As someone who travels all over the world, not just for pleasure but also for conservation and environmental efforts, I can say with confidence that my adventures are not always relaxing or glamorous. Sometimes, they’re downright dirty and uncomfortable. From rolling in and around penguin nests to staying in bunks with four plus roommates, I don’t always know what to expect when it comes to expeditions, and I certainly don’t always have an ideal spot to meditate. So, what do you do when meditation is an essential part of your daily routine?  You learn to get comfortable in your own energy no matter what your environment is like.

Honestly, this isn’t always an easy task. I can’t fully get comfortable if I feel I am in unfamiliar territory, so learning to be comfortable no matter where I am has been a challenge for me. But I’ve found that through loving myself, trusting myself, and getting comfortable in a specific meditation routine, this can be accomplished with a bit of effort. The first thing I look for when I’m away is an ideal spot to meditate. Now, as mentioned above, there likely is no ideal spot, so what’s the next best thing? I find time when I can be on my own, either in the morning before I set off on my adventures or in the late afternoon when I return. Usually, even if I’m staying in a crowded group space, I can find a patio or a more secluded spot outdoors that’s a bit separated from all the hustle and bustle of research teams. And I will take advantage of that spot.

So, what do you do when meditation is an essential part of your daily routine?  You learn to get comfortable in your own energy no matter what your environment is like.

I’ll sit back, and before I try to meditate, I’ll get familiar with my surroundings, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. I’ll live in the mindfulness of the moment, feel the energy of the location, the breeze of the ocean, or the strength of the warm, compact ground, and I’ll allow it to become a part of my personal space. I’ll hear the unfamiliar sounds and smell the natural scents of the world around me. I’ll imagine my REBAL forming around me in the environment, making me as comfortable as possible as I charge up my energies while becoming familiar with the energy of my environment. I’ll feel my presence in the here and now, and I’ll know that I belong here, and I can be safe here, and I’ll visualize the warm, white light of my REBAL protecting me from anything that may make me uncomfortable. I’ll sit in my own energy for a while—an energy I’m always familiar with because it’s mine. Feeling my energy build naturally brings me comfort and a readiness to accomplish anything.

From there, I’ll conduct my daily meditation in peace, with personal guidance sent to me no matter where I am in the world. Suppose you’re not used to conducting an unguided meditation for yourself. In that case, I highly recommend keeping the Expand app on hand as your main meditation tool, as it offers a variety of guided meditations. It also offers a timer section of unguided meditation if you prefer. To achieve greater expansions of consciousness wherever you may roam, take Monroe Sound Science on the Expand app with you!

With familiar tools and getting to spend a bit of time soaking in my own familiar energies, I’ve found that meditation becomes comfortable to me no matter where I am. Whether I’m stuck sitting on a log behind an old research house, out in a field in Patagonia, or on a porch somewhere new, my meditation routine, as consistent as it can be, becomes a comforting part of home that I can bring with me anywhere. I encourage you to build up your daily meditation routine at home so that the next time you travel, you can experience inner peace and a sense of security no matter where you are in the world.