Umi Travel

A simple experience of Japan

Can you shed the layers of your identity and way of living to step into life in Japan?

From the mundane to the extraordinary, engage in the daily rhythm of life as a spiritual practice.

The Japanese are known for their uncanny attention to detail, and much of this comes from the ability to pay attention and attune to their surroundings. On this trip, we will step into place and time and practice simply being where we are and doing what is to be done, while tending to the self and to our surroundings.

Slow Life is a term used to describe countryside living in Japan. Learn about Japanese village life while staying in a traditional Japanese home and engage in everyday activities like shopping, cooking, and being present while exploring nearby villages and temples, and participating in activities with local artisans and craftspeople. Some Japanese will be taught along with customs, traditions, culture, and philosophy. Excursions to onsen and any nearby festivals highly likely.

Potential locations include (and are not limited to):

Nagano, Niigata, Fukuoka, Oita, Shizuka, Aizuwakamatsu, etc (I am also happy to take requests).

5 nights $$

Contemporary Japanese culture has seamlessly incorporated philosophical and spiritual traditions from all over the world into their unique culture and practices. Elements of India can be found in Shingon and Zen Buddhist traditions, and today Japan even boasts its own version of yoga that highlights a balanced nervous system and connection to the subconscious self. Influences from China can be found in the Confucian traditions that continue to inform Japanese social structure and bureaucracy, and of course, in kanji, the Chinese system of writing that was borrowed way back in the 5th century. Traditional Chinese Medicine heavily influences the Japanese Kampo medicine as well as Japanese acupuncture.

There is so much more that I could add to this list, but I bring this up because as a *student of Japanese culture and of the Yogic and Vedic teachings from the Indian subcontinent, I have come across glimpses of India throughout my time in and learning about Japan. For me, these threads reflect the ways in which Japanese culture has incorporated a variety of influences during this age of globalization, revealing the innate similarities that we as people share regardless of place, time, culture, etc. I feel that today, as people of the global era, we can learn so much from syncretic nature of these traditions by examining ourselves as beings that come from and incorporate an amalgamation of influences into our daily lives.

For this reason, I believe that Japan is a unique place to learn about ourselves and the world around us from a spiritual experiential perspective. If you are interested in experiencing Japan through its syncretic traditions and practices while learning about the mind/body/spirit relationship through Āyurvedic & Yogic Teachings, I ask you to join me in Japan where we will attempt to weave these traditions together while learning about ourselves and one another, as we develop a spiritual relationship with the natural and human-made world around us.

Some Japanese will be taught along with customs, traditions, culture, and philosophy. Introductory Āyurveda discussions will be woven into this trip as well so that we might be able to understand the elements as we encounter them through our experiences.

This trip would likely include multiple destinations.

Potential locations include (and are not limited to): Tokyo, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Etc.

7-10 nights $$$

*student, because we are always and forever students, if I am to be honest

Join me for three to five days of Āyurvedic philosophy and foundational thought. Learn about the elemental sources of all life on earth from the perspective of Āyurveda through ritual engagement with the elements and their guṇas (qualities). This is a foundational class on Āyurveda through a spiritual lens.

This trip will likely take place in Vermont, but there is a possibility for other locations in New England (Western MA, Rhode Island, or New Hampshire)

3-5 nights $