As someone who has spent years on the road I know the benefits of meditation. I sit and observe by meditating for at least 20 minutes each day. Traveling has introduced me to some pretty harrowing situations. Stresses arise, no matter if you travel to the next town over or to the next state, so dealing with the delays, frustrations and difficulties of leaving your home and hitting the road makes absolutely all the difference in the world. Meditation helps you deal with these stresses, fears and worries in a graceful, calm and confident fashion. You can more easily embrace whatever seems to arise in the moment and release on these energies with alarming speed.
Most travelers do not meditate which is why you hear your traveling neighbor still complain about a perceived slight, or airport delays, from 5 years ago. Yep, these people enjoy complaining about all types of situations because they never let go of these moments. They have no awareness of their resisting, clinging, and hanging on to these moments, so they keep replaying the same picture, and of course, these folks always seem to find themselves facing the same stressful situations because they choose to replay the same picture. All because they refused to meditate frequently, which would help them fully face, embrace and release these lower energies for good. This embracing aspect of the whole traveling bit is not too popular. Again, because most individuals would rather complain, and find fault, and hold onto stories to tell for years down the road.
Make the Shift
If you meditate daily you can begin to watch your stress levels rise when delayed at the airport. You have a 3 hour flight and once you land, it is straight off to a business meeting. Well your travel plans are changed due to poor weather conditions and the 3 hour flight becomes a 3 hour wait plus a 3 hour flight, so your business meeting is cancelled, or maybe postponed. In any case you can become aware of any upset, anxious or stressed feelings, let them go and proceed to move forward from a calm, confident and relaxed place. Make the shift to actually controlling your thoughts through persistent meditation.
Another Example
How many times do you feel as if you are taken advantage of as a traveler? Many people carry year’s worth of negative energy towards individuals who they believe cheated them, because they were not aware of transport costs or lodging in a certain region. Or maybe someone sold you a ticket to a tour which does not exist. Whatever the perceived slight, you tend to carry these moments with you, along with the negative feelings you experienced in these moments, unless you become aware of these feelings, embrace them, and let them go.
Meditating is simply a vehicle through which you become aware of what you are thinking and feeling in each moment. Sit in a quiet spot. Concentrate on the breath traveling in and out of your nostrils. When your focus moves to an idea, or thought, or sensation, or anything outside of the breath traveling through your nostrils, note this object of your attention then bring your focus back to your breathing. This practice expands your awareness and helps you to focus on certain thoughts and feelings, recognize these emotions, and then you can release the feelings for good. So instead of being angry or stressed for minutes or hours, or weeks, over some travel situation, you can face the feelings immediately and let them go quickly to improve the quality of your life.
Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer who blogs regularly about all things travel; if you are traveling through OR, she suggests checking out the quality rooms at the Comfort Inn Hotel in Medford Oregon.
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