On our last trip to Bermuda, in 2017 for our 30th wedding anniversary, there was a hallway in the hotel that went from the main lobby to the spa and to the indoor pool. We traversed this hallway several times a day during our stay, especially at night when we took a swim or sat in the hot tub after dinner.
In the hallway, came to be known to us by my naming it “the zen hallway” there was always relaxing, “zennish” (is that a word?) music playing as well as delicate scents floating through the air. These delightful smells of floral and spice notes, no vanilla (I am not a fan of vanilla), were very understated and not overpowering. You just caught a whiff of them as you wandered through to your destination. Wandering, or rather a slow meandering, was encouraged by the music and scent.
Something about walking through that hallway was intoxicating to me. In reality, it was rather a plain hallway. Painted walls in an off white or light yellow and display cases exhaulting the services of the spa or one of the in house restaurant menus showcased with bright lights was not what I would imagine as zen.
It must have been the music or the smell or the two of them combined to allow me to imbue this state of great relaxation while traversing the two minute hallway. But, I felt it every time! It got to be a joke, between my husband and I.
“Let’s go back the way of the Zen Hallway,” I’d say as if the place had a name as we were coming in from outside.
He would humor me and off we’d go for my fix of music and scent.
Zen, according to YourDictionary.com, has many meanings. First and foremost Zen is a type of Buddhism that entails self awareness and meditation. Obviously, that is not what I was experiencing in this hallway. Still, the word zen seemed to fit. Looking further, I found that the colloquial meaning of the word zen is to be collected and calm, Ah, yes! This is what I felt every time I traversed the hallway.
I tend to be a high strung, overly sensitive and intense human. The experience of the Zen Hallway in Bermuda is exactly what someone needs to find on vacation! Now, to find a sense of zen in my everyday life! That WOULD be something!
Today is day 27/31 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge! Thank you to TwoWritingTeachers.org for creating and hosting this annual challenge. This was my 5th year of participation!
The Apples in My Orchard 
As I relaxed and meandered through the Zen Hallway, I was wondering where one can find other places of Zen. Nature does it for me, and I had a Zen moment when the birds were singing through the open window. What a great way to start the day!
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Thank you! Yes, nature can provide zen as well for me, too! I would just like to replicate this hallway for those times I cannot otherwise find it!
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Smells are so evocative for me- surely a big part of why I love essential oils, so I totally get your attraction to the zen hallway. I even have an old blend called zen that is usually my Sunday afternoon work session scent…
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I am so glad you could relate to what I wrote! Thanks!
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PS I LOVE your new blog theme!
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Ohhh! I loved reading this. I felt the zen! Every word! We have a “Zen Den” at school where I bring the kids when they need a moment to chill. And your pictures compliment the words so well.Thank you for inspiring calm.
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Thanks! I think we all need some calm – or at least access to it! I love the name, Zen Den. It puts a more positive spin on what I’ve heard it called some other times.
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I love this description. I’m going to make my own “zen hallway” in the staircase/hallway that connects the lower floor from the upper floor in my house. Such a great idea! I’m glad you shared this observation from one of your vacations. Thanks so much for sharing this Slice. Have a great day!
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Thanks so much! I hope you are successful in creating your own zen hallway!
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Oh….to find more Zen. Then again, I could probably do a better job of looking for it. Or…,maybe looking for it is the wrong approach – maybe I need to create some space, open a door to let it enter? Either way, thanks for this post, and the reminder that we could all use a little more Zen in our lives…
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True! And, I am in agreement with you – I’m not sure we can go looking for zen – being open to it is more likely I think for it to appear or allow us access! Thanks for your comments!
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