29/04/2026
Just finished an 8-hour flight.
I was sitting next to a Buddhist monk.
Out of about 300 people on the plane… he was the only monk. And somehow I ended up squeezed right next to him.
It turned into a surprisingly memorable experience.
He barely moved the entire flight.
No movies.
No phone.
No music.
For most of the journey he just sat there quietly… almost like he was in meditation the whole time.
What struck me was that he seemed to get more relaxed as the hours went by. By the end of the flight he looked calm, peaceful, even joyful.
We didn’t talk much.
Just the basics when he needed to step out once for the toilet.
He didn’t eat anything either. Just drank water and a couple of black coffees the staff offered him.
But watching him was fascinating.
Here we all were on a cramped long-haul flight… people shifting around, stretching, fidgeting, watching screens, trying to get comfortable.
And right beside me was someone who seemed completely at ease the entire time.
The strange thing is this…
My whole left side - the side closest to him - feels relaxed.
Normally after a long flight my body is tight and cramped.
Not this time.
Maybe it’s placebo.
But it really felt like being near someone who meditates deeply has a calming effect on everything around them.
After that flight… I know it does.
What a blessing!
