Howie Holben
Reiki and Karuna Ki Master, Quantum Touch and Breathwork Practioner
Free
Gay Spiritual Travel and Retreats Expert
Howie Holben Quick Facts
- Affiliation
- IGLTA
Howie Holben is owner and caretaker of Spirit Jou eys, a spiritual gay travel organization. Spirit Jou eys has offered unique gay vacations and gay trips since 1992. Since early childhood, he has been drawn to indigenous peoples and their spiritual teachings, traditions and practices. This attraction has taken him on many adventures, exploring the countless ways of "being in the world". His personal journey through addiction and recovery has spawned in him a need to assist others on their own spiritual path and he takes great pleasure in introducing others to practices, sacred ways and cultures to help them step outside their box. He is a Reiki and Karuna Ki Master and also a Quantum Touch and Breathwork Practioner. His goal is to help others uncover their potential by setting their hearts and minds free. You can learn more about gay tours or gay holidays and gay spirituality at SpiritJou eys.com.
Articles by this expert
SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert.
Article
Gay Travel to Bhutan
The nation of Bhutan is a tiny Buddhist kingdom tucked into the remote Himalayas betwee India and Tibet. Here, visitors will discover a rich way of life that has only recently begun to be exposed to modern mindsets and Western culture. This devoutly Buddhist country is home to a distinct culture that is based on age-old Buddhist beliefs and practices and maintains a solid footing in tradition.
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The Stonewall Legacy
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. On June 27, 1969 police raided the Stonewall Inn, a little bar in New York City's Greenwich Village. Police raids of know "homosexual gathering places" were a common occurrence in the 1950's and 1960's, and this raid was no different than any of the earlier frequent raids.
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The Importance of Spiritual Travel
These are very stressful times for all of us. Most of us have never experienced anything in our lives that even comes close to the fear and uncertainty that surrounds us these days. We are worried if we will have a job next week; if we will be able to keep a roof over our heads and put food on the table. All we hear from the media is how bad things are and that it’s likely to get worse. Who wouldn’t be stressed? As humans, we are programmed to avoid anything that “feels bad” or uncomfortable.
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Is Spiritual Travel Fun?
There seems to be the conception that taking a "spiritual journey" (whatever that means to you) is "work". Nobody wants to work on a vacation. That's why we take a vacation in the first place, to get "away from it all" for awhile, to escape. We seem to frame the concepts of spiritual and personal growth with thoughts like: "I need to do this" or "I should do that" because "it would be good for me". With those ideas as a background, it's no wonder that so many of us think of spiritual and personal growth as "work".
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Gay Vacations to France
Whether traveling to France on a trip across Europe, or visiting this popular country as your vacation destination, travelers will find magnificent beaches, alpine resorts, breathtaking countryside with quaint villages and medieval castles, world-renowned art collections, the glorious French Riviera and the truly unique, exceptional city of Paris.
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Tips for the Gay Traveler
Most importantly, let your heart decide where you want to go and what you want to see. This may sound silly, but I believe that we should let our curiosity, desires and wanderlust lead us. Visiting only "popular" gay destinations, or visiting only places deemed "gay-friendly" by other people, is an extremely limiting way to live life. I have traveled the world over and usually in the company of my husband. Not once, not anywhere, have we ever been made to feel unwanted while we were travelling.
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Gay Travel to Thailand
Thailand--the land of smiles--is, at once, a rich cultural experience as well as a gay travel Mecca. With 90% of its population following the Buddhist philosophy, homosexuality is widely accepted without protest or judgment. Though an anything-goes policy is in order once the bedroom doors have been closed, visitors should inform themselves on the otherwise modest customs and traditions of this country’s fascinating people.
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Gay Travel to Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta
When planning your vacation, if you have decided on Mexico, but want to stay in a smaller city, try Puerto Vallarta. A port city, yet also one with former agriculture as its biggest means of income, some of the reminders of that long gone era are still there. There are still the cobblestone streets in the main area of town, chickens in the streets as are commonly seen all over Mexico, there are locals who are quite friendly and welcoming, the area is close to the ocean as well as the mountains, and there is a flood of visiting people from all over the world almost year round.
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Gay Travel To New Zealand
New Zealand offers an environmental and cultural diversity that has long been appealing to those looking for an exciting spot for a gay vacation. There is little doubt that the appeal of New Zealand comes, in part, from laws that protect the LGBT community from discrimination and the warm, accepting attitudes of the populace, as well as the various adventures that New Zealand offers and its pristine natural beauty.
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Gay Travel To Egypt
Egypt hosts a wide variety of historical, cultural and religious sites, which makes the entire country fascinating. Egypt gay vacations can include anything from taking a cruise on the Nile, crossing the desert on a camel, shopping in open-air souks, and taking in the awe-inspiring Great Pyramids of Giza, to shopping and dining in modern cities and relaxing on the pristine white sands of world-famous beaches.
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Gay Travel And Tours To Germany
Germany has long been a LGBT stronghold, with thriving communities in all of Germany’s metropolitan areas. This is one reason why gay vacations to some of Germany’s LGBT hotspots, such as Cologne, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg are well known with travelers from around the world. Germany is home to several Pride festivals of world-renown and offers an accepting environment for gay travel throughout the country. Like in any country, city dwellers are often more accepting than rural villagers; however, as a whole, Germany is a safe, accepting destination for a gay vacation.
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Gay Travel And Vacations to England
England has long been a destination for both straight and gay travel, but when it comes to choosing a location for a gay vacation, England is about as welcoming and inviting as they come. An active, visible LGBT community, abundant gay events and establishments, and gay rights that far outshine what has been granted in the United States, England is an ideal setting for gay vacations. With the lively London nightlife, beautiful Brighton beaches and the picturesque countryside that gives way to sprawling urban skylines, England has much to offer for any kind of gay travel tourist.
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Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Howie Holben
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.