Mindful Travel: What It Is and How You Can Incorporate It
“Mindfulness.” What does it even mean? While it may conjure up images of yogis sitting in meditation on top of a mountain for hours or drinking wheatgrass smoothies every morning, it's much simpler than that.
It was at sunrise on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa that I discovered cosmic energy. My entire life, I have been blessed to have travelled extensively for leisure and work, but that experience stood out for various reasons. The most important reason is because, for the first time, I truly felt connected and present to what I was doing during my travels. I had woken up at midnight to begin the 6-hour hike from our base camp to the summit of the tallest free-standing mountain on earth, just to see the sunrise and stay for as long as my body could handle it without an oxygen tank and mask. In the stillness of that moment, I sensed true presence.
On the days leading up to the summit, I felt far removed from the presence I felt at the top - walking 8-hours a day at a glacial pace, eating snickers bars, mangos and rice for food, speaking to people at camp to see who had made it there the fastest, where else they were traveling in Africa, etc. Climbing Kili had been a lifelong goal (for my 22-year-old self), so I found myself “going through the motions” to get to the top and say I did it. But seeing that sunrise, reaping the reward of a week that kicked my ass, and silently celebrating with friends and family made me fully disconnect and find joy in the simplest of things.
Cooking class at Casa Crespo in Oaxaca.
Mindfulness, for me, is a way of life. It means you are completely present and conscious of what you are doing and what is going on around you. Whether you're writing an email, taking a walk, or talking with your family at dinner, you can practice mindfulness any time. This doesn’t mean that I don’t walk and text at the same time, post to social media, or have a bucket list of things I want to do and places I want to see. But when it comes to traveling mindfully, it's not about going on a yoga retreat (although it could), it's more about being in the moment and experiencing what's going on around you. It allows you to not worry about that landmark you haven't gotten a photo of yet, or that restaurant that you just need to try. It allows you to enjoy the journey and the art of traveling without worrying about everything you haven’t done yet. It also allows you to connect with each other and with yourself.
On each of our Gusto Mexico experiences, we focus on enlightening the senses. What does this mean? We notice and appreciate the sights, sounds, and smells of our current environment. We try to slow down and appreciate each destination. We get present by tuning into our surroundings, acknowledging our lives, and getting into the spirit of gratitude by taking in how people live outside of our own “worlds” and outside of our comfort zones.
In an age where technology has become addicting and marketing a means to success for large and small businesses, it can be difficult to unplug (literally and figuratively). But the benefits of mindfulness reach far further than just decreased stress. Here are a few ways that you can incorporate mindfulness into your next travel adventure!
Engage, engage, engage
Instead of thinking of travel as an escape, we need to think of travel as a way to engage. This means enjoying whatever you're doing and engaging with your surroundings. This could be participating in the communities (cooking classes, community service, visiting locally-made artisanal markets), or just moving slowly and deliberately and being kind to those you’re interacting with instead of hustling from one spot to the next.
This also means not packing your schedule so you're overwhelmed. Most travelers will want to see the big sights of the destination, but should also leave room for spontaneity! This is where the magic happens.
Immerse yourself
When traveling, it's easy to fall into the pattern of “checking off a bucket list item,” which works only if you want to say you’ve been or done something, then move on to the next destination. Instead, try immersing yourself into the culture by shopping at local businesses and interacting with local people. Take your time to explore beyond the major landmarks, use local businesses (that in turn thrive off your business), and truly immerse yourself in every destination.
Contribute to the community
Contributing to a destination means giving to it as much as taking from it. Yes, we all want to take a few photos and get that one souvenir that our significant other will love, but by traveling mindfully, you travel free from anxiety that the trip won’t mean anything if you walk away with only one postcard and zero family Christmas card photos.
Depending on where you're traveling to, it's also nice to travel with things that can be donated (clothes, school supplies, sports equipment) because it shows the people that you care about them and are willing to share something that is or was meaningful to you. As you continue this practice, you'll grow to understand the value of contributing to a destination through even deeper practices, such as volunteering, picking up trash, and appreciating your connection to your surroundings.
You can also contribute by supporting the local culture, being aware of how you spend your money. Living in the U.S. or Canada, we are so blessed for having the basics in life and the opportunity to create an income, support ourselves, and travel.
Reflect
Some people never return to the same place twice, so it's important to soak it in! Along with immersion, taking time to reflect on your experiences before moving on to the next item on your itinerary allows you to be mindful. Maybe you learned something new or experienced something for the first time, why not keep a travel journal or jot notes down in the book you’re reading or sit quietly with your thoughts on how it made you feel and the impact you had on those around you. By reflecting on these moments, you improve yourself as a traveler and as a person.
Practice gratitude
Gratitude is the heart of mindfulness, giving you a stronger sense of connection to yourself and the world around you. It allows you to strengthen your bond with the people you meet and the places you explore. It allows you to appreciate the present moment, the destination you are visiting, the locals, everything. That's why we travel in the first place!