Tourism NZ Releases Mindfulness Album To Help Kiwis Find A Place Of Calm

This week, Tourism NZ releases its first Spotify album, and the genre couldn’t be more fitting for 2020.

The album, called ‘Mindful Journeys’, features four meditative audio tracks designed to transport listeners virtually around the country for listeners, helping them find a place of calm, disconnect from their stresses, and calm their minds. If there’s anything Kiwis could do with right now as we head into Level 2, it’s the soothing tones of our local landscape.

Through the soundscapes, listeners will journey through the North and South Islands, finding calm through unique sounds of New Zealand including native birds, bubbling geothermal mud pools and the gentle sound of the breeze moving through the forest. Listen to the album here.

“In New Zealand we are so lucky to be immersed in nature, and given the chaos and unknowns in our lives at the moment, we wanted to remind New Zealanders the calm and serenity that can be found on their back doorstep,” says Brodie Reid, Director, Marketing, Tourism New Zealand.

“We saw the launch of this new channel and the release of our first album as a simple way to help listeners de-stress and find a place of calm. The tracks may even inspire Kiwis to explore parts of our inherently calming landscape that they haven’t visited before.”

The sound of nature is proven to help relax, and physically change the mind and body systems by having a positive impact on the flight or fright nervous system. Research shows that as little as 10 minutes a day of mindfulness practice can product tangible benefits, increasing one’s ability to focus, regulate emotions, empathize and adapt to changing circumstances.

‘Mindful Journeys’ includes narrated and non-narrated tracks, and offers two aural journeys of New Zealand for listeners to find a place calm, featuring Kiwi calls, Tui song, the pacific ocean colliding with the Tasman Sea, bubbling geothermal mud pools and more.

North Island - Far North to Rotorua

Begin your journey on the iconic beaches of the upper North Island, listening to the gentle sounds of surf and seabirds. With the breeze move into our forests, hearing the native birds and insects as well as the soft noises of the forest floor. Travelling through the earthy sounds of the bush, emerge in the geothermal area of Rotorua. Steaming water, bubbling mud pools and the distinctive rush of the natural geysers can be heard.

South Island - Marlborough Sounds to the Canterbury Plains

Start off in the gentle lapping waters of the Marlborough sounds, then head down the rugged beaches of New Zealand’s West Coast. Stop off at the Punakaiki Rocks, with their distinctive sounding blow holes. Move inland, briefly travelling through the foothills, up into the Southern Alps where we are in mountainous air, wind whips and distant keas call. Then head down the other side via one of the many rivers that is fed by the mountain range. End up in the peace of a Central Otago valley, with regional birds and insects keeping things rich and textured.

The tracks are narrated by James Rickard – Master Carver at Te Puia.

For New Zealanders planning their next domestic trip, here’s a list of places where you can experience mindfulness around the country:

• Forest bathe and breathe deep in nature at Whirinaki Rainforest 
• Sail through Doubtful Sound, also known as the Sound of Silence
• Take a kayak or SUP on the water in Abel Tasman
• Hire a mountain or e-bike and head out onto the thousands of kilometres of bike trails for active mindfulness
• Rest your head under the stars at unique accommodation like PurePod or SkyScape

Where to stay for a mindful experience in New Zealand:

• Split Apple Retreat: An ultra-luxury wellness retreat on the edge of Abel Tasman National Park with expansive views out to sea
• Aro Hā Wellness Retreat: Aro Hā is a purpose-built wellness retreat, a first in New Zealand, designed to refresh, rejuvenate and reignite from its spectacular alpine location. Combining nutrition, exercise, adventure, alternative health and self-development and some of the most jaw dropping scenery New Zealand
• Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses: Nestled 30 feet in the air in one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand, these tree houses sit amongst native Kanuka Grove and underneath the majestic Kaikoura mountains. With wild deer, an olive grove and a vineyard, this 5-star eco-retreat offers fresh, organic local produce and mountain & ocean views
• Resurgence Luxury Eco Lodge: Set amongst 50 acres of tranquil wilderness alive with birdsong in the Nelson region, Resurgence eco-lodge offers kayaking, hiking, cycling as well as art and wine trails. Farm to table dining enjoyed immersed in your bush suite, or a range of therapeutic treatments available for ultimate absorption in relaxation.
• The Landing: A unique heritage and conservation property, The Landing is a thousand acres of beaches, vines, rolling hills and wildlife sanctuaries. A sacred coastal setting in the far north, the beauty of the land is celebrated through the variety of experiences on offer; from paddle boarding to wine tasting and garden to plate dining.

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