Take Traveling to another level.
The title is drawn from a Zen Buddhist text. As we embark on a new year, I invite you to consider a meaningful way to open yourself to the world and the planet—one that inspires a vision of unity and peace. And it all begins with oneself.
In today’s evolving consciousness, travel has become much more than relaxation or tourism. A new dimension has emerged: travel as a catalyst for personal transformation and positive impact. As Jennifer Holmes from the “Joyous Journeys” agency eloquently puts it, travel is about “making connections that build bridges between cultures, transforming your inner world, challenging your assumptions, igniting your passion for positive change, and possibly altering the course of your life.”
In this spirit of transformative travel, I journeyed to the Sahara Desert last October to lay the foundation for a Zen Mind-Body retreat titled “Travel Afar, Journey Within.” As you know, Myoku is about training the mind and body through Zen principles, allowing inner peace to emerge naturally and being in touch with the leader in you.
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”
(Henry Miller)
Zen is often misunderstood as merely a disciplined practice of sitting meditation. In truth, Zen is about clearing your mind of all filters to experience life beyond duality, bringing you into Oneness with what is—nature, the world, the universe. In this state of being, the ego becomes a servant of your true Self, rather than the other way around. Inner peace arises naturally, enabling you to genuinely contribute to the world without acting from ego.
While sitting meditation is a part of Zen practice, it is only one aspect. Zen also includes chanting sutras, walking meditation, bowing practice, and koan practice—all of which guide you to experience the Now and expand your mind. Everyday activities, such as doing the dishes or gardening, can be approached with a Zen mind—a mind free from dualistic thinking and connected to the essence of what is. In this way, Zen pierces the “ordinary” to reveal the “extraordinary,” shifting your consciousness and transforming your way of life.
We often rely too heavily on Zen landscapes or décor for a sense of “peacefulness.” This is a passive approach, as it makes us dependent on external factors and separates us from Oneness. Instead, we should use such landscapes and décor as tools to actively transform ourselves from within, allowing inner peace to arise wherever we go. That is the essence of true Zen and empowerment to leadership.
Zen is ultimately about reconnecting with the wholeness that is already within us. Inner peace does not come from Zen landscapes, it comes from within.
“In the desert, in the silence, you don’t meet anyone, but you find yourself.”
(Berber proverb)
In this spirit, the Myoku retreat, Travel Afar & Journey Within, is about merging with the desert’s spiritual silence, integrating it, raising our vibration, and bringing that transformation back into our daily lives. Mind and body are “one,” and to think otherwise is to live in illusion. We often assume that consciousness is solely the domain of the mind, but the body must also vibrate in harmony with the mind.
Myoku is a Zen-inspired, conscious mind-body practice for both mind and body. The retreat, scheduled for October 2025, offers a harmonious blend of sitting meditation, Qi Gong movements, walking meditation, cultural activities in the Sahara region, and a night under the stars in the high dunes of the desert—all designed to provide a deeply transformative experience.
Stay tuned for more details about the October 2025 Sahara retreat, coming soon!
“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.”
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince)
In the meantime, you can explore the Myoku mind-body practice for inner peace by joining the MYO-Awakening program directly on my website or by signing up with Humanity Streaming platform for the pre-recorded version of the program as “Zen Mind-Body” (https://shorturl.at/m1hVx).
I’ll be glad to hear from you if you have questions or need more info about Myoku practice.
Together, let’s raise consciousness and help this world.
Namaste
O Tenere! A jealous desert!
Why can‘t you see? You are a treasure
I‘ve seen the world, I love you better
Oh Tenere! You are the treasure of my soul.
(Tenere Taqqim Tossam)
