Is Spiritual Travel Fun?
I am frequently asked if spiritual travel is "fun"
. There are probably three basic answers to this question.First, there seems to be the conception that taking a "spiritual journey" (whatever that means to you) is "work". Nobody wants to work on a vacation. That's why we take a vacation in the first place, to get "away from it all" for awhile, to escape. We seem to frame the concepts of spiritual and personal growth with thoughts like: "I need to do this" or "I should do that" because "it would be good for me".
With those ideas as a background, it's no wonder that so many of us think of spiritual and personal growth as "work". When we're on a vacation, we want to leave all the "need to's" and "should's" of daily life behind us, for at least a short time.
My personal experience has shown me that what happens during spiritual travel event is not work at all; it is a joy. I get to meet and connect with people at a level simply not possible on a typical vacation. The connections I make with others on these travels adds immensely to the enjoyment of my time away.
To be able to sit and have a real conversation with someone; for me to be listened to with genuine interest; for me to listen to others with my heart; the importance of these things cannot be measured and bring a deep sense of fulfillment.
Second, somewhere along the way, we seem to have been taught that in order to be spiritually connected to the world, the people around us and to ourselves, we must act in a "serious manner", almost to the point of being somber, or at the very least solemn. Somehow we've come to believe that laughter and play are irreverent.
In actuality, I have found just the opposite to be true. When I am awake and aware of my surroundings, in other words "spiritually" connected, my experiences are amplified and intensified. I am able to experience more of the world around me and experience it at a deeper level.
I have found that this amplified experience actually makes my adventures more "fun" because all aspects of my travel are intensified; I can play more, I can laugh more, I can relax more fully and I can even shop more!
Little children are a wonderful example of this. They are enthralled with the world around them; everything is new, everything is a wonder. Discovering and learning new things is not "work" to a child. They find joy in all that they encounter; everything is a new toy to play with.
And last, but certainly not least, sometimes people confuse the experience of being awestruck as being serious or solemn. When you travel with conscious awareness there can be times when you will be "deeply moved" (awestruck) by something you encounter.
It could be the hospitality of a family you meet; a genuine smile; the grandeur of a sunrise or simply the revelation that you are blessed to be alive. Pesonally, even after countless visits to Monument Valley, I am still moved tears while I am there. But these are tears of joy, humility and gratitude.
So, the short answer is: Yes! Spiritual travel is fun. In fact, I believe they are more fun than you can begin to imagine because they have the power to change your life!
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