Traveling is a soulful experience. Exploring the world in any capacity is the kind of expansion that mirrors our personal evolution. As we learn more about the people and lifestyles that exist across the globe, about the vast arrangements of nature, and about the external patterns that reflect our inner nature, we become one with the world we live in. Traveling is the kind of privilege that is multi-layered. Perhaps one of the deepest, most enriching components of traveling is the opportunity to nurture the divine feminine aspect of the self through connection and community. Our feminine energy often gets lost in the value system we live in, especially in the west. In a masculine-energy-dominated society built on production and advancement, it’s easy to quickly lose ourselves in our tasks, and miss out on soulful interactions with one another in the pursuit of growth.
In this day and age we often fall into the “me versus you” or “us versus them” mentality. We get so caught up in self-absorption, personally and professionally, that whether we realize it or not, we often lean into a mentality of “What I have going on is more important than what you have going on.” This perspective is a very black and white one, with a tendency to isolate. This mindset lacks community, connection, diversity, and equal opportunity. We prioritize money over connection - material fulfillment over emotional fulfillment. Many of us like to have things more than we like to create things, and there is often an undertone of competition that drives us to be more, have more, and do more than one another. The “us versus them” mentality often shows up when we travel. Soul travel and tourist travel are two very different experiences, and their differences are based on priorities.
Tourist travel is the kind of travel that says “I’m not from here and therefore I am going to exist here as the other.” This kind of travel is often based on consensus or popularity. Because people rave about a certain destination, you feel like you need to visit too, whether or not it personally calls to you. Tourist travel often comes with a taker’s mentality. We see this through the lens of materialism. If you’ve traveled recently, how many souvenir shops did you notice? How many people did you see crowding the “hot spots” for Instagram photos? I want to state now that grabbing a souvenir and getting good photos on a trip is not a bad thing. Everything is about balance. When you reflect on the experience attached to the objects and the photos, are they memorable and enriching? Or were the tokens collected the purpose of the trip so that you can say you’ve checked a place off your bucket list? The difference between soul travel and tourist travel is the kind of experience attached to what you’ve taken from a place.
Trust me, I’ve done it. I’ve spent trips scoping out the perfect Instagram shot location. I’ve also scoured towns for the perfect souvenir to take home. I once had the luxury of going to Thailand. I visited Phi Phi Islands and the tour I was on took us to James Bond Island. An entire array of quiet islands with natural wonders, and yet this island was filled to the absolute brim with tourists lined up to get the perfect shot of the rock that was featured in a James Bond movie. I dare you to Google “instagram versus reality James Bond island” - it’s ridiculous. At that point in my life, I saw travel through a tourist lens. So you better believe I was in line for my perfect Instagram shot representing a movie I had never seen or heard of. All I knew was that this was "the" rock in Thailand to get a photo with, so I did. I made my boyfriend at the time spend an afternoon getting multiple photos of me so that I could post on my Instagram and say that I was there. The entire day was filled with kayaking through the islands, eating a home-cooked meal made by the locals and immersing ourselves in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, yet all I remember is how stressed I was about my photo. Tourist travel is the kind of travel that is robotically “me” centered. It’s the kind of travel that says “look at me! I’ve been here!” If a majority of the activities you participate in on a trip could be experienced anywhere else with the only difference being the backdrop (casual shopping, eating at chain restaurants, going places just to take pictures of yourself), you’re tourist traveling.
Here’s the James Bond Island shot. Worth the stress? Eh.
Soul traveling is all about becoming one with the place you visit. It’s about immersing yourself in the specific environment with the priority of adding to it in exchange for what you’ll inevitably take from it. This kind of travel feels like a calling from within. A part of you often feels like you are supposed to experience the location, and immerse yourself in the community. You do not have to be a local to add to a community. Instead of the $6 you spend on a shot glass that will sit on a shelf at home collecting dust, maybe you give that money to a local market or a local street performer. Instead of taking photos of people who exist around you at the time of your visit, you talk to those people. You connect with them. You teach someone about yourself while being present enough to learn something about them. Anyone can become a part of any community for a week, a day, an hour, or even a few minutes, by participating rather than observing from the outside looking in.
