At TedX event, speaker explains benefits of mindful travel

The fourth edition of the TedXBangalore Salon saw Malini Gowrishankar, the founder of F5 Escapes, a Bengaluru-based travel company specialising in all-women travel experiences, speak on the topic ‘The Era of Mindful Travel’.

Mindfulness is defined as the practice of maintaining a non-judgemental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment to moment basis. Through her talk, Malini, wanted the audience to give the art of mindfulness a chance as it helps in controlling the mind and not be too over cautious about things.

Mindfulness is a type of guided meditation wherein you need to focus on your breathing and this in turn helps as a calming affect. Mindfulness is extremely important to keep an open mind and not judge things but see things as they are, she said.

Malini, who has been practising mindfulness for the past several years, said it had helped her in various situations which she couldn’t handle otherwise, “There was this time in Penang when I was separated from my group and had no idea where I was, and I didn’t have my wallet as well. This is where mindfulness helped me. I didn’t panic but rather walked towards a bus stop and thankfully a Good Samaritan dropped me off at my  hotel.”

“Mindfulness is not something that comes naturally, we need to work on it and improve. I was not totally mindful that day but had a few apprehensions, but slowly they all dissipated as I concentrated on my breath,” said the IIM Bangalore graduate.