As teachers of meditation, we’re always talking about the journey inward. But what about the outer journey, is there a spiritual value in traveling the world? 

In this episode, we have a delightful conversation with fellow Vedic Meditation teacher and avid world traveler Théo Burkhardt about why we yearn to see far off lands and how the exploration of the globe is also an expansion for the soul. Theo brings his knowledge of Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) into the discussion as well as fascinating anecdotes of his many adventures to the remotest of places.

If you’d like to travel with Théo (he leads retreats in Bali and expeditions in India) or if you’d like to learn meditation from him, you can reach him at theoburkhardt.com. You can also hear more of his relatable brand of sharing Vedic knowledge on his podcast Slouching Towards Enlightenment. 

Show Notes: 

3.20 Traveling and teaching

5.40 Nivar tatvam

7.40 “The body wants to get in on the action of what it is experiencing inside.” Theo

8.15 “You want to take this new consciousness around. You want to take the show on the road.” Theo

9.50 The Comfort Zone “The safest place is being on the cusp of the unknown.” Kristen

11.30 Jyotish and Travel

16.00 Equanimity and traveling

19.00 Adaptability

20.00 Everywhere is home

22.00 Homogenizing 

26.00 Pilgrimage to India

29.00 Finding unity in difference

30.00 Varanasi

31.50 Naga babas

37.00 Breakthrough cosmic experiences while traveling

42.00 The importance of a teacher

45.00 No cultural appropriation

46.00 The call to teach in the west

47.00 Preservation of knowledge

49.00 Giving the student what they need

50.00 Dharma

52.00 Surprises and people

56.00 Knowing ourselves without our surroundings

57.00 Plot vs Story

58.00 The elixir