World exploration requires optimum physical and mental functioning. There are many factors which must be accounted for when going to new and foreign places. These factors can effect the physical body, as well as the mental. It is therefore vitally important to prepare and maintain ourselves both physically and mentally. The more prepared we are, the less risk we face for illness, injury, or even death. The more prepared we are, the more open we are to experience and the learning that accompanies it. The true New Age Nomad incorporates the principles of physical and mental preparation into all aspects of his/her life (whether traveling or not).
The body is a vehicle. Like any vehicle it runs on fuel (food) and has various parts which work together to make it run smoothly. The more fine-tuned and well maintained the machine is, the better and longer it will perform maximally. It will also be able to better endure and adapt to stress and unexpected situations.
World exploration forces us to encounter many situations which can be unexpected, uncontrollable, and even hazardous to our physical health. Foreign places have different biological, chemical, and sociological conditions which can strain our system since we have not developed resistance to them through exposure. Foreign biological organisms (such as viruses and bacteria) can enter our bodies, attack our immune system and make us sick. Pollution of water, air, or food can do the same. Political/economic instability resulting in violent crime and social unrest can result in injury to property or person.
These risk factors can all be minimized to some degree by preparing and maintaining our physical body so that it is as adaptive as possible. This preparation includes performing a regular fitness routine, proper nutrition, and adequate health care.
MENTAL PREPARATION
The mind is our vehicle to higher states of awareness. If the mind is unhealthy then the body loses its function and purpose. They are both intricately connected and so directly effect each other.
World exploration poses significant stressors to the mind and emotional system. Adapting to different cultural behaviors can be shocking and at times even traumatic. Organizing time, money, travel gear, and plans can also be mentally draining activities. The world traveler needs to be centered in thought and temper in order to minimize risk of mental distress as well as obtain the most benefit from the travel experience.
Mental preparation involvy' several activities which give the explorer the most command over his/her exploratory situations. Research is a vital step in the preparation process. As the explorer gains information about a place by reading guidebooks, maps, travel tips, ect., he/she has more of an idea of what to expect and what will be required to best adapt to potential situations. Organization skills are an invaluable asset in managing all of the many changing factors which accompany travel.
The level of experience of travel is directly related to the level of general knowledge the explorer possesses in various disciplines. A knowledge of history deepens our understanding of a place and its relations to other places in the world in the past. Knowledge of economics helps us to understand the means by which a culture survives and its relations to other cultures through trade. Knowledge of politics helps us understand the philosophy through which a society is ruled and how this effects its citizens. There are many other subjects which apply to the development of our mental capacities which enable us to understand more deeply the place we are exploring. The ultimate point is that the most important skills a world explorer can develop are reading and research. Through the constant development of these skills the explorer grows in understanding of a specific place and the world in general (which of course consists of a matrix of many places connected in a giant network).
The mental development which is applied to world exploration is a process which begins well before our journey and procedes along with, and well after it. The explorer should constantly be enriching his/her mind with new information. In the modern world it has become possible to maintain access to a constant flow of new resources, via books and the internet, which are avaliable in all parts of the world.
The new information we aquire through reading and research ultimately requires extension into practical use. For this we need to acquire and make use of various tools which enable us to complete certain tasks on our journey. The next section elaborates on this role of tools in our exploration.