practicing pilgrimage at home and abroad
Whether touring a sacred site abroad or navigating everyday life right at home, guides are invaluable to any meaningful journey. They are the experienced ones, after all, who have already traversed the terrain that lies before us. Whether the territory is a new city or uncharted corners of the soul, guides offer much-needed insight and inspiration along the path.
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Pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela don’t necessarily need a map to make the journey—they simply need to follow the yellow arrows that indicate the direction of the path.
Just like the pilgrim on the road to Santiago de Compostela, there are arrows for the pilgrim on the interior journey, too—signs that you can always trust to lead you to your inner destination, whether you are a pilgrim abroad or in everyday life: what draws you in and what you have resistance to.
The liminal or “in-between” space between the start of a journey and its peak or resolution can often feel like we’re in the belly of the whale. This is especially true in times of trial, discomfort, uncertainty, or weariness that we encounter in any meaningful experience of pilgrimage. As challenging as these experiences might be, however, in order to experience the transformation that they seek, the pilgrim knows it is important to stay present to the journey at hand, no matter what it brings. “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek,” famed mythologist Joseph Campbell said. This means it is precisely by facing adversity both without and within that borders are crossed, edges are stretched, and new life can be found.
While we can’t predict or control the challenges that await us on the path, there are many ways to engage them when they arrive that foster a posture of presence, curiosity, engagement rather than the resistance, overwhelm, or apathy that are so often the response to adversity. Be prepared to stay present to the journey and engage challenges as they arise with the awareness and intention of the pilgrim with the following tools:
It is wondering (pondering) that fuels wonder (awe), after all, and both are necessary to propel us forward on our journeys both at home and abroad. The curious pilgrim is eager to engage their journey’s unfolding and is open to wherever the path might lead.
To cultivate the curiosity of the pilgrim, begin each day by exploring the following questions:
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Weddings, church services, graduations—each is a common occurrence that follows a ritualistic format, imbuing the event with meaning.