Lucid Dreaming & Yogi Wisdom
The Art of Mindfulness
We are a generation of daydreamers and night thinkers. Never before has humanity had the potential to be so connected – to each other, to information, to the faraway. So why are we so disconnected from ourselves?
Our minds are full. If black is the absence of color, our world is blinding white – all the color, all the sound, all at once. Yet we are rarely mindful. We daydream but lie awake with an insomniac’s thoughts. We need to learn to dream in the present tense.
When you travel you find a space were doing is dreaming. You have the opportunity to live mindfully. On a veranda in Siem Reap – rickety and hot – my yoga teacher* asked me how often I really taste my food. When I think of him I remember his mustache and the imperative to be present.
Heliophilia (n.) Love of Sunlight.
Most of us are Heliophiliacs at heart. Prostate and near naked, on a beach holiday we worship at the altar of the sun. Rarely do we take a moment of our day-to-day life to pay this tribute. Travel puts space between yourself and the everyday. You get the chance to bask in sunlight, taste new foods or notice your breath getting shorter as you climb higher.
Often, your suitcase will be heavier on the trip home. We try to solidify our memories into something we can take home with us. On your next trip, if you are gong to souvenir one thing, let it be this: mindfulness.
A Brainstorm: Everyday Ways to Practice Mindfulness.
- Take some distance from social media and make memories that no one else knows about.
- Notice coincidences. There is magic in serendipity.
- Shower in the dark.
- Fill your world with interesting scents; Light candles, burn incense, gather flowers.
- Taste the fullness, don’t just eat to get full.
- Get lost in the right direction. Wander without path or plan.
- Talk to a stranger.
- Unclench your hands.
* For yoga lessons in Siem Reap, Cambodia see http://www.peacecafeangkor.org/
This entry was posted by in Do What You Love, Lifestyle, Wanderlust, Wellness