practicing pilgrimage at home and abroad
Therapist, spiritual director, and seasoned pilgrim Ryan Moore answers these questions and more as we talk about his many pilgrimages and best travel tips.
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I’m in the final stages of preparation for my upcoming Creation Pilgrimage in the Pacific Northwest, fully immersed in the revelations of creation and the creativity it inspires. As image-bearers of the Divine and co-creators with the Sacred, we are hard-wired to create. And just as creation can be seen as theophany or God-showings, tapping into our own creativity has a way of revealing what’s hidden deep within and illuminating the path we should take.
Below you’ll find 3 creative practices to spark your journey within in your pilgrimages both at home and abroad. However, one thing should be clear as you approach these practices: They are not meant to be planned out as if striving for perfection; the point of these exercises is to listen deep within, follow your intuitive impulses, and let your response flow freely as you work in tandem with the Sacred Guide.
For me, these past few years have taken me on a journey through infertility, and I’m not alone. One in eight couples experience infertility and/or pregnancy loss, and it’s a story that’s often untold, making the journey all the more isolating. In today’s extended episode, I’m sharing my own journey and also interviewing author Breanna Chud and therapist and priest Danae Ashley about their fertility journeys as well.
Whether or not you’re struggling with infertility, this episode is for you, because we all likely know someone who is, and one thing is certain: we all need tender and compassionate companions who are willing to journey with us wherever the road might lead.
When it comes to travel, there’s a term for that—wanderlust. And while the term itself might set my soul ablaze and have my mind dreaming of far-off landscapes and spontaneous adventures, I also know that wanderlust can be masking a deeper longing hidden within. I know that my tendency to wander has a shadow side that often stems from brokenness, and I’m not the only one to notice this. After hearing parts of my story, my graduate school professor (a well-known therapist and spiritual teacher) insightfully posed the question that caused me to look deeper into my love of travel and pilgrimage: “I wonder why it is that you wander?”
Then solo travel might be calling to you. In today’s new episode I’m talking to psychotherapist Amber Englund, who took a solo trip to Italy last fall and returned home transformed and renewed. In our conversation, we explore what made her decide to make this journey alone, how she crafted a meaningful journey, and the ways in which her experience has influenced her life at home.