Why Spiritual Gay Travel is Enjoyable

By Howie Holben

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.

Spiritual gay travel is actually a great joy. You meet like minded people and share your experences with them and you get a chance to really get to know them. Connecting with others this deeply adds a great deal to our vacation enjoyment. It is this connection to other people that is so lacking in our lifes.

We have also learned that being "spiritual" means we must act solemn. We seem to think that play is anti-spiritual. The truth is just the opposite. Laughter brings a real connection to spirit and connection that is more profound than you can imagine

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!

Children are a great example. The world is their playground and everything is a wonder. Joy is found in everything for a child because it is all new and everything is to be played with. To see as though you were a child is a great gift.

And last, but certainly not least, sometimes people confuse the experience of being awestruck as being serious or solemn. When you travel with conscious awareness there can be times when you will be "deeply moved" (awestruck) by something you encounter. It could be the hospitality of a family you meet; a genuine smile; the grandeur of a sunrise or simply the revelation that you are blessed to be alive. Pesonally, even after countless visits to Monument Valley, I am still moved tears while I am there. But these are tears of joy, humility and gratitude. - 31877

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