Nurturing the self

Sometimes we need to go away to find ourselves. Or to rediscover ourselves, to recover parts of our psyche that have disappeared into a black hole in the face of the demands of everyday work and life. A break can help us see the routine in new ways and the very act of seeing it differently somehow lends it a fresh burst of energy.

This Teachers’ Day, we decided to ask a variety of contributors to explore the idea of travel, of getaways of different kinds. As you will see in the pages that follow, the idea of the getaway takes many forms. For some, it means going off into uncharted territory, to find unknown spaces and places, to give rein to a sense of adventure. For others, it is about finding quiet and peace, to be still for a while, away from the bustle and busy-ness of the daily work routine. And for yet others, it is about fellowship and people, doing things in the company of others.

Each of these kinds of journeys gives us a way of reconnecting with our inner selves. Some carry teaching moments while others simply pour into our minds and bodies a revitalizing tonic. Spending time with people who think and live differently too can offer us a new lens through which we may rethink the narrowness of our own experience. Each of the teachers who have written about their experiences has looked at it differently, and in the process, we have learned a lot about the benefits of the getaway.

Of course, loosening the grip of the routine is not that easy, and for many of us, not at all simple. We need to plan ahead, think about finances and take into account the level of activity our bodies can take. We need to rearrange the parts of life we leave behind, making sure they are taken care of! Just the thought of this can discourage us to the point of not making the journey at all. But as these stories show, it’s well worth the effort.