Travel is often described as food for the soul, and rightfully so. The links between exploring the world and improved mental health are well-documented, and those that travel in search of answers or enlightenment may find what they’re looking for in particularly spiritual locations.
If you find yourself in search of a healing trip somewhere beautiful, you might be struggling to settle on the right place. What follow are three suggestions, encompassing some of the best spiritual destinations to feed your soul with.
India has inherited a somewhat intense reputation amongst westerners as a spiritual country, above and beyond its lived reality and culture – an unfortunate and pervasive hangover of colonialism and Orientalist thought. Harmful misinterpretations of the geographical subcultures and the wider Hindu faith have led many well-meaning spiritual tourists to India, with difficult results for local communities and even for their own mental health. But the myths and legends that gave birth to India as cultural basin were not conjured from thin air.
It is undeniably true that the River Ganges is a sacred waterway, and that the cities lining its banks share in a deep well of spiritual pedigree. An India river cruise allows you to drink in the majesty of this same history as you travel, and especially so when you reach Varanasi – one of the earliest cities in the world, a spiritual cradle and an architectural delight all in one. Coming here can help you re-assess your place in the grand scheme, particularly as families travel with loved ones to finish funeral rites.
Japan is another victim of Orientalism, though today this is more pervasive with regards to modern cultural ‘otherness’ than historic mysticism. The conscientious spiritual tourist, though, will find a rich seam of spiritual weight – and the opportunity to discover personal lightness in the process.
By far the best place for the uninitiated traveler to visit is Kyoto. Kyoto was a key logistical and political seat in Japan, being its capital city for thousands of years; today, though, it is a spiritual center. From the serene beauty of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove to the many and varied Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, there are some fantastic and fantastical opportunities to connect with something far beyond your lived experience.
For a spiritual experience of a completely different ochre, there is no better place to visit than Uluru in Australia. It is known to most in the West as Ayer’s Rock, and one of the most recognizable natural landmarks in the entirety of Oceania.
Uluru is the Pitjantjatjara people’s name for the sandstone formation, which towers over the surrounding plains of the Northern Territory. This is a place charged with history, and one which is especially important to the local indigenous population. It is also a popular and vibrant place to visit to soak in its energy, to re-assess and to recharge.
