Travelling is all about launching yourself into brand new experiences – sights, smells, tastes…and feelings! And in order to make sure you’re getting the most out of your travels and enjoying every single moment to the max… you might want to practice Mindful Travel.

Mindful Travel is the concept that you are entirely present in the moment you are experiencing. That means no tick-tocking of your brain, no back office thoughts or worries you may have and no mind wondering – it is the total silence of any thoughts or distractions that aren’t in that current moment.

But how do you actually go about employing this ‘Mindful Travel’…well, start with the senses! Think about each sense individually and notice the details in what each sense is experiencing. For example, taking in the colours you are seeing through your eyes, taking a long inhale of the smells that may be familiar or may be some completely new concoction; or maybe admiring the way the sand feels between your toes. Paying attention to the sensations your body is feeling is key to achieving a state of Mindfulness.

Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch – these are the 5 senses through which to heighten your Mindful Experience of Travel. By examining your experience through your 5 senses, you are able to move within that experience on a much deeper level…

Sight

Take in every colour, movement and shape of your environment and examine the newness or familiarity of the scene.

Hearing

Whether in a loud or quiet space, take in the noises you hear. Even if it’s nothing. Let the sounds flow through your ears and recognise the strangeness or ordinariness of them.

Smell

Fresh mountain air? A bustling city filled with street food? Whatever your environment take a deep breath – whiff it all up and exhale with a fondness of having smelt something new, whether an individual smell or a combination.

Taste

Perhaps those smells come with a faint taste, or maybe you are sampling a local delicacy… savour the taste of the place and recognise the way it feels in your mouth.

Touch

Feel yourself within your environment. Nestle your toes into the sand, feel the fabrics along the market, recognise the heat the sun is beaming onto your skin.

And maybe if you’re lucky, you will even be able to experience extrasensory perception (depending on what part of the world you’re in…and how much of a good time you’re having…)

Becoming present within each moment of travel will truly deepen your connection with the place you are in and allow you to experience moments of travel in totally different ways.

Spread the love