Travel isn’t just a thing we do. It is also a metaphor for life. It is an escape; a change; a chance to be someone in someplace at some time that you only aspire to under normal circumstances. I’ve written earlier about balance and the power of three, but thought I would apply it more specifically to something every marketing professional should consider often: a vacation.
Why take a vacation when your next trip can actually be a journey of discovery? Discovery of self. Discovery of other cultures. Discovery of selflessness. Discovery of new aspects of you. Wouldn’t you like to discover the rush of adventure in hiking, snorkeling or scuba, shopping local artesian markets, exploring museums, cultures, restaurants, etc in Peru, Greece, Cambodia, Fiji, Moorea, or some other exotic port of call while better understanding what it’s like to actually be of that place and time?
An emerging concept is showing up in the travel industry: that of the Soul Journey. This journey concept/ideal a class of vacation that balances adventure (“living” a culture), philanthropy (“learning” a culture while giving back) and sharing in ceremony (“loving” with a culture). The concept of “Live.Learn.Love” as a new travel offering could be “chasm crossing” (in Moore-speak); ideal for helping the unconscious become conscious in a subtle manner while fostering a new level of “economics for enlightenment.” It is a perfect compliment to the Soul Journeys desired by the already enlightened.
Connecting with the “adventure” (“Living”) in that location allows us to truly understand the excitement and visceral nature of life. It is the adrenaline pump of some long forgotten past life revisited on this plane. Physical exercise, excitement, sport has a subtle freeing ability for our subconscious. Even physical rest, relaxation, tranquil stroll evokes a sense of some remembrance at a cellular level.
There is no better way to “know” (“Learn”) a new culture then to avoid the tourist paths and walk the selfless road to personal philanthropy. You don’t need the resources of Bill Gates in order to give back. Sharing a song or school supplies with children, helping build a house or feed the homeless only takes a small commitment of time and positive intentions. Time is the most precious gift we have to give and we shouldn’t waste even a minute. There is no joy that can match what you will feel knowing that you had a positive impact on someone (or someplace) that is less fortunate than you.
Human beings are creatures of habit and ceremony by nature. Since the dawn of time we have used “spirit/faith” (“Loving”) as a way to explain the unexplainable, to rationalize the immensity of the cosmos relative to our solitary existence. Sharing in indigenous ceremony with local shamans/guides provides a deeper connection to not only this culture but ourselves. Ceremonies come in many forms from the sublime to the elaborate. All are anthropological explorations of the human condition…just from a different perspective. It is these differences that we should admire, share, and celebrate.
Life is too short not to “live.learn.love” your next adventure as opposed to just being “along for the ride.” True happiness comes from balance in all forms. You may also find a better empathy for the cultural mosaic we discussed in a previous blog. At a minimum you will come back recharged and re-energized for your next set of marketing challenges.
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