As I have written before, this is the first time I have travelled solo. I have travelled alone before. I have travelled to visit people alone. I have travelled alone to meet someone for more travel together after that. I have never traveled solo, just for myself.
I just received an e-mail from a friend who travels solo quite often. I was pleased to get it;
"Solo travel is the best! Do your own thing on your own schedule. Plus, as a couple or group, you are insulated from other people. By yourself you are much more likely to meet people."I had not thought about that. I realize I have had a covert belief that an experience like travel is always best by being shared with someone. I realize I accepted this as true for me as if my mind was made up on purpose about this issue long ago. Really? When did I do that?
Life is about getting free of unexamined beliefs. The trick is seeing them. I confuse unexamined beliefs with reality. I think I am seeing reality, but I am really just seeing my thoughts. I have never really asked myself if I wanted to travel alone. I told myself that would be a waste, I would regret it, and I killed the idea before it had a chance at life.
This is a good place to point at something in the First Precept of Buddhism. I killed this idea of travelling solo against the advice of the first precept. This teaching points to many things, but one thing it points to is a warning that if you so fully object to something that you want to kill it, be that a person, a relationship, or an idea, then you have already lost direct contact with reality. One does not want to kill anything before one has a concept of it, that is, one must have an idea about something, something that separates it from the things around it, in order to kill it. Pre-concept. Precept.
I respond when I notice that I have been caught by a concept by taking a breath, checking my posture, and opening my eyes as if I have never seen any of this before. I may find solo travel the most meaningful thing I have ever done in my life. I may find solo travel disappointing for the reasons I have accepted as true all these years. I am about to find out.
Eyes open, soft focus. How's your breathing? How's your posture? Once I answer those questions for myself, other answers soon follow.
