It is not a
new concept that we are all pilgrims on this earth. Earth is not our home, but a place to which
we have come to learn life lessons so that we may become wise and
enlightened. Hence, every aspect of our
life offers us the opportunity to grow along these lines, to express our soul’s
purpose here and to prepare for our next journey when we leave this
sphere. We come with nothing material
and we cannot take anything material with us. But we take with us our thoughts,
tendencies, knowledge and understanding.
We are spirit embodied. Our
consciousness embodies itself with all of the impressions of its past experiences,
ready to resolve old issues and take on new ones. That is my broadest idea of
pilgrimage – the journey through my own subjective life.
The more
traditional concept of pilgrimage is to visit holy places. Not only is the holy site a source of
spiritual energy but the journey there and back with all of its challenges is
the school for life lessons. Do I travel alone? Do I collaborate with others? What inner work do I do while connecting to
the outer world with the intent of spiritual unfolding?
Traveling to
sacred mountains, holy rivers, sanctified grottos, renowned churches, mosques
and temples, visiting tombs of saints, the pilgrim enters liminal space,
leaving behind identities related to family and professional roles, attachment
to culture, routine, association with friends, places and familiar things.
Thrown into the unknown, the pilgrim is open to being born anew.
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