By The UNCHARTED® editors · 4 min read
Talking About the Metaphysical Adventures That Await in New Zealand
A traditional Māori welcome
You don’t need to be a spiritual seeker to realize that there’s something different going on in New Zealand: Its vibrations and vitality are palpable.
The Dalai Lama himself deemed one locale a “spiritual center of the universe.” Clairvoyants are commonplace. Without even asking, a visitor is likely to learn something about ley lines—ancient and invisible networks of energy that run through the earth and produce profound yet ineffable effects.
The son of a British diplomat, Jean-Michel Jefferson fell in love with a New Zealander and her home country. Together, they started guiding and creating bespoke travel experiences throughout the famously gorgeous country, including hiking, fishing, helicoptering, and culinary tours. Few of the trips have an overtly metaphysical component, but Jefferson notes that, nevertheless, most visitors make connections that leave them feeling uplifted and recharged in unexpected ways.
Q: New Zealand is an action and adventure destination, and most travelers have that in mind when planning a trip. But you also place a big emphasis on meaningful travel. What do you mean by that?
Q: You also talk about “transformational spiritual travel”. What distinguishes New Zealand as a destination that lends itself to that?
The Māori are like First Nations people across the world. They’re guardians of ancient traditions. They're proud people who have gone through the colonization process that many First Nations have, and they’ve come out the other end standing upright. We offer guests a ceremonial welcome, and it blows their socks off. The people we work with resonate with energy. Our main warrior is a master carver, Delani Brown, and the healers with him are also on spiritual paths. Travelers leave feeling uplifted. We have a few very special places in New Zealand where you can feel this type of energy.
For me, there's always an underlying reason why people go somewhere and do something. They can dress it up as ‘I need a break, I'm exhausted,’ or ‘My boss is driving me mad, I need to be on a mountain’. But I'm never content with accepting that. I have to know why you are here. What is the underlying reason? Are you trying to save a marriage? Are you looking for special time with the kids? I’ve got to find out the real reason they're looking at New Zealand and then deliver on that.
"Travelers leave feeling uplifted. We have a few very special places in New Zealand where you can feel this type of energy."
A powhiri on holy Mount Titiraupenga
4x4 in the New Zealand wilderness
Q: What are some examples?
Q: What other destinations do you recommend?
Castle Hill is one of them, and that was called by the Dalai Lama a spiritual center of the universe. So that's a powerful place. The whole of Lake Taupo, where we tap into Māori traditions, is a big lake in the middle of the North Island that’s surrounded by four ancient temples representing earth, wind, fire and water. There are a number of other sites, like Pouakani in the Pureora Forest, and Mount Wakefield, and a few dozen others.
Americans say it's so far away, so we want to squeeze everything into ten days. But New Zealand is the length of the States’ eastern seaboard and there's no way you can see or do everything in that amount of time. It becomes a matter of prioritization: Milford Sound, the Southern Alps, so on. But you can also go deep on a combination of connection with the country and work on spiritual development. It's something that's just starting to happen more as word gets out.
"Castle Hill is one of them, and that was called by the Dalai Lama a spiritual center of the universe."
Rangatira is the Māori word for a chief or leader
Q: What would you say to someone who simply wants to travel to New Zealand and isn’t seeking some kind of a meaningful or transformational experience?
Most people want to connect to a country through the eyes of individuals who have been here for generations. Our guides have lived their lives in a non-standard, non-corporate way, so they have their own insights into things, and it won't take long sitting around a campfire with any of them to start talking philosophy and worldview. People leave feeling enriched through that connection. Connection is what travelers are after, and what we're talking about in spiritual terms is adding an element of sensitivity to that connection. It doesn't need all this woo-woo. It's real. It's here.
Welcoming at an ancient ceremony
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