’ll go - or not. If you’re trekking in the Himalayas you’ll have access to a different type of nature experience than you will if you’re cafe hopping through Paris. Both can offer amazing outdoor experiences and you’re guaranteed inner growth if you do an outdoor meditation in a city park or on the side of a mountain.
3: Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
Meditation is a wonderful way to replenish ourselves mind, body, and spirit. So it’s a great thing that you can do to recharge your batteries while you’re a passenger on a bus, train, plane, or some other form of transportation.
Let someone else take the wheel for a while so to speak and allow your mind to rest. Meditation is a practice and it’s beneficial to practice in as many circumstances as possible. Meditating while in motion can stimulate deeper stillness within us.
4: Sacred Spaces
No matter where you are in the world or what size village or city you’re in there will usually be at least one religious space. These buildings contain reservoirs of peaceful energy that are very supportive of prayer and meditation.
Even if you aren’t religious or don’t practice the particular religion of that building you will usually be welcome to enter as long as you’re respecting the local etiquette. You’ll most likely have an interesting cultural experience.
You may even gain entirely new insights and perspective after spending time in meditation in new religious spaces!
5: Public Spaces
Sometimes we become set in certain patterns of behavior. We can get used to meditating alone and in quiet spaces if that’s what we normally do. Being surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a busy airport can allow us to become like a pebble in the bottom of a stream allowing the rush to flow around our point of stillness.
Experiment with meditating in public - have fun with it! Busy places invite us to include the sounds and smells around us into our practice. We can do this either by focusing our awareness on them or by simply noticing our awareness of them and letting them go.
Remember that however you choose to meditate while traveling will be perfect for you - the important part is deciding to practice! With a little dedication you can maintain or even build a fulfilling meditation practice during your journey.
About the author:
Amara Evans is a holistic healer, collective consciousness-raiser, writer, and devotee of the Goddess. She loves to connect with her global community through writing about important topics like the environment, spirituality, and fair trade.