TAI CHI, CHINA Z A Chinese tradition developed in the 13th century, tai chi has been adopted in the West as an antidote to the desk-bound lives we lead. Practitioners learn to balance and untense their muscles through a series of standing poses, but tai chi isn’t only exercise. It’s also a form of mindfulness training, designed to slow racing thoughts and calm the mind. The clever part? By focusing on your body, you’re able to quieten your mind. Practitioners take lungfuls of air through their nostrils and exhale through their mouths, purging negative thoughts and relaxing in the process.
SAGE SMUDGING, NORTH AMERICA Sage (or salvia apiana, to give its medical name) grows in hardy terrain in mountainous regions of North America. What happens when you take a bundle of sage and light the stack? In Native American culture, you’re sage smudging, an ancient practice believed to purify the air and cleanse the spirit. But you don’t need to be a devoted mystic to do it. As the smoke from the sage fills the room, you have a chance to centre yourself and enjoy the myriad health benefits devotees swear by: relief from headaches, blocked sinuses, and even improved mood and memory.
TIBETAN SINGING BOWLS, TIBET Z
UBUNTU, SOUTH AFRICA Y The idea of ‘ubuntu’ originated amongst the Zulu tribe on South Africa’s east coast and it has spread far and wide. Unlike the other activities on the list, ubuntu is actually a philosophy of living rather than an activity, but a philosophy that can very much be put into practice. In short, treat one another with compassion. Be capable of forgiveness. Be willing to give. And be grateful.
A bowl is filled with water and positioned in the palm of one’s hand. Then, a mallet wrapped in leather is moved around the base of the bowl. The result is a sound likened to the bowl ‘singing’. Welcome to the Tibetan singing bowl. Its distinct, meditative drone signals the start – and end – of a yoga session. The bowl is also used in sound healing, where sonic vibrations are used to heal the mind and body in lieu of traditional medicine. YouTube is awash with the melodic drone of a Tibetan singing bowl, so give it a try.
FRILUFTSLIV, NORWAY (AS WELL AS OTHER SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES) X Many cultures across the world believe that a day not spent behind a desk is a day wasted. Not in Norway. Like its Scandinavian neighbours, Norwegians work to live, not live to work. With a relaxed attitude to the office and flexi-time in abundance, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy friluftsliv, a term coined by poet Henrik Ibsen in 1859, one that translates to the ‘outdoors’ or ‘outdoor life’. With fjords, mountains and beautiful national parks, Norwegians will find any excuse to indulge a spot of walking, sightseeing and even camping. Come rain or shine.
