Why I would recommend everyone from the West to travel to Thailand, no matter what the cost, the sacrifice, or the length of travel. Believe me, you are worth it! You might still be stuck with the thought that “flying that far is too expensive or I couldn’t possibly take that much time off of work”. You SHOULD and you NEED TO GO! So let’s go to Thailand, once known as Mother Siam together! Traveling to foreign destinations encourages growth by helping you get out of your comfort zone. Traveling abroad helps build confidence, broadens your horizons, and can give you just the perspective you didn’t know you needed.
It’s difficult to describe in words how traveling to Thailand made me feel. I’ll do my best…to capture that feeling, it is like describing with words the most beautiful, colorful, and artistic photograph you’ve ever seen. You can try…but words just don’t do justice. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then a feeling must be worth a million words. The feelings during my first trip to Thailand surprised me. I was completely taken aback by the natural beauty of the country, but most importantly the undeniable beauty and kindness within the people that make Thailand so magical. If you live in a chakra 3 nation, countries like the United States and the United Kingdom…. It’s likely that you have never experienced a culture quite like Thai culture…and if you have, it probably wasn’t the megadose of pure love you get when you travel to Thailand.
I wrote the beginning of this blog entry a few weeks before covid-19 struck Sarasota in early 2020. Who could have known we would be where we are now just a few years ago? As a business owner and entrepreneur, I had to dig deep to stay connected and grounded during the pandemic. My trip to Thailand in 2019 provided a well of strength, and stability and helped to provide the inner strength to face one of my most difficult challenges as a yoga instructor. The love and feeling in my heart never faded, my memories always floating close to the surface… I’m getting all the feels as I write this entry, just imagining my return to the motherland. During my first visit to Thailand, I’ve never felt more at home and undeniably in the present moment. It was natural and easy to enjoy what life was offering. Having the chance to be immersed within a culture where there's abundant love and acceptance, creates an environment where deep deep healing can happen.
With its nearly untouched sprawling landscapes, rustic farmlands, and islands that look like you’ve found paradise right here on Earth. Thailand has no shortage of the most spectacular wildlands that are a treasure of treasures. Discovering and traveling to Thailand for many travelers is like recovering The Hope Diamond from the titanic. You don’t truly know the treasure you have until you have it. As irresistible as the land is, it’s the people of Thailand that hold the most valuable treasure. They hold this gift in their hearts. Buddhists call it meta (the gift of loving-kindness). This loving stitch (sutra) is weaved magically within their entire culture, the land, and even their food. Life in Thailand seeps with loving-kindness since meta is part of their daily spiritual practice. Thai people freely share this love and healing with all (even foreigners like me and you). The people of Thailand connect eye to eye, person to person, heart to heart, and the feeling make you question your own familiar Western culture. You can feel the authenticity of the care in their service and the way they look at you. The service industry in Thailand is second to none… the Thai people anticipate your every need and serve from an open heart. You can feel the love in the food, in the services, it comes from the heart.
Western culture is often obsessed with power, and money and so oftentimes that power turns to greed. That energy permeates a culture and creates what many of us would define as a “normal” society. I would like to challenge that “normality” and ask that you shift your attention from the belly to the heart. As Nischala Joy Devi says in her book The Namaste Effect: “Namaste, When I am in the place of love and oneness and you are in the place of love and oneness, we are one, Namaste.” When we are able to find that place of love, joy, and kindness within our hearts, it is easy and natural to be able to see those same attributes in others.
It is Thailand’s enormous and loving heart that sets Thailand apart from every other place I have traveled and lived. You get a glimpse of this love just by traveling to Thailand. To get a full dose of the healing heart energy, be sure to sign up for a Thai Massage (Thai Yoga) session. You’ve likely felt this feeling perhaps at the end of a wonderful yoga class or during a moment of spiritual bliss found during meditation. But you’ve never felt something like immersing yourself in that loving, healing energy all around you. Even the sidewalks seem to emanate this potent fourth chakra energy. It’s powerful, and it’s what is beckoning me to return (this time with a group of friends in tow).
Whether you are on the staircase of spiritual advancement, you love scuba diving, self-care or spa days, beautiful beaches, Asian heritage, and culture there’s something for everyone. Whether visiting Bangkok, Phuket, or Chiang Mai you can experience the best Thai Massage, shopping, Yoga, sightseeing, temple hopping, traveling, and backpacking anywhere in the world… Thailand has it all. A cornucopia of spirituality, culture, food, and beautiful people. Thailand is known as the land of smiles. :D
Coming back home was hard, but I definitely came back having a new perspective on Western living. Traveling to Thailand challenged how I had lived up until that time. It made me question how the people of our country function, breathe and strive to “exist”. Are you ready to challenge your idea of what culture is? Join me October 13-23, 2022 for our Adventure, Yoga & Thai Massage Retreat in Chiang Mai Thailand.
