It's a popular cliché, "it's about the journey and not the destination", but is this true? What is more important, the getting there or arriving at the endpoint? Fellow yogini Debs Albon and I found ourselves inadvertently answering this question on a trekking trip to Nepal a few weeks ago, and concluded that it is most definitely about the journey!
We had booked the trip with the intention of seeing and honouring the mighty Himalayas and chose the Annapurna Sanctuary trek route. We wanted to learn about the Nepalese mountain culture, especially the spiritual context. The views were utterly awe-inspiring, we were not disappointed. But as we moved along the route, we became increasingly aware of a very pushy, forcing energy from people we met. It was all about "Did you get to the top (of Annapurna Base Camp)?" or "Are you on your way up?" or "Are you on your way down"?
What about the simply being there, absorbing the majesty of the mountains and paying homage to this sacred area, rather than leading with a "conquering" attitude. People die every year on the mountains because they don't realise they are guests, not masters, of the peaks. But the over-achieving, get-the-selfie ego is powerful and that's how the destination becomes the all-important goal.
We have a choice: surrender to the ego or surrender to the universe. So, it's not as simple as surrendering, but rather, to what are you surrendering. This was our learning. And as we travelled on to Kerala, India to immerse ourselves in the culture and spirituality there, we made this our intention. Listen and enjoy our adventure sharing!
For information on our India Yoga Retreat offering 10-18 March 2025, click here.
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