THE CONSCIOUS CONVERSATION COLLECTION

On April 1, armed with their beverage of choice, past Divine Destination Collection travellers joined a Zoom call to share their feelings about what was going on in the world, and to discuss how to make The Divine Destination Collection travel experience even more meaningful in the future.

“It was an opportunity to bring comfort, adventure and spirituality together, just as we do on our trips around the world, except this time people joined in on a virtual journey from the comfort of their home,” says Allison.

Katherine Pisana and Susan Phillips of Conversations with Spirit were invited to help put meaning and context from a spiritual perspective around the emotions the group was feeling. They also led the group through some calming meditation and breathing exercises to centre themselves and help reduce any anxiety they might be feeling.

“Many of us stuff our emotions in our toes,” says Allison. “Katherine and Susan helped us talk about what we were feeling without fear of judgment. There was also a great sense of connection – that we are not alone in trying to navigate through these challenging times.”

When Allison followed up with other participants, it turned out they felt the same way. They liked the idea of connecting every two weeks to find new ways to explore their feelings, deal with the current pandemic situation, as well as talk about future travel adventures.  We also asked participants to brainstorm on what would be most important to them when considering travel “post-pandemic”.  The following is their wish list:  Peace, Rejuvenation, Expansion, Safety, Small Groups, Shared Community, Healing, Harmony with Nature, Simplicity, Joy and Discovery (personal, destination & nature).

And so, The Conscious Conversation Collection was launched on April 15th with a second conversation, entitled The Courage to Journey Within, to continue discussing the thoughts, fears, and anxieties people are experiencing – and how to manage those feelings in order to move forward.

SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS TO SOOTHE THE MIND AND SOUL

Allison and The Divine Destination Collection co-founder Deb Niven are currently on the lookout for interesting topics, guests, and activities so each Conscious Conversation will be an enlightening journey that can inform, entertain, and inspire.

“One idea I’m particularly excited about is the possibility of inviting a First Nations Elder  to share their wisdom and healing practices. This would dovetail nicely with a possible Divine Destination Collection trip within Canada, if we are able to travel by mid-October,” says Allison.

“I don’t think anyone will be wanting to hop on a plane too soon, and we want to support the Canadian economy, so we thought a three or four night trip to a beautiful part of Canada during the spectacular fall foliage season would be a great way to start travelling again.”

“This crisis has forced us all to go inside and really take stock of who we are and how we have been operating as a species in relation to our world,” says Allison. “I believe that travel is crucial to our understanding of the world, but it will certainly change in nature.

“My hope is that we will become more mindful, and use travel as an opportunity for truly meaningful connections with other cultures. The Canadian trip is an great example of how we can explore First Nations spirituality and wisdom to gain a better understanding of the natural world, and achieve greater compassion for humanity and our humanness.”

EXPANDING OUR CONNECTIONS

Whether or not a trip will be possible this year, Allison says they are committed to developing interesting and healing journeys through The Conscious Conversation Collection, and eventually hope to offer it as a subscription service. 

“Anyone would be able to subscribe – which would open up the window to people who haven’t travelled with us before,” says Allison. “We would still explore aspects of spirituality to help people through these difficult times, but we would also focus on travel. Guest speakers could guide the group through past and future Divine Destination Collection trips, and we could offer some related virtual experiences, such as wine tastings and cooking demonstrations of regional specialties.

“Since our June trip to the Sacred South of France: The Mystery of Mary Magdalene has been postponed, we were thinking of inviting the experts we have been working with to talk about the legend of Mary Magdalene, who was believed to have travelled to the South of France after the crucifixion. It’s a fascinating story. And as we still hope to travel to South Africa in 2021, we could invite a specialist to talk about the incredible wildlife or culture of the country.”

If travel is still not an option into 2021, Allison says they may explore the ability to offer virtual travel experiences. Just imagine feeling as if you are right beside a “tower” of giraffes on an African savanna, or sipping on a rosé as you look out over a beautiful vineyard in the South of France.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES – TOGETHER

Regardless of what the immediate future may hold, The Divine Destination Collection will continue searching out exciting ways to take meaningful journeys from the comfort of your home, and help you deepen your connection with your true nature, as well as the world around you.

“The greatest adventures with the deepest pay offs are born out of great challenge and adversity,” says Allison. “Let’s do this journey together.”  

To learn more about the next Conscious Conversation, please sign up for our newsletter  or email us.