True Nature Travels Blog

What No One Tells You About Global Travel

Travel bloggers appear to be taking over the internet. Everyone is talking about global travel and it seems that #wanderlust has been trending for years. Instagram and Facebook are flooded with pictures of tanned travelers sipping cocktails in bikinis while lounging on white sand beaches with captions like, “Just another Monday afternoon!” But is it really all sunshine and daiquiris? Or is there another side to global travel? Read on to learn what no one tells you about global travel.

It can be the hardest thing you will ever do

global travel truths 1

If you think deciding how many shoes to pack is hard, just wait until you get off the plane. Global travel is full of unexpected challenges. You are going to be farther from home than you’ve ever been surrounded by people who don’t speak your language and don’t share your cultural practice. You learn so much from adapting to this change, but when you are thrown into a foreign world, it can take a while to find your feet.

Depending where you travel to, you might not have hot water or you might be served unidentifiable foods. If you are doing a global service project, you will be exposed to ways of life you probably never even considered before. By the end of your global travel you will have a wealth of new experiences and you will be a stronger, more worldly person. But first you have to go through the hard part: adapting, learning, and letting yourself change. For most of us change doesn’t come easy, but once we allow it, it’s the best thing we could ever ask for.

You will never quite recover from it

global travel truths 2

When you come home from global travel, things don’t go back to the way they were. You see everything with a new perspective and consider everything in respect to what you witnessed abroad. Whether it’s a six-month solo adventure or a one-week wellness retreat, you are going to come home changed. And before long, you are going to want to leave again.

There’s a reason ‘wanderlust’ became a trending term. The travel bug is a real infliction that you are bound to bring home with you. If you are expecting your global travel to be a one-time thing, don’t. But that’s what makes it so great. You get through the challenges and it makes you appreciate the things you have at home, but it also makes you realize how capable you are. It teaches you things. And before long you are addicted to places you’ve never seen.

It is also more spectacular than you ever imagined

global travel truths 3

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but global travel is worth a million. And there’s no number of blogs you can read or Instagram accounts you can follow that will express just how incredible global travel really is. For that, you need to go for yourself. Because beyond the challenges, beyond the cocktails on the beach, and beyond the travel bug, there’s a certain something that waits for you on the other side of the world.

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you travel to, but when you enter the world of global travel you learn something about yourself. You learn about the world and your place in it. And you come home with a fuller heart and a more complete soul. So if the challenges of global travel scare you, just remember this: it is always worth it.

True Nature Travels Blog

6 Reasons Global Travel Will Change Your Life

We have all seen the pictures. You know, the ones of smiling men and women in front of stunning international backdrops. The ones that make you think, “I should go there”. But when all we have is a pretty picture and some vague idea that it would be nice to travel, it is hard to justify the cost of the plane ticket and the effort that goes into planning global travel. On the other hand, once you weigh all the benefits it is impossible to justify staying at home! Looking for an excuse to get your own wow-worthy photos? Here are seven reasons why global travel is totally worth it.

1. You will get a new perspective on things

reasons for global travel 1

Whether you climb up mountain peaks or stick your toes in the sand along the ocean shore, global travel is guaranteed to change the way you look at some things. We spend most of our lives in a relatively small area, be it within one town, one state, or one country. We see the same things. We eat the same food. Regardless of how we feel about it, we generally know one way of life.

That’s not the case when you start traveling. Maybe you will find yourself adopting a pura vida lifestyle in Costa Rica or dining on guinea pig in Peru. Wherever you go, you are bound to be exposed to ways of life that you never knew existed. From solo travel to global service to group retreats, all types of global travel are guaranteed to send you home with new eyes.

2. You will meet people who will change your life

reasons for global travel 2

It is human nature to surround ourselves with people that share our values and beliefs. That is especially easy to do when you live in one place where most people share similar backgrounds and life experience. It is not so easy to do when you embrace global travel.

When we travel, we are suddenly exposed to people of vastly different backgrounds from our own. Be it the locals or your fellow travelers, you are bound to meet plenty of people who challenge the way you think and encourage you to open yourself to new ideas. Their ways of thinking and interacting with the world can change your life. Some of them might make you reconsider ideas of your own, others might make you realize how important your beliefs are to you. Either way, you are bound to learn something from the people you meet during global travel.

3. And you will make friends to last a lifetime

reasons for global travel 3

Most of the people you meet when traveling are fleeting. You know them for a couple days while you are in the same country and though the bonds you form are real and powerful, they only last as long as your trip. Once you leave you go back to your friends and family and they go back to theirs.

But the rare few stick with you. Every once in a while you meet a travel friend that is going to be in it for the long run. And they are some of the most valuable things you get out of global travel. Because no matter where you go or what you do, they will always be there to remind you never to forget the things you experienced and learned while you were traveling with them. Plus, if they live abroad, you have free housing for your next global adventure. And who doesn’t want that?

