The Yoga of Travel

Kirsch Creative for Pulse Yoga Collective

It’s just before take-off on a flight across the ocean and the two men sitting behind me are talking about travel. One travels for adventure, the other for relaxation, and for the first half of the conversation, each one is extolling his own methods and they seem to admire and defensively judge each other simultaneously. Then one of them says “the important thing is to be present, to really see what you’re seeing.” There’s a beat in which you could practically hear the spark of recognition between them. Suddenly, they’re long lost friends. How we travel can be so much more important than why or where. 

For most of us, our reasons for traveling change with each trip: we’re visiting people or traveling for work, exploring new places or doing as little as possible. Whatever the reason or destination, the important thing is…[insert your intention here]. Intention, as illustrated by the two kindred spirits on my flight, is the how that transcends the why. It’s “the important thing.” And since we’re all for taking yoga off the mat around here, let’s talk about how the way we travel can align with the values of yoga.

Anytime we’re talking about applying the ancient principles of yoga to modern life, we can find a lot of guidance in the yama and niyama, tenets for living in alignment with Yoga. For me, it can all come down to two basic principles: ahimsa and swadhyaya. 

Ahimsa

Often translated as “non-harming,” ahimsa (अहिंसा, ahiṃsā) can be understood more broadly as “having reverence and love for all.” And as I’ve written before, ahimsa also implies mutual care.

With this as the honest foundation of your travels - with reverence for the land and the animals and culture you see and with love for the people you meet - everything else I’ve written here almost goes without saying. But it does take some thoughtfulness.

Ahimsa in Your Itinerary

Assuming you’re not on vacation solely to nap (and you might be!), here are two practical ways to plan your travel activities with ahimsa. First, consider who is impacted and who benefits. Think about the local residents and environment; are they impacted, positively or negatively, by this activity? Who do you think benefits or profits from your participating? This is especially important for “voluntourism” activities, the overwhelming majority of which are created based on tourist desires more than local needs. Sometimes it’s easier to answer these questions once you’re on the ground, but you can start with some basic internet research.

Second, and I hate to say it, be wary of animal interactions. This could easily fall under “consider who is impacted and who benefits,” but it’s such a huge problem in tourism that it’s worth the extra paragraph. It may sound magical to swim with dolphins or ride an elephant, but in most cases these kinds of experiences cause the animals stress and harm. If you have your heart set on visiting with animals, it’s best to do some research ahead of time. Look for activities in which the animals are in their natural habitat and the welfare of the animals is prioritized over the needs of tourists. 

Swadhyaya

Being fully present to the world around us and within us is sacred study. Because the divine exists within everything, swadhyaya (स्वाध्याय, svādhyāya), study of the divine, includes texts, the natural world, and introspection. In terms of travel, it comes down to paying attention, and being open to awe.

Listen to your breathing and then listen for its echo in the wind through trees or the waves of the sea. Notice how people move or how they interact, be curious about what it means to live in the place you are visiting. Learn about the landscape, animals, people, and culture - the pulse of the place, beyond the big-ticket attractions.

Connective practices can help you stay tuned in while traveling; this could be something structured like a walking meditation or something simpler like checking in with (and listening to) your body as you make decisions about your day. If you have ritual or routine as part of your day at home, make it part of your travel day too, in whatever way you can. Bringing your home ritual abroad brings a sense of grounding and stability to your trip, AND continuing the practice when you get home brings some of your travel experience into your everyday. 

Swadhyaya and Your Camera

Whether walking through the halls of the Louvre or the tulip fields of Western Washington, we’ve all seen (or been) the tourist experiencing it all through the tiny lens of a camera, never looking up to see it with their own eyes. I can’t help but think they’re missing something. Already our eyes seem so small compared to the vastness of all there is to see. Instead of narrowing your vision further, try opening it up to all your senses. If you can connect to the place you’re visiting, you’ll likely remember and benefit from more of the experience (and you’ll probably also take better photos). 

As a connective practice, try one activity per day without taking any photos. For me, if I take a phone-free walk in the morning with the intention of connecting to or even just noticing the place I’m in, I find that I’m more able to hold space for awe and reverence throughout the day - I’m more amazed by more things, and that’s more fun. 

Take Your Own Trip

When you’re clear and honest about how you want to travel, you can travel in a way that’s both more aligned and more enjoyable. (This is also true when you’re traveling with other people, even when you can’t control the itinerary. You can go your own way, baby!). Intention is about how you do everything you do, how you choose to move through the world.

There’s an idiom that keeps popping up lately: “we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.” Let nothing escape your noticing, your awe. There’s so much to see and feel and learn. Don’t miss it. And while you’re out there, move through the world with love, treat it all with reverence.

Travel like you mean it. Travel like you mean well. //