a community of conscious travelers
together we can change the travel industry for the better.
the lotus compass travel philosophy
You value experience over things
You want to take risks and experience life fully. You want to laugh until you cry, taste delicious foods, speak the local language, and open yourself to spontaneous adventures. A great trip to you is one where you come back with stories starting with, “You’ll never guess what happened!”
You're not interested in packaged tours or tour bus trips.
Crowded tour bus? Sea of selfie sticks? Not you. You don't want to follow the crowd and eat at overpriced restaurants surrounded by other tourists. You want to explore new places and let your intuition guide you! You're not interested in a cookie cutter "one size fits all" packaged tour.
You're culturally curious.
Traveling is a window to the world. You meet cultural differences with respect and gratitude. You believe that if everyone were more accepting and open to different ways of life, the world would be a more open, accepting place.
You value leaving a small footprint.
Sustainable travel is important to you. You feel that it is an individual’s responsibility to live with a small footprint, and you enjoy learning about best practices around eco-travel. You do not want to be a part of the overtourism problem. You choose to support local businesses that use eco-friendly practices as a guiding principle to their organization.
you believe travel and personal growth go hand in hand.
Traveling means taking in new things, learning new ways of doing things, questioning old, stuck beliefs and taking on a fresh perspective. You want answers to the big questions in life. You’re a seeker of higher truths and traveling is the way to do this.
What is conscious travel?
What exactly is conscious travel? The dictionary describes conscious as, “aware of and responding to one’s surroundings; awake.” As introduced Lotus Compass founder, Jamie Gominger, below are the three pillars of conscious travel.
3 Pillars of Conscious Travel
Self
As wisdom traditions emphasize, the path must start with oneself. The conscious traveler embarks on an inner and outer journey. You travel to awaken, to understand, to open, to come home to who you truly are. This aspect of the path involves personal inquiry, meditation, intention setting, and gratitude. Ask yourself: What am I searching for? How can I awaken to the beauty, magic, and wonder of life on my journey? How can I bring awareness and self inquiry into my trip?
Other
When traveling, how can you cultivate deep connections with people you meet along the way? How can you honor cultures and traditions that have existed before you? Are you able to consume consciously? How can you show respect to local cultures and add value throughout your journey?
Whole
“Whole” refers to ‘other than’ – the birds, trees, rivers, all that we see and do not see in our natural environment. As we begin to align with self and other, the environment follows. How can you lower your carbon footprint and show up as a steward to the land? What does it look like to live harmoniously with the planet? In what ways can you travel more sustainably?
