At a yoga ashram in Rishikesh on the River Ganges in India

As humans we desire connection, with ourselves, each other and the planet. Maybe that’s why we have such wanderlust. Travel puts us back into the flow of life and allows us to be open to new experiences. That’s why I’m such an advocate for solo travel. I believe that travelling alone is a journey of personal transformation and a form of spiritual travelling. We meet the right people at the right time; those who can teach us something about ourselves or this world and those who have something to learn from us.

Travelling solo shows us how to overcome obstacles, connect with our emotions and cope entirely by ourselves. It gives us the reflection time to think about our actions and our place in the world. It’s important to be grateful for every moment even the challenging moments which ultimately make us grow and evolve.

For those of us on our spiritual journeys, travelling consciously may come easier than to others. Having an awareness and perception that the world around us mirrors how we are feeling on the inside helps to keep us conscious of each action we take, and to be in alignment with our values. As much as we are opening ourselves up to our consciousness in our own lives, we need to allow this consciousness to affect our decisions as we travel. Conscious travel begins with a conscious mind.

Over the last 22 years I have travelled alone extensively and in that time I have learned to trust the journey. And with each solo trip I take, I learn something new about the world, the places I travel to and the people I meet. I grow each time and every trip becomes what it needs to be. I’m back in the flow of life and open to the serendipities that it brings. As they say, life is a journey not a destination and solo travel teaches you exactly that.

As we transform, the world around us transforms and we begin to see how we are part of the same consciousness. We become our own mentor, our own anchor. The stillness we feel inside becomes our core as the world around us continuously changes. Travelling solo allows us to tap into the flow of life, to enhance our intuition and allow serendipities to occur.

The world is a mirror of us. How we feel on the inside is reflected back to us on the outside. If we are grounded and open, we will experience our journey easier than if we are closed.

No matter what stage of life you are at, the universe provides us with what we need, if we are open to it we will be rewarded with the most amazing experiences. If we go against the flow we will only come up against challenges. A shift in perspective has a ripple effect on everyone we meet. Travel can be spiritually rewarding for both us and the people who we encounter on our journey.

At a cacao ceremony in Spain

Finding Our Spiritual Place

Because of the transformative power of travel, sometimes we are called to certain places in the world. This can feel as a pull and an urge to just get on a plane to a particular destination.

In 2012 I had my Kundalini awakening and knew that I wasn’t meant to continue on the path that I was on. I was married but knew that I had another path but it wasn’t until two years later that I felt the pull to South America. When I landed in Colombia, I felt an overwhelming urge to cry as I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. Colombia became the turning point for me. It was the country on my spiritual travels which healed me after my divorce and one which holds a special place on my spiritual journey.

Other spiritual travellers have felt the pull to Spain, or to just pack up and leave everything and start a new life in Peru. It doesn't have to be this extreme. It could be a few nights in the Sahara Desert or climbing a mountain in Nepal, reflecting on how small we are in comparison to the miles and miles of dunes surrounding us or the mountains that stand before us. 

Life gives us nudges. They may come in the form of a book, a song, or an idea that is placed onto our radar when having a conversation with others. After a few of these nudges, our intuition can become stronger as we get pulled to a certain destination and it keeps appearing in our mind. Listening and acting on our intuition can guide us to the next stage of our journey.

Any country could be a spiritual experience for you if it's where you need to be at that very moment but there are certain countries which enhance our consciousness more than others. If you're not feeling pulled to a particular destination then here's an exercise that can help you to get more in tune with yourself. 

Guided Exercise

Breathe in deeply for the count of four, then slowly release to the count of four. Repeat this a few times until you feel your body starting to relax. 

Place your palms together in front of you and rub them together for a few seconds to create energy. Then place your palms over your eyes. Take a deep breath in and allow any names of destinations or colours to arise. Maybe you can visualise yourself in a particular place. Are you surrounded by sand dunes, water or mountains? Keep that image or name in your mind. If you don't see any image or name, ask for a colour to be shown to you. 

This could be the place which you are being pulled to. It may intuitively be a place which came to you. If you saw a colour, you can find which destination corresponds with each chakra colour below. 

You may be aware of the chakra system of the body. As the human body has a chakra system with seven main energy vortexes of swirling energy, so does the Earth. Certain places in the world resonate with the same frequency as the chakras and each chakra corresponding to a particular colour. If you’ve ever felt drawn to any of these places, then now you know why:

Colours

• If you saw red – it indicates the root chakra which is Mount Shasta in California.
• Orange is the Sacral Chakra – This is found in Lake Titicaca on the border of Bolivia and Peru in South America.
• Yellow is the Solar Plexus Chakra – which is Uluru & the Olgas in Australia.
• Green or pink indicates the Heart Chakra which is Glastonbury in Somerset, England. If you’ve ever been to Glastonbury Tor you will have definitely felt the magical energy there.
• Blue is the Throat Chakra – You’ll find this at the Great Pyramid of Giza, Mount Sinai in Egypt and The Mount Of Olives in Jerusalem.
• Indigo is the Third Eye Chakra – Some say it’s at Kuh-e Maked Siah, a mountain in the tri-point of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
• Purple is the Crown Chakra – which is Kailash in Tibet.

If you feel compelled to write any of these down, then maybe this is your place. If you didn't receive any intuition, there are other magical places in the world. These destinations are known for their spirituality and attract those needing a transformation in their lives.

Sedona in Arizona

Spiritual Travel Destinations

India is one of the most known spiritual places which offers an intense experience. There is no hiding anything in India as it mirrors everything and is whatever it needs to be for your spiritual journey. Walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain whether you decide to immerse yourself in the whole path or just a section of its journey. Healing retreats in Bali in Indonesia, the mountains of Monserrat in Spain, Sedona in Arizona, or the Himalayas in Tibet. 

There are plenty of places in the world which have spiritual sites. Seeing Angkor Wat at sunrise in all its magical splendour could give you the spiritual transformation that you need to take you to the next level. Or maybe it's watching the sunset at Uluru in Australia, standing in a temple in Egypt, or hiking to the top of Machu Picchu in Peru where it hits you?

Or maybe like me, it's in a city in Colombia called the City of Eternal Spring. Wherever your journey takes you, be open to the transformation that it will bring and embrace every moment.

Are you a spiritual traveller who has felt the pull to a certain place in the world? For more spiritual destinations read: Spiritual & Wellness Girl about the Globe