My first trip abroad to Cambodia was a gift from my mother on my college graduation day. And when I was 25, a 40-day trip across Europe remains the best memory of my first job.
The days of wandering in Myanmar are associated with the memory of when I broke up with the deepest love of my youth. The warm smiles and kindness of the Myanmar people really eased my sadness during those days. And the journey to Pakistan more than 6 years ago helped me find my destiny in life. And just like that, the trips during my youth not only helped me explore the world but also marked the maturity of my own life journey.
Spring in Hunza, Pakistan
But one day, in the midst of my mid-life crisis, I realized that my trips to the outside world no longer brought me joy. Deep down, I knew I needed to seek new experiences and embark on a deeper, more fulfilling journey. That was when my love affair with meditation began.
The first days of getting acquainted with meditation were not easy for someone who thinks and worries too much like me. To practice relaxing the mind, the meditation instructor gave me an exercise: “Imagine an ideal space like a beautiful, fresh beach or plateau. Take your mind there to relax, enjoy the beautiful scenery, cool weather, the sound of streams, birds singing, murmuring waves, leisurely watch the sunlight, flowers and grass... where you can completely relax and recharge your mind”. I thought to myself that this exercise was too easy, I had traveled to places like this a lot so I could imagine it right away. But when I practiced, I discovered that this was not easy at all.
Spring in Pakistan
Hunza Indigenous People
When I brought my mind to the most beautiful island I had ever visited, the memories of that trip suddenly arose. I suddenly remembered that, during the sea trips, I was always busy with physical activities such as swimming, diving, jumping waves, exploring the island by boat, there was never a moment of complete peace and relaxation of the mind. Once again, I tried to calm my mind to meditate but was unable to because my mind was absorbed in physical activities.
I then left the island scenery and brought my mind to the high mountains of Hunza (Pakistan) in the hope of finding some peace to practice meditation. This is my second home, a peaceful valley with majestic and poetic mountain scenery. But unfortunately, when I got to Hunza, my mind suddenly shot like an arrow on the Karakoram Highway, running from Karimabad to the village of Ghulkin and then up to the border. I was really stressed because I had to chase my mind. I suddenly realized that every time I returned to Hunza, I often worked hard and moved around to take care of my company's tourist groups. Therefore, my memories in Hunza were not at all peaceful and relaxing.
Bride at a wedding in Hunza, Pakistan
When listening to my difficulties, the meditation instructor asked: “So where is the most relaxing place in your life?”. I suddenly woke up. It turned out that my most peaceful and relaxing corner was the tiny living room in my apartment in Saigon. Where there was a small, green garden on the balcony that I tended every day. Where there was a cozy sofa where I could lie comfortably, listening to the faint sounds echoing from the streets. Where there were books that could help me explore the deepest corner of my soul, and could also take me on a very long journey, beyond the physical limits of space and time.
It turns out that after traveling across the continents, we realize that our small room is the most beautiful and peaceful place in the world. The deepest ocean and the bluest sky are also located in our own minds.
Like many other travelers, I often keep and remember my youthful years through memories of each trip.
When I was young, I used to dream of taking trips to beautiful lands like in the movies. But now I understand that the most beautiful and greatest journey in life is the journey to discover my own inner self. When I was young, I used to hope that beautiful lands would help me escape the worries and pressures of daily life. However, the truth is that no matter how far we go, we still cannot escape the reality of our own lives. Only when we understand and make peace with our inner world, only when we live fully in every moment of the present, can we deeply enjoy the beauty of the outside world.
