Meditative Story A home that had been waiting for me forever, by Pico Iyer
Aug 2, 2019
Pico Iyer unexpectedly finds a sense of recognition and familiarity during a layover, leading him to explore a new city. The narrator reflects on their decision to move to Japan and the importance of finding a place that feels like home. The podcast emphasizes the transformative power of visiting foreign places and the importance of being open to experiencing the world.
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First Taste Of A Foreign World
- Pico Iyer recounts arriving in Southeast Asia at 26 and being swept into unfamiliar, sensory-rich streets and temples.
- The foreignness heightened his senses and pulled him into unexpected experiences that opened him to possibility.
Mountain Village Encounters
- He travels into mountain villages, sleeps on slatted floors, and wakes in mist surrounded by tribal life and temples.
- Those tactile, close encounters expanded his sense of the world and made each day feel more vivid.
Layover That Changed Everything
- A 20-hour layover near Tokyo becomes a detour through quiet streets, vending machines, and a small bridge into an intimate neighborhood.
- He slips off his shoes in a wooden meditation hall, breathes incense, and feels a surprising sense of liberation and belonging.