When I travelled to India I was able to get an insight into the lifestyles and culture there. I was struck by the role that spirituality plays in everyday life and it inevitably rubbed off on me as I stayed in numerous temples and ashrams. I have have read many western theories and philosophies as I have studied in the past two years and I have also found my way to a few predominant Indian yogis. One such yogi is called ‘Sadhguru’ who founded the ‘Isha Foundation‘; a non-religious, not-for-profit, public service organization, which addresses all aspects of human wellbeing. The organisation has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. There are many videos online and information on the website.
Meditations
Learning through adventure and exploration tends to reap rewards in terms of experience and unknown assistance but it surprises me how these ways of being sometimes mean I am framed by others in a certain way. I would say that anyone can benefit from being a little more adventurous and I think this starts with the following:
- Breaking the social relations and habits (and leisure past time) of consumption – e.g. shopping as a hobby and talking with others about it expecting reassurance for actions
- Reducing the amount of owned objects which do not serve any everyday purpose
- Getting into the outdoors and making proper journeys
- Cycling as a way to move about and see the world differently, breaking the connection with technological speed and reducing the cost of mobility
- Understanding some of the underlying functions of how capitalist society and (psychology behind it) works and therefore developing a critical approach to it
- Being aware of the gap between what society considers morally correct and what is ethically true Read more…
What is travel if not a geographical way to break up routines of movement and be opened up to unfamiliar environments, people, places, objects and networks?
Anyone who feels like they want to experience the world more directly ‘as it really is’ as opposed to just a ‘world’ within a world; the private flat, the office ‘world’, the bar, the coffee shop, the infrastructure of a holiday resort created for leisure, a package adventure holiday, the business world, will need to create a ‘vehicle’ and support structure for themselve; a mental and physical support structure that allows them to exist outside of existing and preceding structure, perhaps albeit temporarily. Changing your world will feel strange and take effort. Read more…
This is an epic interview I did recently with Charles Denby, Geography student from Kings College, London.
What do you think maps do?
I think they can make people see places differently. The maps I’m interested in are not necessarily maps that are tools to get from A to B but tools for getting lost or maps that provide routes around your local area. It doesn’t really matter about the scale actually. It’s about getting off the main roads, taking the side roads and going places people wouldn’t normally go.
That’s kinda where the Wandermap stuff comes in in terms of the work that I have done. I would say my travels by bike created a desire to make the traveling experience better by changing where we went. Rather than sticking on a big road you take a smaller road even though it would be slower. Even in Mongolia, for example where there are no roads and it was possible to go anywhere theoretically, it wouldn’t make much sense to go there and speed quickly across the map. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense to do that. Read more…
I’ve been at university reading Zizek and Lacan talking about ‘social reality’ and ‘The Real’ or Baudrillard’s ‘Desert of the Real’ and concept of ‘Hyperreality’, or Timothy Morton talking about ‘The Mesh’ and ‘Strange Strangers’. It seems clearer. I think I understand a little better why adventure is so important (to me).
Adventure is precisely the activity that humans need for progress and survival, because it allows them to learn about ‘The Real World’ that exists between the cracks (mostly unseen) of everyday ‘reality’. Read more…
I arrived at the station. The Paris Gare du Nord. I heard that familiar French over the tannoy and that jingle that is played with every announcement at the station. I am sure I will end up living in this country at some point in the future. But this time, I am here on a business trip which is a part time foray away from London- studies, mist, uncertain housing, protests, projects etc but recently I don’t feel like I am escaping anything.
A year or so ago, I would have relished the chance to get away and romanticised about it, but I no longer feel that where I am is important rather what I know and how I see that world that counts. That has developed rather a lot in the past year through my studies and general life experiences (including having time to reflect on previous travels and writing a book about
them). Read more…
Dubai blew me away.
(this post is from my notes of impressions of Dubai between the 5th – 20th October. It is heavily censored.)
A famous local fugitive graffiti artist’s graffiti in Jumeira
- It feels like something new is happening.
- It feels like something has to be done (maybe preparation, decisions).
- It feels like there is movement.
- It feels like there are requirements.
- It feels like something strange is happening
- Emotions occur but without a familiar language or signification structure – this may stop it from having complete meaning or making complete sense.
- It requires thinking on my feet so I feel more alert.
- It makes me more conscious so I feel more aware.
- Motivates me act to outside of normal routines of behaviour so I feel more open minded.
- It evokes fear so I feel apprehension.
- It evokes the imagination so I feel more inspired.
A little known fact about me is my obsession with music. Whilst studying my undergrad I spent too long making music compositions rather than doing the work I should have been! I have compiled a page with my best pieces from the last 10 years. Visit my music page at my portfolio website:
- Take more people with you- an exodus is a political act. If you can convince more people to go with you on your trip then you will be able to share the experience and enlightenment with more people. It will likely be more fun too.
