Travelling Mindfully: Boat Adventures throughout Pandemic

On the way to an adventure in December 2019, not long after the biggest car-free day in London, Qi Gong and meditation teacher Tracie Storey hadn't planned a trip under the flag of the pandemic. But the world had its own plans – so it followed. When she's not home after another boat trip, she shares her travel experience with awareness and devotion. "

They set out before lockdowns occurred. When and where did your trip begin and which places have you visited so far?

Last September we all gathered for Wanderlust GB "Reimagine" in central London – World Car Free Day. It seems like we're exploring better, greener ways to travel and save energy and fuel. I decided to do some voyages by sea and connect to the ocean. I wanted to pull out the sails and glide across the ocean. So at the winter solstice, December 21st, 2019, we set sail on a beautiful sailing ship called "Grateful" and drove west of the Balearic island of Ibiza along the south coast of Spain with an oceanic Christmas party with dolphins. Incredible! Collection of the new crew from Switzerland via the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco on New Year's Eve and on to the Canary Islands; Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.

How quickly did you decide to keep traveling in your head as world events unfolded?

I spent the whole time in Gran Canaria where movement was only limited to the pharmacy and / or supermarket just like in the UK. Being on a boat felt like a safe place. The police and the military "Guardia Civil" made several rounds a day, more militant than Great Britain! I was stopped several times just to fetch supplies. The seas reopened in late May, but flights and airports weren't running efficiently so being able to sail between countries was revolutionary as you don't have to take on the bureaucracy of airports, customs, security, etc. Traveling by sea is much slower than air, but it's far more ecological and you can see sea turtles, dolphins, and even whales.

How do you make decisions about where to move to next?

Flights from the Canary Islands back to Great Britain were almost impossible, so “Grateful” went to the ocean and drove north to Portugal on a 5-day passage. But travel is still restricted stay calm is important in these times, which helps make decisions easier and we can rise above the chaos and the challenge. When I listen to my intuition, I also make a decision and adapt to change, which is the only constant. Preparing for another lockdown seems imminent, having a good supply of food and water, and doing everything possible to minimize stress and panic as it feels like there will be more months or so of restrictions. So we have to be prepared.

Did you find it difficult to realize and accept that you will not return home for some time?

In my previous incarnation, I was a professional DJ who toured the world, so traveling is very natural to me. I kept in touch with friends on a regular basis and also did live streams of meditation and qi gong so that I felt connected to others, but I also felt where I needed to be and used the time to talk to mine Online offers & continue. start mine online Qi Gong course. So it was okay for me to feel that I could only travel or move around in my immediate surroundings. I understand that precautions are essential for protection, but it feels like our freedom is being controlled right now which is a strange feeling.

At the moment, the world seems to be divided in half – one side wants to travel as fast as possible while the routes keep opening up. The other side is fearful, skeptical, and blames those who choose vacation before stay for irresponsible behavior. As someone who has traveled through the heat of the pandemic, what would advise both sides to think twice before making a decision and judgment?

I would agree that "thinking" about what is important is paramount now, making your travel decisions count rather than thinking that your options are endless. We are all different and have different needs, but one thing I want to encourage is to spend time in nature, nourishing your soul with a sunset or sunrise, walking barefoot on grass, earth, sand and getting back with it to connect the earth. You don't have to travel on a plane to do this. Swim in a lake or ocean and make exercise a priority. The emotions are high, the challenges persist, so we need to consider others' fears, but staying together can have negative mental health effects and that is not good. Therefore it is important to listen to your own needs and to spend time in nature. Vacation close if you can but if you have to travel I would keep it to a minimum and be efficient with your decisions.

If anything, 2020 teaches us to take a day and build resilience as we navigate daily changes that are beyond our control. Would you say that recent trips have given you serious insight?

Absolutely, I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to live the unconventional way during this pandemic. It has allowed me to slow down, wiping my schedule clean is a rare situation, but I have adjusted to it and see that there is an opportunity in every situation. It took the world some time to think and that is exactly what happened.

There's a great saying of Mahatma Gandhi:

"It is health that represents real wealth and not gold and silver." This time really helped me to embody the element of water, and air was a real lesson in my Qi Gong practice and helped to inspire my offerings to help others too.

Are you continuing to travel or do you want to return home soon?

I had planned my Qi Gong and meditation retreats for this summer on the boat, which were written off due to C19. That's why I decided to stay in Europe for the time being. Unfortunately you cannot attend my courses in the UK for now, but you can find me teaching online and I will return to the UK at some point. I hope to see you somewhere soon!

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Tracie Storey takes a comprehensive sound approach. DJ / producer, sound designer, vibrational sound practitioner, teacher and speaker. She completed a training as a vibrational sound practitioner, in which she researched the transformative therapeutic properties of bioresonance and sound meditation, and also taught Qi Gong as part of her practice.

Today she combines all these tools as the founder of her company Elemental Resonance – a platform for restorative vibration sound and movement therapy www.elementalresonance.com. As a practitioner, her sessions are instinctively tailored to the individual client as a teacher and workshop take her skills beyond the treatment room and include immersive group harmonization and meditation sessions.

Tracie released a sound meditation album called "Elemental Resonance" on Celestial Being Records that is said to work on the body's various energy centers / chakras with or without affirmations. Check out her albums, The Elemental Resonance Vol. 1. 1 and Elemental Resonance Vol. 1 (instrumental)