It’s not the place: it’s you
We don’t need to change the world, just ourselves.
I used to feel anxious every time I came to Byron Bay.
Just driving into town made me feel tense and overwhelmed. Something always felt a little off about the place. And I could never put my finger on it.
Then I learned a little about the history of the area (which isn’t exactly savoury) and wondered if a place really could hold energy from the past.
Eckhart Tolle believes a place can have a pain body, just as a human can, and that in some places you feel it almost the moment you arrive. (It’s something I felt distinctly in Berlin).
Regardless, I’m also quite convinced that much of what we feel is based on our conditioning, mindset, and emotional state.
These days coming to Byron is calming, peaceful, and inspiring. It’s not the place that’s changed, but me.
We bring ourselves with us wherever we go
Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote the book Wherever You Go, There You Are. While I’m yet to read it, I see what he’s getting at.
Yes, regardless of where you travel to, you’ll still be you, carrying all of your thoughts, feelings, and intentions to that place.
