They say you don’t choose The Kingdom of Bhutan; it chooses you.
After twelve days in its embrace, I still don’t know exactly what drew me there nor what the precise grasp on my heart has been for the past forty years, but I know I was meant to go. I know the timing was perfect. I know the group I went with was meant to gather. I know I was gifted with many experiences and learnings, some of which are still waiting to be unwrapped.
Often when we travel to a faraway place (or any place), we go in search of something, hoping to find an answer to a problem we’re having. We expect that time away from our day-to-day life will give us the space we need to find the answers. Or that, magically, the place, its people, or our experience there will suddenly shed light on our long-held dilemma. Sometimes that happens. Usually, it doesn’t. We may go away, but the dilemma awaits us back home.
Prior to leaving, I felt as though Bhutan represented Shangri-La; a utopian world where society was relatively untouched by western world problems, where life was peaceful and happy, and humans and nature co-existed respectfully. After all, this is a Kingdom where Gross National Happiness is their way of governance. A place where cultural preservation is as equally important as environmental preservation, transparent policies, and equitable social services. And while my rose-coloured glasses are now slightly less rosy, the Bhutanese seem to have the balance figured out better than most of us. Yet I observed that no matter where we live, we can’t help but live our lives through the lenses and perspectives we’ve inherited, adopted, and adapted to. And therein lies our work.
I went to Bhutan with an open mind, an open heart, a good dose of curious wonder, and two simple questions which I asked along the way:
- In 1-5 words, how would you describe Bhutan?
- What does happiness mean to you?
From His Holiness, Khedrupchen Rinpoche (a High Lama) to young school girls, from our guides to nuns, from the Bhutanese man sitting next to me on the airplane to my fellow travellers, Bhutan was described as, “family,” “Wonderland,” “peace,” “closeness,” “compassion,” “balance,” “atmospheric,” “friendly,” “humble,” “simple,” “spiritual,” “happiness,” “a country where people can feel the nature,” “where my heart lives.”
And to them, happiness means: “the ability to do what I want, connected to my well-being,” “contentment, peace, companionship, inspiration in all of its forms,” “to be a humble and forgiving human being to one and all,” “a deep sense of peace and contentment,” “not just me; all parties, heartfelt feelings,” “being grateful and content.”
Travel offers many gifts but it’s unlikely to solve your problems. Because the answers you seek to the big questions in life aren’t “out there”. They’re in your heart, in your inner knowing, in your intuition and gut instincts. And when you align with what His Holiness calls “your inner Buddha”, that’s when you find Shangi-La – inner joy, peace, and contentment.
In other words, you’ll be heartfully happy.
What does happiness mean to you? Have you found it yet? If you’d like my help, click here.
How often has the voice in your head held you back?
What if the voice in your head were liberating rather than limiting? Confident not critical? Inspiring not intimidating?
Your Soul knows you better than anyone and holds the truth of who you really are.
What if the voice in your head became the loving voice of your Soul?
But with all the noise in your inner and outer world, how can you even hear your Soul’s voice?
Affirmations From Your Soul cuts through the noise and allows you to clearly hear your Soul’s loving words, affirm them to yourself and develop a deeper connection with your inner truth.
Affirmations are powerful.
Imagine the power of 111 affirmations, each of which is your Soul’s vision of you. Learn more here.
