Is there anything like “travel” to keep you aware and pared down to the absolute necessities? Being on the road keeps the mind open and the eyes peeled. The preparations for travel can be as time consuming as the transit itself! Ren Gen Guru Patricia Martin offered some smart and sharp suggestions to getting the travel pack down to the real essentials right before I packed for a big trip. There is something very Zen (and out-of-body) about being on the road and in heightened presentation form…what an opportunity to see what life (and creature comforts) are all about–and find out how necessary are “the necessities.”