How to Stay Blissful & Healthy During Travel
Good Morning Earth Photo by Radha Schwaller
I love to travel. Every time I get on a plane, bus, train or car to go somewhere new, my senses wake up in a way they do not when I am staying close to home. I love the way travel offers new perspectives and time on a plane allows for unplugged time (unless you pay for the wifi on board, which, you do you ;) ).
Travel leaves our bodies filled with vata, the Ayurvedic dosha that encompasses air and ether. It is because we are moving, experiencing a lot of new noise/sense impressions and changing our normal rhythm that this vata can accumulate. If we integrate some simple Ayurvedic rituals, we can avoid feeling dry, constipated and scattered and fully harness the creative, inspired energy that draws us all to travel in the first place.
1) Oil Oil Oil... if you have been here a while, this one won't surprise you. Before you travel, take some time to give yourself a full body massage with warm oil. You can use Vata oil, Tulsi Rose oil, or plain sesame oil. Directions on the Bliss Blog. ALSO, oil your nose with nasya oil OR sesame oil, your ears with sesame oil or your vata oil, the soles of your feet and the top of your head with Peaceful Mind oil or sesame oil.
2) Get enough sleep before you leave and after you arrive. By enough I mean 8-9 hours of sleep.
3) Get nourished. Eat regular warm meals and get hydrated before you take off. Bring a snack of fruit or protein balls like Laddhus, recipe on the Bliss Blog. When you're traveling try to avoid the fast food places.... the oils they use are toxic. Bring a thermos for warm water or herbal tea. Bring your water bottle and fill up after security in the airport OR with a gallon of spring water you can purchase at gas stations along the way by car. Electrolytes can help you acclimatize to a different place and allows you to absorb the water you're drinking.
3) Meditate. This allows your mind to process the fast pace of travel and the many new sense impressions along the way. You will be more calm if a flight gets delayed, you miss your bus or things go awry. Which can happen when we travel... Try the Calm app on your phone if you do not have an established practice. I love my Transcendental Meditation practice and highly recommend you look for a technique that feels in alignment with you and your goals for mental health.
4) Warmth. I already mentioned warm foods, but I want to say more about this essential piece. Make sure your body is also warm. Wear a scarf and sweater in the winter, a light long sleeve in the summer. I recommend something to cover your skin to buffer the drafts of air from air conditioning and changing weather.
5) Allow for magic and spontaneity. We can save ourselves A LOT of stress and grief if we grip to our plans and schedules super tightly. When we travel it is essential for our mental health to be OPEN, flexible and kind to those we encounter. Look around for magic, smile at strangers, offer a compliment to a passerby. Invite in the magic of being in a new place by filling yourself with AWE and WONDER. Travel is a true privilege that our ancestors did not have ease of access to like we do….. soak in the appreciation for this accessibility.
In Warmth & Magic,
Radha