A few days ago, my girlfriend asked me a question that really got me thinking:
Why do most people have such an attraction to traveling? What do we actually get out of it?
An interesting question, one I hadn’t thought of before from this angle. I took for granted that we all like to travel. But why? Is it that quest for the new? For experiences?
They say you take nothing with you except the memories you create and accumulate. I understand that. It is my belief that our experiences and memories, especially those with a deep emotional impact, are gathered and stored in that memory of consciousness, that information field that some cultures call the Akashic Chronicle.
However, this explanation seems rather esoteric in retrospect. But what draws us so strongly forward to the experience? What drives us to seek it?
Should it be like a drug? Should we be addicted to dopamine and serotonin, so often invoked by experts? It seems far too simple and mechanical an explanation, especially since these substances are brought up in almost every context to explain human behavior.
I would like to think it is more than that.
I thought hard, sought opinions and asked questions. I finally settled on three elements that I find fascinating: meaning, presence and the energy of place.
The element that resonates most with me, as a profound explanation of this need to seek new places, to discover and explore, is our desire to prove to ourselves that our lives matter and have meaning.
I have had the chance to travel to many countries and even live in three other foreign countries. I have noticed, however, that when I travel alone I don’t feel the same pleasure as when I travel with someone I love. It’s that desire to share the experience, to have a witness to our experiences. We are not passing through the world unknown; we are being observed, and this gives us a deep sense of meaning.
What’s more, when we see something new, and especially when we share those moments with loved ones, we are more present than usual. Presence is often spoken of as an alignment between:
- attention (where is our mind),
- body (where we are physically),
- conscience (who observes).
I believe that in those very moments when we discover a new place, marvel at its energy, and share it with a loved one, we are truly present, both with our minds and our bodies. We observe and at the same time we are observed.
All of this creates that powerful emotion that stays with us, a feeling of well-being that the body experiences and stores beautifully in that memory of consciousness.
And yes, I think that’s what we’re looking for: moments of presence. The more, the better. And when we accumulate them, they give meaning to our lives. Of course, these moments don’t just occur during travel or novel experiences; they can occur in many other contexts as well, including meditation, mindful breathing, or seemingly mundane things. But here I have stuck to the topic I have opened.
Perhaps we travel not just to see new places, but to encounter ourselves in different states of presence. Maybe it is not the journey that matters, but those rare moments when we are fully there, mind, body and heart open.
So, dear readers, look for those moments of presence. Through traveling, through genuine conversations or maybe even reading a book next to a loved one. Collect them like a string of pearls and carry them with you. Because in the end, they are the ones that remain and give meaning to our journey through life.
Have a nice day!
Claudiu
