Six Ways That Travel Will Accelerate Your Spiritual Growth

I was 18 years old when I ventured on my first backpacking adventure to the beaches of Thailand; this marked the beginning of a deep passion for travel. I have always been the adventurous type and to me there is nothing quite like exploring unknown territory, knowing that every day will be unique and completely unpredictable. It wasn’t long before I realised that exploring our planet can be so much more than just site seeing and ticking boxes, it can be an incredibly deep spiritual experience.

Travel can seem as though we are running away from ‘real’ life, however, I always feel as though I am running straight into life, the more I travel, the more I seem to say ‘life is beautiful’. Exploring the planet enables us to glimpse into the outstanding miraculous beauty of existence and for those with curious minds, we begin to ask questions regarding the nature of reality itself. However, travel is not only a trigger for spiritual awakening but it can also accelerate spiritual growth.

The way I travel is simple, I go to a country with no plan and totally alone. I like to maintain as much freedom as possible so that I can surrender to my higherself. However, the following information will still apply to you if you choose a more structured approach with some travel buddies.

Over the years I have combined my spiritual practice with the travel lifestyle and have identified six ways in which I believe it can boost your growth and expand your consciousness.

1. Raise your vibrational frequency

Travel means throwing our possessions into a backpack and leaving the routine and any stress of work behind. We are suddenly propelled into a world where every day could be Saturday and our day now revolves around a good sunset location rather than the 5 o’clock deadline. As we are constantly distracted by new experiences, our life back home seems to fade away into the background and we find ourselves in a totally new world. As a result low vibrational thoughts gradually fall away and we gravitate towards higher vibrational thought patterns. Whilst we settle into the newfound freedom that travel has to offer, our vibration increases and is constantly rising as every day brings new and exciting experiences.

2. Self-mastery and Healing

When we travel, we continue our spiritual journey as we would back home only now we are given more time for ourselves. A large part of our day at home is spent working to earn a living and often this does not give us time to focus on our spiritual side. Travel provides us with the opportunity to allow more time for spiritual practice in general and as a result, we create deeper connections with ourselves, nature and the people around us.

During your trip, you may find that a more slow-paced travel life is for you (I tend to visit places for long periods to avoid rushing and to really immerse myself into the experience). Once you create space within your being and adopt a more relaxed lifestyle, your mind mirrors this and the inner chatter begins to slow down, allowing more space for insights and overall awareness. On the road, we are also constantly stimulated with unfamiliar sights that keep us fixed firmly in the present moment. Back home we tend to go into our minds more when we are presented with the same familiar surroundings. In this new place of presence, we can adopt mastery of the self as we observe our thoughts and emotions and simply sit back as the rhythmic flow of life unfolds before us.

Naturally, any rhythm has its up and downs and our heightened state of awareness allows us to closely observe our blockages as they surface. When we are presented with healing opportunities whilst travelling, it can make an often difficult experience more peaceful and calm. Sometimes something as subtle as a sunset can trigger an emotional release. I personally find that ashrams in India, or yoga and meditation retreats can be powerful long term healing experiences.

3. Consciousness Expansion

When you’re on the road you can be certain to find yourself swimming in a pool of spiritual knowledge. You will find that information comes to you at exactly the right time and through a myriad of different sources. The more I travel, the more I meet like-minded individuals on a similar path and this only highlights the scale of the current global awakening that is taking place. Certain countries such as India attract more spiritually inclined travellers that gather on the beaches and in the mountains to talk philosophy and expand their awareness. I have experienced certain ‘spiritual hotspots’ whereby those on a similar path seem to be attracted to the same areas within a country! If you put the intention in, you will be guided to profound conversations with fascinating souls that you may never imagine you could meet in your hometown. Everyone we meet carries a message for us and no doubt you will be left feeling completely amazed by the wisdom that people can offer.

Knowledge can also be found on the dusty bookshelves in hostels, in the calming sounds and sights of nature and within the many cultures across the world. As you are showered with context and understanding, you can simultaneously put your newfound knowledge into action. Whether its through meditation, yogic practices or creative outlets such as journaling or dancing, your experience will unfold according to what you are drawn to. As you dive deeper and deeper into your own consciousness you may begin to uncover your genuine values in life and a feeling of authenticity allows you to shine more brightly than ever before.

