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Explore the many dimensions of the pilgrimage experience and change your orientation to the world.
"Pilgrimage is an opportunity for pilgrims to cultivate their inner life (or inner voice) in a way that leads to a greater sense of peace and compassion—a sense that pervades all of life." —from Chapter 6, "Preparing to Practice"
Pilgrimage is a spiritual practice of nearly every major religion of the world. If you are a Christian you may travel to sites associated with the life of Jesus; Jews might visit the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem and other sacred places in the Holy Land of Israel; Muslims participate in the Hajj, the journey to Mecca; Buddhists visit the sacred sites related to the life of Buddha. Even if you practice no religion at all you will still find that you most likely participate in this practice—the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC, and Lenin's tomb in Moscow are considered national pilgrimage sites. As a spiritual practice, pilgrimage transcends religious, national, cultural and linguistic boundaries.
This fascinating look at the sacred art of pilgrimage integrates spirituality, practice, spiritual formation, psychology, world religions and historical resources. It examines how the world's religious pilgrimages evolved as central spiritual practices and the relationship between pilgrimage and transformation. It explains what makes a place holy, and why and how some sites are so compelling that they attract thousands, even millions of pilgrims each year.
"A deeply satisfying—and oftentimes rollicking—account of one of the most important religious practices on earth.... You'll love this book!"
—Mark Massa, SJ, dean, School of Theology and Ministry, Boston College
"Beautifully written ... will take the reader to the center of the heart as it did to me."
—Deepak Shimkhada, PhD, president, Indic Foundation; professor of Hindu studies, Claremont Lincoln University
"Helping us claim our deepest heart's desires and find our way ... a trove of insight, both ancient and new."
—The Rev. Curtis Almquist, SSJE, The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Cambridge, Massachusetts
"A timely and compelling invitation to both the secular and religious seeker.... Interreligiously aware, grounded in deep expertise and accessible."
—Elena Procario-Foley, Driscoll Professor of Jewish-Catholic Studies, Iona College
"A reflective journey through the liminal spaces of life where the need for meaning encounters the challenges and violence of contemporary experience.... Provides illustrative examples to structure the ways and means of spiritual homecoming."
—Rodney L. Petersen, PhD, executive director, Boston Theological Institute
“Beautiful and sensitive.... Blend[s] the lines between theory and practice such that the religious scholar and the thoughtful practitioner might each learn from the other.”
—The Rev. Dr. Stephen Butler Murray, dean and associate professor of theology, Barrytown College; American Baptist chaplain, Harvard University
“A treasure trove of guidance and inspiration for that which Sufis say can never be found by seeking, yet only seekers find.”
—Imam Jamal Rahman, author, Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur'an, Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind
“A true feast for both mind and spirit.... To students, scholars, activists, artists, spiritual seekers young and old, I can only say: Take, read, savor, and embark!”
—Alexander Levering Kern, executive director, Center for Spirituality, Dialogue and Service, Northeastern University; poet and editor, Becoming Fire: Spiritual Writing from Rising Generations
Chapter 1
Journeys Across Traditions and Cultures 1
Pilgrimage Across Cultures and Religions 7
The Hindu Tradition 9
The Buddhist Tradition 11
The Greek and Roman Traditions 12
The Abrahamic Traditions 14
Secular Pilgrimage 33
Virtual Pilgrimage 37
Chapter 2
The Way of the Heart 40
Pilgrim Narratives 45
Jung and Images of Pilgrimage 53
The Stages of Pilgrimage 58
Spirituality of the Heart 64
Chapter 3
Holy Places, Sacred Spaces 75
Sacred Landscapes 78
Memory Places 84
Quiet Places 90
Divine Activity Places 95
Commercialization and Environmental Impact 99
Chapter 4
Walking the Labyrinth 106
A Single Path 111
Origins of the Labyrinth 115
The Labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral 119
Walking as Spiritual Practice 125
Chapter 5
The Journey Home 135
The Need to Belong 142
Home and Pilgrimage 149
Stories of the Journey Home 156
Chapter 6
Preparing to Practice 168
Beginning Spiritual Practice 169
The Practice of Prayer and Meditation 175
Spiritual Practices in Preparing for Pilgrimage 184
Practical Advice for Planning a Pilgrimage 185
Guidelines for Visiting Holy Places
and Sacred Spaces 188
The Benefits of Group Pilgrimages 193
Keeping a Record of Your Pilgrimage 196
Walking the Labyrinth 198
Returning Home 201
Acknowledgments 204
Notes 205
Suggestions for Further Reading 217