Why I Preferred a Spiritual Journey of Mindfulness

A Story of Meditation Travel Lover

Last Updated: January 01, 2023

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Last month I went for a trek to Manang, a desert valley lying in the foothills of the Himalayas. The experience was surreal, I was fascinated by the cultural experiences of every moment, the view I beheld and the feel of the entire journey.

Buddhism is widely followed by the people in Himalayan region of Nepal. So during my trek I witnessed the glimpses of Buddhist artifacts and traces of Buddhist culture everywhere.

Walking through the prayer wheels, hearing the Buddhist chants, seeing the smiles on the faces of local people rolling the religious beads in their hands, the experience was really mesmerizing.

Some Moment of Peace with Nature

After a few hours of walking, we reached the point from where it felt like heaven. Annapurna and other peaks of Himalayan mountain all around us, the sound of Marsyangdi river all the way through the trek and the view of subtropical pine forests were soul soothing and breathtaking.

The Closer we got to the Manang valley, the more geographical diversity we could feel. For a moment, I realized that nature is just like us, it keeps changing its appearance with the environment and time. The brown desert of the mountain, white canopy of snow at the top, chilling wind and wide flat valley, the feeling was like being in, just out of the world.

I never realized that as we go higher in the planet, the atmosphere starts getting thinner and we go closer to the sky. At night, the stars were closer than I ever saw before, it was like being in space. This celestial experience took my soul entirely to the new horizon. I realized how small I am as compared to that gigantic white mountain and I am nothing as compared to this mighty sky filled with billions of stars. This sense of nothingness brought real peace to my mind. And this journey became more than just a trip for me, it became something mindful, something spiritual.

Meditation in Between

Apart from being a travel lover, I am also fascinated with the spiritual side of life. I love to practice meditation and I believe we can experience our surroundings to the fullest if we can practice mindfulness. I always manage some time for meditation during the mornings and the evenings of my journey.

During this Himalayan trip, my meditation moment was really fulfilling. Sitting in front of a majestic white mountain, closing my eyes and feeling my inside soul was something that I could not describe with words only.

A travel moment that makes you mindful of the surrounding environment and makes you aware of inner existence is a mindful journey. When I saw the flapping flags of Buddhist prayers because of mountain air, I felt that mindfulness of the surroundings. The whole valley was in the incredible silence, only sound you could hear was roar of the afternoon wind, sound of river, soar of birds and psithurism whisper of trees, all these were providing me perfect atmosphere for my mindful moment.

Why Would I Choose Mindful Traveling?

I felt that traveling with mindfulness has helped me to slow down and absorb the wonders around me. Just instead of planning my journey and marking my checklists, I started experiencing my journey to the fullest. Every person I met, every food I consumed and every vista I beheld, everything made me realize that I am part of this planet regardless of where I am right now and where I came from.

In the modern world, where there are a lot of digital distractions of technology, being present and aware of my surroundings has been something rare for me. After practicing mindfulness while traveling, it helped me be fully immersed in the culture and environment of Himalayan region.

I Will Remember the Spiritual Connection With this Journey

This journey has expanded from my curiosity to explore the Himalayan region to the quest to connect with my inner self and spirituality. By the time I started my journey I was anxious about the itinerary, the deadline of my return and all the logistics. But as I delved into the trip, these things became trifling. I found the meaning and purpose of our life and gained a greater understanding of this planet and environment. I felt like attaining inner peace and contentment.

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As I was returning from my trek, I could see the white mountain disappearing behind me, but the whole experience was imprinted in my mind and soul. It was a great transformative experience and helped me grow both personally and spiritually.