4. Increased Synchronicity and Manifestation

Now it’s time to go down the rabbit hole because travel and spirituality can be an incredibly surreal experience. Now that we find ourselves dancing with the harmony of the cosmos, it begins to speak to us in mysterious yet magical ways on a more frequent basis. Our new and improved connection with the universe helps us to develop a keen eye for those subtle and often not so subtle, meaningful occurrences. Travel gifts us with an ever-changing environment and routine can seem like a world away as we are constantly met with unpredictable and spontaneous circumstances. As a result, messages can be delivered in an infinite variety of ways because you are presenting the universe with more opportunities to speak with you. How this phenomenon occurs will be entirely unique to you but you can be sure that this unseen force has your best interests at heart and no doubt you will be filled with a sense of warmth and amazement as themes come together perfectly for you.

Likewise whatever you may have been manifesting through affirmations, visualisations or perhaps just general intent, will seem to occur quicker than ever before. This may be because of our heightened vibration, our increased flow and connection or simply because we are providing more opportunities for the universe to line up with our desires.

5. Development of Intuition

Developing our connection with our higherself is crucial within our spiritual practice and travel sets us up to surrender to that all-knowing guide that exists inside of us. I give myself the maximum amount of freedom possible when exploring a country so if I feel a ‘pull’ towards a certain area then I can follow this mystifying call and see where it takes me. However, developing your intuition can begin by selecting a particular hostel or even by coming out of your hotel and feeling whether to explore to the right or left. As we pay more attention to sudden feelings or ‘pulls’, we allow our feeling body to guide us around an unfamiliar place, sooner or later we will begin to recognise how our intuition can guide us to be in the exact right place at the exact right time.

Developing the courage to follow through with such feelings can be a journey in and of itself and as we are faced with more decisions on a daily basis during travel, we allow ourselves to build trust in our guidance systems. You may follow through with that ‘pull’ into a coffee shop where you meet a significant individual or a particular retreat where you unlock that crucial piece of information. One thing is for sure, our intuition works to guide us in the direction of what is best for us at any particular moment and once we let go of resistance, that ‘gut’ feeling can lead us to mind-blowing experiences that could never be foreseen in even our wildest dreams.

6.Become your greatest version

Whilst we sit back and surrender to the flow of physical life, we simultaneously take action to become our greatest versions. As our wishes come into reality and our intuition strengthens, we inadvertently develop more belief in our spiritual quests and we truly awaken to the magnificence of existence. We are continuously given the opportunity to see the light in every soul and the stunning landscapes open our eyes to how beautiful our home planet really is. Suddenly the little things in life ignite a feeling of gratitude and bliss whether it’s the smile on a child’s face or the morning dew settled on the petals of a flower. Travel opens us up to the unconditional kindness of a stranger and compassion floods our being.

As we settle into our newfound connectivity with planet earth and those around us, we can begin to leave feelings of separation behind and embrace a sense of oneness with all that is. We are constantly seeking to grow on this path meaning every step taken whilst on the road is a step closer towards becoming the greatest version of ourselves.

Final Words

Not only have you chosen to come to this planet at a time when the entire globe is waking up to the true nature of reality but you have also come at a time when travel is made possible and the whole world is on your doorstep. If you feel like an adventure is for you then tune into where your intuition is leading you and start manifesting, you have the ability to make this happen because you are a powerful creator.

No doubt you will return home with a fresh sense of authenticity, newfound wisdom and an overall heightened love for existence itself. You will then observe as your life begins to adapt based on your new shift in consciousness and the adventure continues. The memories you bring back will hold a very special place in your heart and you may choose to carry them with you like seeds to share with those around you and watch as they grow too.

Travel offers us a myriad of opportunities for the acceleration of spiritual growth and the ones mentioned in this article are just a handful. Go and see the mass awakening for yourself and leave your expectations at home because you cannot begin to even comprehend where your journey will take you.

With Gratitude 🙂