4. But it is yourself that you will get to know the best

reasons for global travel 4

The fleeting interactions and the lasting relationships are what you will remember most from your travel experience, but it is the bond you form with yourself that is the most powerful. When we step outside of our comfort zones (and global travel is outside most of our comfort zones) we are faced with obstacle after obstacle. Everything is new and different, which only makes it more challenging.

But when your entire foundation is challenged and nothing around you is the same, it forces you to find your center where everything is true and nothing changes. It is a small place inside of us, but it is inside of us—all of us. Most of us have never had a reason to dig it out, but the shock of travel brings it up. You stop identifying yourself with who your friends are and what you do while because none of that matters when you are traveling. Instead, your identity becomes who you are when all the other stuff is removed. That is the only thing that is left when you travel.

5. You will start looking at home differently

reasons for global travel 5

Eventually the time will come when you have to go home again. You will probably shed some tears and wonder when you can get back to global travel, but fear not. Some of the best lessons come when you return. Some of it is little stuff, like realizing how luxurious it is to have a hot shower and the ability to flush toilet paper instead of throwing it away.

Some of the lessons are bigger. A travel friend once told me that at least 50% of what you learn from travel you learn when you get home, and I couldn’t agree more. You start to see everything that was familiar for so many years as different. You start to compare it and reconsider it with the fresh eyes that only global travel can give you.

6. And you realize that ‘across the world’ is not so far away

reasons for global travel 6

Sure, the airfare and mileage doesn’t change after you travel abroad, but something else does; your view of it all. Once you’ve taken the plunge, global travel doesn’t seem so scary anymore and the idea of putting everything on hold to travel the globe starts to make perfect sense.

You also realize that even though on the surface everything is different, the countries and cultures of the world aren’t as diverse as we think. Everywhere you go you will realize that deep down, people are people, and that doesn’t change no matter what corner of the map you land in.

True Nature Travels Blog

On Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica with MBFYoga: Go to the Edge

IMG_20140320_123854On yoga retreat in Costa Rica Andrea Dyer of mind|body|fitness|yoga is blogging “from the road.” The group moves from Santa Teresa on the beach at Hotel Tropico Latino, to the rainforest surrounding Finca Luna Nueva Lodge today:

Blue skies, sunshine and palm trees – Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, has invited us out to play. Everyone is here for different reasons – some came with a list of challenging things to cross off bucket lists; some came to have a soothing, relaxing vacation; come came to rekindle their love of the sea, surfing and Costa Rica.

IMG_20140320_124956Some came to deepen their yoga practice and some came to get a start for their yoga practices. With yoga and meditation in the early mornings and the late afternoons, our days were filled with expansion into Santa Teresa offerings.

We started the first day with Yoga on the Beach and Surfing.  By afternoon, we were on to spa treatments, horseback riding and Stand Up Paddle boarding. So much filling our days, but here are some highlights: Fulfilled bucket list items for Leslie (celebrating her birthday this week) – Yoga on the beach and surfing. Surfing was a huge hit for the surfers amongst us. Great guidance from champion surfers.

IMG_20140320_124253Spa treatments with the sound of waves crashing on the beach – so soothing and helpful for getting the kinks out. Stand Up Paddle Boarding with the Costa Rica SUP Champion, Edith Garcia – the water was rough, but

Read more

True Nature Travels Blog

2nd Annual Rhythms of Joy Retreat: Waking Up from Silence

CR2010-2006During the 2nd Annual Rhythms of Joy Retreat led by Tiina Kivinen with True Nature Education, we took an opportunity to be in silence.  This activity opened space to go deeper within ourselves, disconnecting from the daily chatter we partake in.  We were to be silent throughout the night until after the following morning’s meditation.  I spent the night listening to my higher self, journaling, meditating, and resting.

I woke up earlier than usual the next day.  It was still dark out.  The crescent moon was just above the horizon, getting ready to set.  The planet Venus shined brightly above the moon.  Inspired by the moon and Venus, I decided to take a hike to the lookout tower to watch the sunrise.

When I arrived at the top of the tower, I turned to the east to do sun salutations.  This was the perfect opportunity to welcome in the sun with honor.

As my asana practice woke up my muscles and bones, the birds also became active.  I took out my binoculars to get a closer look at these flying creatures.   The detail of their feathers, their beaks and their colors, was grand.  Some flew around catching bugs, while others were nibbling on berries or looking for a mate.

The diversity that existed before my eyes was vast!  As I looked more closely at these birds, I formed a deep appreciation for their individuality and their ability to live in community.

As the temperature of the atmosphere rose with the day’s beginning, moisture was drawn up into the sky and the condensation formed clouds.  Soft, grey clouds now covered the crystal clear view I once had.

I had forgotten that I was there to watch the sunrise, when suddenly I noticed a great ball of fire glowing just above the mountains.  The clouds had parted just enough so that I was able to see the outline of the sun.  The sun looked much like the appearance of a full moon, but brighter.  The abrupt appearance of the sun astonished me with its power.

