Channel your inner Buddha on a Belmond cruise through Burma. By Veronica Inveen The Irrawaddy River offers a treasure of temples; novice monks know a thing or two about mindfulness.
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d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 7 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
courtesy of belmond (2)
Meditative State
I’m convinced that if the combination of the setting sun’s golden light, the soothing sound of our vessel gliding through river, and the guiding voice of mindfulness teacher Brian Hilliard can’t help me slip into a meditative state, then nirvana probably isn’t in the cards for me. Taking a break from my half-assed attempts at enlightenment, I peek an eye open to catch a glimpse of the passing pagodas that dot the vast rural plains that border the Irrawaddy River. In a country brimming with monasteries and glittering temples, where Buddhism is at the heart of its culture and meditation is a way of life, Burma is the one place I should be able to get mindful. I’m onboard the Road to Mandalay, Belmond’s luxurious 90-meter-long vessel that makes three- to seven-day journeys between Mandalay and Bagan. This trip is the first of the boat’s many wellness cruises, and to kick things off, Belmond has teamed up with the duo behind Mindfulness Journeys: Hilliard and his partner Shannon van Staden, who have curated spiritually enriching activities to help foster mindfulness and self-discovery. The words “wellness,” “spiritually enriching,” “mindfulness,” and “selfdiscovery” conjure a feeling of discomfort, even boredom, inside me. My foot falls asleep just from the thought of sitting cross-legged for long periods of time in meditation. In fact, all of a sudden I need a drink, because the likelihood of there being alcohol on this type of trip seems grim. But then I’m welcomed aboard with a glass of bubbly and handed an itinerary that isn’t merely alternating sessions of yoga and meditation, and things are looking up. Days start with Tibetan yoga on the ship’s top deck, which doubles as an expansive exercise playground and the perfect place to watch the sun rise over the surrounding plains. Hilliard leads the group through a session of the fast-paced tai chi–like yoga practice—a style he calls “yoga for busy people” because of how adaptable it is to a hectic lifestyle. After learning the style only requires 15 to 20 minutes per session, it is already my favorite type of yoga. When we are all loose and ready to take on the day, fresh pressed juices are served on deck for those who have enough willpower not to immediately beeline to the sumptuous breakfast buffet that waits in the restaurant. After an early tour through the town of Ava in Mandalay (guests choose to see the languid village by bike or horse cart, ending with a yoga session in a mango-tree orchard), the rest of the day is spent on the ship as we embark >>