Hi Fiona, some of your thoughts really resonate in beautiful ways with me, but I had not realised that pilgrimage is a 'top spiritual practice' before! It has seemed to me more like simply something for the peculiar few who want to do challenging holidays on foot instead of in some comfort based location or ease-full activity. I count myself as one of those 'peculiars'! Nevertheless, the 'finance/time' claims (etc?) are probably true to life. Are you interested in my perspective on my walking travels? This is my last blog post of a longer route, Iona to Lindisfarne, which takes in the St Cuthbert's Way at the end. My longing for 'ordinary life' to be nurtured by my pilgrimage experiences was part of my motivation in undertaking the walk, and I suppose that this is like anything I choose to do for reasons of turning my heart again and again to God (or to joy/ love/ life/ service/ creative expression/ silence ...). https://www.exploringheartandvoice.com/post/day-24-lindisfarne-and-home.
I really resonate with this. I walked a few days of the camino de Santiago this year and can recognise that 'proper' pilgrimage is not available to everyone for all the reasons you state. I am new to the contemplative Christian world so I'm not sure I've picked up on that hierarchy yet but I'm sure it's there. I'm interested in your thoughts on making it an accessible practice and I guess your definition provides a good starting point to imagine that
Hi Fiona, some of your thoughts really resonate in beautiful ways with me, but I had not realised that pilgrimage is a 'top spiritual practice' before! It has seemed to me more like simply something for the peculiar few who want to do challenging holidays on foot instead of in some comfort based location or ease-full activity. I count myself as one of those 'peculiars'! Nevertheless, the 'finance/time' claims (etc?) are probably true to life. Are you interested in my perspective on my walking travels? This is my last blog post of a longer route, Iona to Lindisfarne, which takes in the St Cuthbert's Way at the end. My longing for 'ordinary life' to be nurtured by my pilgrimage experiences was part of my motivation in undertaking the walk, and I suppose that this is like anything I choose to do for reasons of turning my heart again and again to God (or to joy/ love/ life/ service/ creative expression/ silence ...). https://www.exploringheartandvoice.com/post/day-24-lindisfarne-and-home.
I really resonate with this. I walked a few days of the camino de Santiago this year and can recognise that 'proper' pilgrimage is not available to everyone for all the reasons you state. I am new to the contemplative Christian world so I'm not sure I've picked up on that hierarchy yet but I'm sure it's there. I'm interested in your thoughts on making it an accessible practice and I guess your definition provides a good starting point to imagine that