The silence that I had kept from nightfall to sunrise allowed an opportunity to observe nature’s aliveness more deeply.  When I quieted myself, I noticed how vibrantly the world around me spoke.  The power and energy of the sun, the moon and the birds, felt louder than ever before on this day.  I recommend being in silence, every once in a while, to hear what other voices want to be heard.

True Nature Travels Blog

A Journey of the Heart through Service and Adventure – Asheville Community Yoga Retreat Experience

1779798_661445367230500_154677423_nOn our third day of the Asheville Community Yoga Costa Rica Yoga Experience, we visited the village of La Florida, the home for many years of Joshua Canter and Kristin Luna Ray, TNE Co-Founders. It was a sweet reunion with some dear old friends along with the special local Costa Rica community, which represented, in many ways, the foundation of True Nature Education.

We left the La Casinga Eco-Lodge and Retreat Center and traveled about an hour and a half to the village, where we began our exciting day of service. The Asheville Community Yoga Retreatants first took on the task to give the recycling center a makeover with a fresh coat of paint to give it new life. It’s truly amazing how much a new layer of color can accomplish!

1798036_661444947230542_64177205_nAt the La Florida school, there is an organic vegetable garden in which the students work and contribute to as part of their curriculum. In anticipation of the commencement of school again next week, we put in some love in the garden, helping to prepare the beds and tidy things up.

The village has a small library, which True Nature Education and CREER Service Organization initially helped support to be built. Long time friend and CREER Representative, Amy Schrift, helped to coordinate the projects. She shared her incredible story during a traditional lunch served by some of the women in the village.

We then took a journey to the Nauyaca Waterfalls after

Read more

True Nature Travels Blog

The True Nature of Family

IMG_0281

Just a couple of hours ago our Chant Together: A Family Bhakti Yoga Celebration with David ‘Durga Das’ Newman, Mira Newman, and Friends departed. It was a wonderfully rich week of retreat. Bhakti Yoga is also known as the yoga of devotion and love. The essence of this week was just that.

Standing on the incredible Finca Luna Nueva Lodge property, I gaze into the distance at the vast rainforest before me. When looking with one point of view, all I observe is a sea of green; when looking closely I see the intricate web of life before me, with the vast array of flora and fauna. Trees, flowers, birds, water.

The journey of retreat reveals a similar comparison. Each retreat in a way is very similar: a group of people coming together, practicing together, residing as a community, and then journeying onward. But, when we really move into the intimate intricacy of retreat, what beholds is truly an exquisite, unique experience to live through.

This week we explored a new facet – opening to the potential of sharing the retreat experience with families. Our retreat had three families with children: a mother and daughter, and another couple, along with some single adults. In the past I have had apprehension about the potential distraction that the family element might bring into retreat. I have been familiar for many years with a paradigm of retreat that was quiet, introspective, and focused towards a sense of personal time. I was curious about how this would be impacted with the element of children and family.

photo (19)David brought forth a beautiful reflection through his teachings this week. Sharing with us the profound transformation he had experienced over the past several months, his message was that “we all have the opportunity to awaken to the perfection of our ordinary selves.”

This message was a perfect teaching for this retreat, which was filled with

Read more

True Nature Travels Blog

Chanting Together in Costa Rica

IMG_0217We’re nearing the end of our Chant Together Kirtan yoga retreat with David Newman (“Durga Das”) and Friends, and it has been such a delightful journey!  Our group is wonderfully diverse, with participants ranging from age 2, all the way up beyond 60.  It has been so sweet to have parents and kids, husbands and wives, and friends all here to chant together.

The power of retreat is something I wish everyone could experience. Feeling the support of the community and taking part in daily practices such as yoga, satsang (“discussions of truth”), and kirtan (“chanting”) have all added the fullness and richness of this True Nature Experience.

IMG_20140126_123038It has been such a blessing to spend the week on this magical land near the Arenal Volcano at Finca Luna Nueva Lodge. Everything is so lush here.  This is a place where trees grow on trees, toucans with bright yellow beaks fly overhead, and a three-toed sloth makes an occasional appearance.  This is a place where all you have to do is sit quietly and watch, and magic will present itself.

The other day we went to a local village and worked on projects for the school’s community garden.  The school is responsible for feeding the students lunch, and it has become a necessity to grow food to support this.  It felt great to help out with the project.  We also made sugar cane juice and drank from coconuts straight off the trees.  After our work (which was mostly play!), we enjoyed a home-cooked meal where we made our own corn tortillas.

Today, we spent the morning at the Tabacon Hot Springs.  We soaked up the warmth of volcanic water, as it poured through rivers and waterfalls that meandered through the trees and vibrantly colored plants.  Our afternoon ended with a sunset horseback ride to a waterfall.

It has been a wonderful week blending lots of time relaxing, chanting, and adventuring.  It is always sweet to get to know other people (and ourselves) better.  It is a gift to be able to spend a week away from our day-to-day lives and to live in a way that more deeply connects us with our own True Nature.

 

Eliza Volk
Asheville, North Carolina