Rumi said that you can travel alone, but when you travel with companions, your journey is so much richer.
I have experienced this on more than one level.
When I lived in the UK, I used every opportunity to explore Western Europe and North Africa, and as far East as Istanbul in Turkey. I did all of that travelling alone, apart from one sadly memorable trip with a man who was hinting at us getting engaged after a relationship of a few years. This did not happen, because when I got home, there was an email waiting for me from his swinger-party companion demanding that I leave them alone and stop interfering with their love life. There I chose the wrong travel companion on more than one level.
On the other hand, I had a beautiful experience in Istanbul, Turkey, where I went to visit the Maiden’s Tower on an islet in the Bosporus River. Back on the mainland, I approached a Turkish woman to ask for directions to another place I wanted to visit. I assumed that she would understand English, because that had been my experience with everyone I encountered up to that point.
She did not understand English, and I did not understand Turkish, but it was clear to me that she wanted me to follow her. Since kindness radiated from her, I did that, and she took me to a restaurant. There she summoned a waiter who spoke both English and Turkish, and he earned a massive tip by translating our conversation. She was a Turkish housewife who made an effort to meet as many tourists as possible, because she struggled with reading and wanted to explore and expand her world. We spent easily two hours exploring each other’s worlds, and it was worth far more than the next tourist attraction.
I have been on a spiritual journey for as long as I can recall – I was already on this journey when I was caught up in a Christian cult until around the age of thirty.
Initially it was a lonely journey, because I was lost, and my only concept of spiritual companions was the handful of tarot card readers that I visited as often as I could afford.
Then I met my only mentor in Cape Town and shared a really valuable part of my journey with him.
Over the years I built up a large client base and explored as much as I could to decide for myself what being spiritual actually meant.
I am now at a fascinating point where I am losing family and friends hand over fist, because of my “conspiracy theorist” views that over the past years have turned from theories into reality faster than you can say “division”. At the same time, I have become part of a global spiritual family that brings me closer to God/Allah/The Creator/The Divine/The Universe, whatever you want to call this powerful force that is steering humanity towards The Great Awakening and a world of Love and compassion.
I have realised the value of spending my time – online as well as offline – with people who resonate with me. Yes, I cannot completely cut out the fear and destruction in the world around me, but I can choose to take note of what is happening and decide where I fit into the picture.
I choose to focus on spending as much time as possible with like-minded people, and on working very hard on making this place an emotionally and spiritually safer world for as many people as possible.
Who do you choose to spend your time with?
Namaste
