Some travel by reading maps; others move their bodies. Some travel while lying down, some by viewing pictures or images, some by scent, some following musical melodies. Some travel independently, some with tour groups, some to fixed destinations, some spontaneously, some as wanderers. Some watch television to travel, some read books. Some sit blankly in thought, some daydream, some sleepwalk, some close their eyes to travel inward into deep consciousness. Others remain motionless, entering a state of tranquility. Travel seems to have countless forms, shaped by individual needs and imagination, whether lyrical or rational. Undoubtedly, the very existence of life is an extraordinary journey. Where one comes from and where one goes may be the core of searching within life’s journey, leaving indelible spiritual imprints.

Travel is experiencing the world firsthand, entering it through action, roaming natural landscapes and cultural scenes. The alternative is mental wandering, entering one’s own imaginative realm to envision the world between mind, consciousness, or the unconscious. Travel is not just about external realms but also about entering one’s inner depths. Everyone on life’s journey broadens their horizons and personally verifies each spiritual state and consciousness. “Walking ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books.” Does this ancient wisdom still hold true in today’s era of globalization and the internet?

Generally, travel means visiting scenic spots, experiencing natural geography and cultural customs, and witnessing reality firsthand. However, contemporary travel has become leisure consumption—a one-sided excursion for amusement, capturing impressions, leaving only a few nostalgic “I was here” photos, quickly forgotten amidst daily affairs. Fortunately, pictures or images witness the travel imprint of “I have been there.”

The dream narratives of inner journeys are more fantastical, poetic, and full of imaginative space, transcending consciousness to enter the magical world of the subconscious. Roaming through encounters in situations that seem real yet illusory, when opening one’s eyes, one emerges from Alice’s bewildering world, finding a path through time and space. Mental wandering involves personal inner experiences; whether remembered or not is irrelevant, but it remains an experience that is neither empty nor false. Wandering across overlapping multiple spaces and times, has it enriched the existence of life, or left indelible spiritual imprints? Closing one’s eyes—calming the mind—entering a meditative mental wandering, moving from consciousness into myriad realms, step by steady step, delving into the essence of life, experiencing its depth and breadth, attempting to part the clouds to see the moon and touch life’s nature, each time becomes a profound spiritual journey. Both types bear witness to the spiritual journey, seemingly something that can only be felt, not described.