Recently I had the privilege of traveling to Japan for a couple weeks. This country is filled with culture and beauty. Temples and shrines on every corner - illuminating the rich tradition of spirituality and connection with the spirits. The people I met were lovely, and the public transportation was seriously some of the best in the world. Here are some lessons I learned along the way:
Lesson #1: the power of intention.
Each morning, Elliott and I would go to a shrine or temple to pray and connect with the spirits (Kami) of the land.
One intention we held firm: to experience time slowly. In fact - for time to slow down. A day felt like a week - weeks felt like months. Time moved slower because we observed it to be so. This helped us to be present in each experience through the 5 senses.
A powerful intention is like a paintbrush on a blank canvas. The intention guides the flow of energy - as does the brush with paint.
Lesson #2: the power of food gratitude.
In Japan before each meal, the phrase “itadakimasu” is used to show respect for the food. It roughly translates to “I humbly receive this food, or I’m going to enjoy this”. This is an expression of gratitude to everything and everyone who made the food possible. (Chefs, farmers, animals, plant, and even the land itself).
Food is viewed as a living gift from nature, so pausing and connecting before eating really highlights the interconnectivity of everything.
Food also tastes better after an extra dose of gratitude and love. ;)
Lesson #3: the power of connection.
The beauty in traveling is meeting people from all over the world, and understanding more about the culture you are within. Even with a language barrier - connection is formed over shared experiences and builds foundation for deep listening.
We had the luxury of connecting with people from all over the world and it was a privilege to share experiences and laughs together.
Although we are many expressions and fractals of the same source, the individual energy in each person is something extraordinary about this plane of existence. Traveling illuminates this tenfold.
Grateful for the time I spent in Japan and the beautiful connections made along the way.
Where should I go next?
0 Comments