I’ve experienced soul traveling on a few different occasions. The first was in France. The trip began in Paris, but my family and I ended with a stay out by Normandy with a host family. We spent three days having dinners that lasted hours until 9 or 10pm, eating one course at a time and laughing at how often we needed to use Google Translate to understand one another. I tried escargot for the first time and was shocked that I actually liked it! We drove through the town and visited local restaurants, where we bonded over commonalities like ketchup and school subjects. It was the most uncomfortable, yet exhilarating experience I’ve ever had to coexist with a family from another country who did not speak the same language as me, yet find moments of laughter and connection in the little moments we shared.
Another experience was in New Orleans, and if you want some of those details click here! I don’t want to bore you or make this all about me. But as someone who has traveled with both a tourist and a soul mentality, I can tell you that there is a major difference between the two experiences. You don’t have to travel far to experience life through the lens of your soul. You don’t have to spend a lot of money either. You can experience a soulful travel experience through camping, or taking a day trip to a nearby town you’ve never been to. It’s not about where you go, It’s about what you prioritize once you get there.
If you’ve read this far, I’d like to give you the opportunity to come soul travel with me!
This August 7th through 13th, I will be hosting a spiritual retreat in Costa Rica. This retreat is going to be a blend of adventure, exploration, friendship, and spirituality. We will soak in the variety of nature and culture that exists between La Fortuna, Monteverde, and San Jose.
Our first full day of the trip starts with a hike along the slopes of the Arenal Volcano. As we trek along the hardened lava flows, we will get the opportunity to immerse ourselves amongst the nature and wildlife that exists in the National Park.
Later in the evening, we will relax in natural thermal pools and eat dinner at a natural hot springs resort. The incredible part of this day is that it will be August 8th, also known as the 8/8 Lionsgate Portal. This portal is potent for manifestation, which we will be spending time with during a group reading later that night.
The second full day takes us to Tenorio National Park where we will make our way down to the Rio Celeste waterfall where we'll relax and swim! During this excursion we will get the chance to witness the wildlife of this rainforest in their natural habitat, including three different species of monkeys, sloths and anteaters. After lunch and a drive back to our hotel, session one of one-on-one readings begins. Each traveler that comes along will get an in-depth personal reading in addition to the group experiences. Those who are not scheduled for a reading during this session have the rest of the day at their leisure!
Our third full day is a change of pace to the magical cloud forest of Monteverde! When we arrive to Monteverde we will eat lunch and then embark on Selvatura’s Hanging Bridges Tour! From the tree tops we will get a bird’s eye view of the rainforest, where we will be able to spot wildlife and vegetation from a perspective that is one-of-a-kind.
After a few hours back at the hotel, those that are up for an evening adventure will embark on a rainforest night walk. This unique opportunity provides the chance to experience the cloud forest’s nocturnal side, including sightings of sloths, anteaters, ocelots and coatis.
I won’t tire you out! Our fifth full day is a leisure day for personal or group exploration! Sessions two and three of one-on-one readings will take place this day. Depending on when you are scheduled for your reading, you get to base the remainder of your time that day relaxing or adventuring however you’d like!
The sixth and final full day is back amongst the clouds for an excursion to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. At the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, we will embrace the misty atmosphere, which serves as one of the most coveted ecotourism destinations in Costa Rica. The reserve encompasses a 26,000 acres biozone, brimming with a marvelous diversity of wildlife and plant life. We will look toward the top of the giant trees where more than 500 species of birds live. The most popular birds in this region are the elusive quetzal and the three-wattled bellbird. There are also 420 species of orchids and 200 species of ferns.
After this adventure of a lifetime, we will transfer back to San Jose for a farewell dinner and send-off gathering, including a collective reading and a few surprises from me! The collective reading will infuse what we've learned from this trip into our lives moving forward. We will sit together one last time and discuss integration, community, nature, and anything else that comes up through this channeling experience. The surprises are my gift to you for joining me on the most wondrous experience of nature-filled spiritual expansion.
For a closer look at the itinerary and details about how you can join, click here! For any questions that you’d like to specifically address to me, click here!
For those interested in delving deeper into the topic of soul travel versus tourist travel, you can do so via this reading!