Spiritual trip to india | How to prepare spiritually for the trip

west has always look towards east for spiritual wisdom. be it japan, egypt, tibet, china or india, east is filled with ancient spiritual places and many people have got enlightened here.

if you want to go deep in spirituality then consider visiting india. for thousands of years people have explored all possible ways of getting enlightened. in india there is something for everyone provided one is sincere in search. in india we believe that every path leads to god and no single path is meant for all. everyone is unique so how can one path suits all the people?

so in india we have many ways to reach to god like meditation, yoga, devotion, tantra, aghora, mantra, tantra. and all these paths have further divisions and then sub-divisions and so on. it is so vast that sometimes i wonder how indians have managed to preserve so much spiritual information and kept alive many mystical traditions.

i would also say that if you are a real spiritual seeker then don’t be afraid while coming to india. just know that you are coming back to your mother home. sometimes its not possible for few souls to get right womb in india. thats why they are forced to take birth outside india. but when they visit india they feel they have come back to their real country. many foreigners have settled in india and made it their home. you can have a deja-vu feeling in india. if you are an old soul then you must have been born in india many times. you could have walked with buddha, mahavira, krishna, kabir, shankarcharya or ramakrishna.

tips for foreigners for the spiritual trip to india:

1. just be open and don’t expect much from it. because you must have heard a lot about spiritual india. that expectation might spoil the trip. many places in india are definitely charged places and much is possible in those places. but one should be able to connect with that sacred wavelength. so take it easy, relax and come with a open heart. because if you are open and innocent then the magic can happen. few things which are very important in spiritual path are innocence, sincerity, patience and openness. moreover on a spiritual path avoid the mind and pay more attention to your inner voice (or intuition or gut feeling).

2. vegetarianism – eat only vegetarian food while on trip. i would even say that if you eat non-vegetarian food then leave it 6 months to 1 year before the trip to india. because your other bodies (etheric body and mental body) should also be conducive for receiving the spiritual gift. vegetarianism is essential for going deep in spirituality. its also good to go for detox diet before the trip. be physically healthy and strong to go for this trip. as you will have to travel a lot plus the food might not suit you. you can fall sick. so make sure that before the trip you are physically and mentally fit. moreover during the trip also, eat food at hygienic places and prefer mineral water.

3. stay away from social media or internet – if needed then you can update your parents about your stay and journey as they might be worried. otherwise totally cut off from news of outside world and social media sites. no need to put your updates in facebook or twitter. because all this just break the thread which is woven around you. be sincere. if you have come for a spiritual trip then leave the materialistic world aside for few days. you don’t know how much these few days of isolation can transform your life. you can go very deep in spirituality and if not then you can any time go back to your country and become steve jobs. seriously speaking, if you are sincere then spending few weeks in india will really bring many changes in your inner and outer world.

4. don’t keep on travelling – i am sure you are going to make a list of places and an itinerary. its good and important to make a plan for the trip. i would definitely advise you to prepare a list of places to visit. you can research on google and also read people experiences in tripadvisor site. but don’t stick to the trip. if in any place your gut feeling says that ‘stay here’. then break the journey and spend few more days there. do some sadhana. visiting all these spiritual places is good. but ultimately you should find your spiritual practice or path. staying in one place and doing a spiritual sadhana will give you roots in spirituality. you might start growing inwardly. its important to search and find the path which suits you. but once you know what is suited for you then stick to that path instead of wandering to different places.

5. spend time in introspection or in silence – no need to make much friends. spirituality is all about going within and exploring your inner world. if you want to make friends then why leave the west at first place. when you have decided to go for a spiritual trip then just explore your inferiority. silence will be difficult but helpful in your inner search. just talk to people when its needed and required for the journey as you are stranger to india. only go for friendship when your inner voice tells you. otherwise be focused on your inner search.

6. don’t look for quick fix solution and be sincere – in india you will get to meet all sort of people. you might end up meeting a fake baba or guru who can promise you spiritual experiences or gains in materialistic world. don’t fell prey to this. avoid all such people. in inner world you have to travel on your own and no body can do your job. nothing is free in life and everything comes with a price.

doing all this will create a milieu around you which can trigger certain things or experiences. but again i would say don’t expect anything. be open. when you expect then mind comes in and it starts hankering for spiritual experiences.

when you are on spiritual path then you should not hanker for spiritual experiences or spiritual powers. instead one should focus on finding the truth about oneself. the search for the answer to the ultimate question “who am i”