After a very busy May, as intended, I have slowed down professionally in June. While May was fruitful, fun and rewarding, I am benefiting from paying attention to where I am attending and focusing, how I am spending my time and being more intentional with slowing down and engaging in the present moment and whatever that presents. I had ample opportunity to do that during our recent vacation in Canada. I hoped to practice mindful awareness formally and informally during our trip. I left with a plan, ideas and set of intentions and returned feeling refreshed, content and open to whatever is next. Being mindful while traveling allowed for a richer experience of the people, places and activities we visited and engaged in.
This month I am encouraging some experimenting and exploration of engaging in mindfulness practices while on vacation and traveling, even if that’s in your own local community. Here are some suggestions for consideration.
1. Reflect on where you are going and set some intentions about how you might bring present moment awareness throughout the excursion. For example, I knew that we would start with a hearty breakfast on the days we planned to bicycle. I set an intention to begin each breakfast with a few minutes of mindful eating—curiously exploring the smells, tastes, textures, and flavors of the food and beverages provided each morning. As we began our cycling in the early morning, I took some time to practice presence with the scenery, the paths or roadways—the temperatures and atmosphere, sounds and sights. This often stirred up gratitude for me!
2. Plan an activity that might be a little new or different than the theme of the trip or than what you typically do. We decided to make a change to our plans after a fellow traveler highly encouraged taking the ferry back to the mainland instead of returning to the bridge we had already driven on. We enjoyed this different adventure and took some time to reflect on how we engage with change when the stakes aren’t high. This allowed us to learn some information about ourselves to use for the next time that change might not be something we’ve chosen! We stopped along our biking path one day to go through a museum. We were thrilled to learn something about the history of the island and wouldn’t have gained that if we did our typical pattern of riding to the endpoint that day without stopping to be curious about what’s along the way.
3. Be open and engage with the local faire with all your senses—especially with a sense of curiosity and beginner’s mind. I had no idea they grew so many potatoes on Prince Edward Island! Another large industry for residents is fishing. With curiosity and an openness to experimenting with local dishes, we tasted and enjoyed lots of potatoes and lots of seafood, prepared in many different ways. I have a renewed appreciation for farmers and food sustainability.
4. Plan time in nature. I often share about the benefits of being present in nature. Planning to take a long walk in a local park or nature preserve brings about the benefits of presence. This can be a great check-in practice as well as a way to allow the body/mind to reset after much activity. When traveling, this can also be more passive like standing on a balcony and taking in the sights, sounds, and textures of the water, the wind or the trees. As we rode along our daily routes, we discovered new flowers and became more aware of the damage the area had experienced during a hurricane a few years ago. We learned about long term impact and recovery of the land and foliage and the amazing qualities of trees!
Being intentional about practicing mindfulness, even while traveling on vacation or as we go out and about in our local communities is good for us! When we are regularly checking in on our present moment physical, cognitive and emotional states, we have increased opportunities to take small actions for nourishment, healing and regulating ourselves. An unanticipated benefit of being more intentional on this most recent vacation also increased my practices of gratitude, compassion and loving kindness.
If you’re available on July 7th, join us in person or via Zoom to discuss “mindfulness on the go” at EUCC Monthly Mindfulness. RSVP for an updated Zoom link (https://www.mindfulnessandmotion.com/events). Consider contacting me for individual mentorship(https://www.mindfulnessandmotion.com/general-6) if that is something that will assist you in exploring and growing your mindfulness practice in ways that increase your own health and well-being.
Wishing you well as you contemplate ways to bring mindfulness into your everyday life,
Karen
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