Travel for Spiritual Growth: Embrace Peace and Purpose on Your Journeys

Travel for Spiritual Growth: Embrace Peace and Purpose on Your Journeys

Can I let you in on a little secret? Sometimes I forget to stop and feel the awe when I globetrot. There are forever things to plan, places to be, things to do, people to meet, and things to eat!

My trips are often hectic because I’m simultaneously working. But it’s a common phenomenon: Even on vacation, you’ve likely felt “switched on.” You’re mired in logistical details, caught up in chronicling the experience for social media, and your mind races as you bound from one location to another. But it doesn’t have to be that way! In these times of conflict and uncertainty, travel should be an opportunity to nurture the soul, not another source of stress!

Relinquish Control

Your itinerary doesn’t need to be on lock—once you’ve planned your trip, it’s okay to let go and let the journey unfold. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, in "Gift From The Sea," said, “If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly in those moments.” Instead of micromanaging every aspect of your journey, leave yourself open to unexpected experiences, like a conversation with a stranger in a cafe or an afternoon wandering city streets. My visit to Cairo bloomed into Technicolor when I decided to trust and let Fathi, a local, lead me around the city after he found me on a busy street corner looking lost. It’s often the unexpected encounters that grow us the most.

Quiet Your Mind

Spiritual well-being and meditative practice go hand in hand, so make time in your travel schedule for quiet contemplation. This could be as simple as a twenty-minute break during the day for focused breathing, or as structured as a yoga class in the city you’re visiting. I did my first yoga class ever in India and loved it so much that I signed up for another while vacationing in Oman.

Visit Spiritually Enriching Destinations

The Catholic priest Henri J.M. Nouwen said, “The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it.” I’ve been trying to cultivate greater spiritual mindfulness as I explore this beautiful, dissonant earth. What better way than to visit the world’s sacred sites? Even if you’re not a believer, walking through Barcelona’s cavernous Sagrada Família church will fill you with peace, wonder, and optimism. Machu Picchu, the Incan citadel high in the Andes, dazzles with its energy. Seek out and soak in the restorative powers of such magical places—then bring that magic home and spread it around.