For the first time since I can remember (perhaps maybe ever), I don’t feel like I need a vacation to recover from my family vacation. I returned from our trip to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuadorian Amazon truly energized by the awe inspiring experience.
It’s kind of crazy, since we were on the go from the early morning hours pretty much every day for hiking, snorkeling, and excursions with our incredible naturalist guides. Our encounters with the more-than-human world were so immense that it’s hard to know where to start.
Today, I’ll start at the very beginning, with an unlikely teacher that rescued me from a shaky start.
Finding My Sea Legs
Going into the trip, we knew that my motion sickness would be the wild card. How would I do on the 5-day cruise taking us to various points to explore wildlife on land and sea in the Galapagos Islands? How would I do on the airplane rides and boat transfers required to get us to our eco lodge in the Ecuadorian Amazon?
Well stocked with Bonine and the electric wrist pulse gadget my husband had given me for Christmas to help navigate this trip, I embarked ready for whatever awaited. (And if you’re wondering why I don’t use the scopolamine patch, I have an allergic reaction to it.)
I didn’t get far, as our descent into Quito triggered my first round of losing my cookies. Quick reset, and onward!
After another flight to San Cristobal Island the next morning, we boarded the 16-passenger cruise boat. It didn’t take long before I started feeling a little queasy.
Overnight and into the next morning, the seas were choppy. The situation was going downhill for me physically.
I know from experience that stable ground and sleep can help me reset in situations like this, so, on the first excursion of the trip, while the rest of the group hiked up a rocky incline to see the nesting area of Blue Footed Boobies, I stayed on the beach and slept.
Later that afternoon, the first group snorkeling excursion was scheduled. Though I didn’t want to get back on the bumpy dinghy, my body was telling me that cold water submersion would be good for me. I have learned to trust my body over the stories in my head (You hate cold water, Martha!), so I struggled into the wetsuit and surrendered myself to the sea.
The wildlife encounter during that snorkeling experience requires its own blog post (stay tuned). For my purposes here, I will just say that the chilly water did indeed feel restorative, though I left some food for the fish nonetheless.
Back on the boat, I added a stronger anti-nausea medication to the mix and slept some more. By dinner time, miraculously, I felt like a new person.
Where Does Meditation Fit Into All of This?
I had been too sick to meditate that morning, and I certainly didn’t beat myself up about that. It’s hard to maintain a formal daily practice when you’re on a family vacation even when you’re not sick.
And even though my cocktail of motion sickness medications, sleep, and the ocean itself seemed to have stabilized my system, there was no way I could have done a regular sitting meditation on that boat with everything moving all the time. Instead, Nature stepped in to support me, as she always does.
Enter The Magnificent Frigatebird
When our boat was on the move to our next destination the second evening of the cruise, I dragged myself up the ladder to the top deck to clip wet bathing suits on the drying line. I felt something sweep by the top of my head and looked up to find five Magnificent Frigatebirds gliding in tight formation directly over our boat deck in the dark. (And yes, “Magnificent” is really part of their official name!)
Held aloft by air currents, with not a single flap of a wing disturbing the silence, it was like the birds were pulling our boat with invisible strings.
I dropped the wet suits on the deck and flopped into a lounge chair, giving myself up to this magical moment.
Sharing the stillness of the night under an almost full moon in the presence of these wild guides, I felt a profound sense of peace, well-being, and gratitude. Any residual dis-ease in my body melted away.
I have no idea how long I stayed there, but it absolutely “counted” as my mindfulness practice for the day.
In fact, I only meditated in my “usual” way one or two days of the 11-Day trip. And I was probably more consistently present for this family vacation than I have ever been. I credit my daily meditation and other mindfulness and mental fitness practices in the “normal” times of my life to sustain me when special circumstances require me to be agile with my routines.
Two June Programs To Fill Your Tanks For The Summer
My trip was another reminder of the power of daily practices that build the mindfulness and mental fitness muscles that sustain us when the waters get choppy or when we are off our usual routines.
That’s why I’m more excited than ever about my 30-Day Mindfulness Meditation Challenge beginning on Monday, June 17. Think of it like a workout to get your “beach brain” into shape. And did you know that this program is portable? Our morning meditators dial in from vacation regularly! LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE
And for your own mini-vacation to harness the power of nature closer to home, my Secret Garden Reset Half-Day Retreat on Sunday, June 30, at the National Botanic Garden in Chantilly, VA, has you covered. In honor of my Magnificent Frigetbird friends, I’m offering an Early Bird Discount for the Secret Garden Retreat through June 17. Enter code EarlyBird10 at checkout for 10 percent off. Spaces are limited, so make sure to reserve your spot! LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE
