Dépaysement.

This french expression refers to “the feeling one gets of not being in one’s own country, of being a foreigner.” Though not necessarily always negative, this sensation can leave you feeling disoriented, displaced, and ungrounded. Many of us can often feel this way without even leaving the country. 

Sometimes it can seem as though life is stable and comfortable. Sometimes it can feel as though it’s full of constant change that we can’t keep up with. How can we find balance, stability and a sense of being grounded in a world that thrives on change? 

As a yoga teacher who also thrives on change, I have been traveling around the world for the past few years, teaching and learning and growing. I’ve been working at studios and teacher trainings, and writing in between. Myself, I personally adore the feeling of depaysement. It excites me and is something I have always valued very highly. However, these past few months I have been feeling the effects of all that travel. There have been times where I feel overwhelmed, uprooted. Not having a home base to decompress and find my peace can be quite taxing, physically and emotionally.

Many people feel this way quite often. A new job, or relationship, or significant change in our lives can stir up these emotions of straying from our true selves. It’s normal to crave a way to remain balanced.

How can we combat these negative feelings during travel and in our day-to-day lives?

My answer: routine, routine, routine. Specifically, a routine that takes you into the present moment. You might think this is difficult to incorporate during travel or busy chapters of our lives. But there’s always something small you can add to your day that will bring your back to your peace. 

For me, I have many practices. Deep breathing, journalling, sketching, seated meditation, and of course, yoga. I have made these practices sacred to me, and every time I can squeeze them into a day where I’m feeling up in the air, it has the ability to bring me back to earth, back into my breath, and remind me to live in the present moment; because that’s all we can ever do. Remind yourself, that every chapter, day, moment or sensation in our lives is temporary, and something that we can breathe through.

If you’re unsure what tools you have at your disposal, try simple mindfulness grounding. Take a few deep breaths, and acknowledge your senses. What do you see? What sounds can you hear? What can you feel in your body? It’s not about finding a place where you can be stable and grounded all the time. It’s a practice of coming back to the present moment again and again, wherever you find yourself, physically or mentally.  Come back home to yourself.

“Where I am is unimportant because I have inner peace.” —Jeong Kwan