There seems to be the conception that gay spirituality travel (whatever that means to you) is "work". Nobody wants to work on a vacation. That's why we take a vacation in the first place, to get "away from it all" for awhile, to escape. We seem to frame the concepts of spiritual and personal growth with thoughts like: "I need to do this" or "I should do that" because "it would be good for me". With those ideas as a background, it's no wonder that so many of us think of spiritual and personal growth as "work". When we're on a vacation, we want to leave all the "need to's" and "should's" of daily life behind us, for at least a short time.
My personal experience has shown me that the "work" done during spiritual gay travel is not "work" at all; it is a joy. You meet and connect with people at a level simply not possible on a typical vacation. The connections you make with others on such an event adds immensely to the enjoyment of your time away. To be able to sit and have a real conversation with someone; for you to be listened to with genuine interest; for you to listen to others with your heart; the importance of these things cannot be measured and bring a deep sense of fulfillment.
Also, we have learned being "spiritual" requires acting seriously or even solemn. We seem to think that laughter is the antithesis of being spiritual. This couldn't be further from the truth. We connect more deeply to spirit when we laugh. After all, it is said that laughter is the best medicine.
In actuality, I have found just the opposite to be true. When we are awake and aware of our surroundings, in other words "spiritually" connected, our gay vacations are amplified and intensified. We are able to experience more of the world around us and experience it at a deeper level. We have found that this amplified experience actually makes our adventures more "fun" because all aspects of our travel are intensified; we can play more, we can laugh more, we can relax more fully and we can even shop more!
A good example of this is children. All is new to them and all is a wonder to encounter. They find joy in everything. All that they see and touch is theirs to play with. Experiencing the world as a child does is an incredible way to be.
Finally, there is the experience of being awestruck. While spiritual traveling, we may be deeply touched by something; a sunrise or perhaps a smile. Although an intense experience, being awestruck is not a solemn experience. It just holds a deep meaning for the individual.
My personal experience has shown me that the "work" done during spiritual gay travel is not "work" at all; it is a joy. You meet and connect with people at a level simply not possible on a typical vacation. The connections you make with others on such an event adds immensely to the enjoyment of your time away. To be able to sit and have a real conversation with someone; for you to be listened to with genuine interest; for you to listen to others with your heart; the importance of these things cannot be measured and bring a deep sense of fulfillment.
Also, we have learned being "spiritual" requires acting seriously or even solemn. We seem to think that laughter is the antithesis of being spiritual. This couldn't be further from the truth. We connect more deeply to spirit when we laugh. After all, it is said that laughter is the best medicine.
In actuality, I have found just the opposite to be true. When we are awake and aware of our surroundings, in other words "spiritually" connected, our gay vacations are amplified and intensified. We are able to experience more of the world around us and experience it at a deeper level. We have found that this amplified experience actually makes our adventures more "fun" because all aspects of our travel are intensified; we can play more, we can laugh more, we can relax more fully and we can even shop more!
A good example of this is children. All is new to them and all is a wonder to encounter. They find joy in everything. All that they see and touch is theirs to play with. Experiencing the world as a child does is an incredible way to be.
Finally, there is the experience of being awestruck. While spiritual traveling, we may be deeply touched by something; a sunrise or perhaps a smile. Although an intense experience, being awestruck is not a solemn experience. It just holds a deep meaning for the individual.
About the Author:
Howie Holben oversees Spirit Journeys, a gay vacations affliation that focuses on conscious travel. Howie has travelled the world learning from indigenous peoples. There is more about gay travel with a spiritual focus at Spirit Journeys website.
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