Journeys of the soul
Pilgrimage opens a landscape of meaning.
“Isn’t that just long-distance walking?” asked my friend as I began explaining why I was starting Pilgrimagic. “Similar,” I replied, “but pilgrimage is about the intentions and motivations you carry with you.”
I wasn’t wholly satisfied with my answer, so I started reading and reflecting. Our conversation opened a winding trail of learning and discoveries. I began to explore the diverging paths of pilgrimage and long-distance walking. As with any journey of discovery, I found myself following in the footsteps of many people who’ve studied the same question. New horizons opened up. And, of course, the map is much more complex than I imagined.
Is all pilgrimage religious?
It’s impossible to consider pilgrimage without first acknowledging the context of the conversation.
For many of us, the idea of pilgrimage seems inextricably bound up with religious belief. When we think about pilgrimage, our minds wander to images of sandaled ascetics on paths to Santiago de Compostela and crowds of the faithful undertaking the hajj to Mecca. And if, like me, you’ve been scarred by your encounters with religious groups, you might be suspicious of embracing a seemingly spiritually motivated activity.
Pilgrimage has a long history shaped by religious practices, but in truth, we have been wandering for as long as we have been human. We can’t possibly know what motivated our ancient ancestors to leave Africa and people the world, but every one of these journeys was undertaken on foot. The neolithic complex at Göbekli Tepe in southeastern Türkiye, constructed around 12,000 years ago, seems to have been a pilgrimage site. As well as holding mysterious carvings of animal gods in sacred spaces, it provides some of our earliest evidence for alcohol production. Perhaps we’ve always had mixed motivations for journeys of the soul.
We live in what some scholars describe as a post-secular society, where the neat dividing line between pilgrimage and tourism has broken down. If you’ve ever seen a heartbreakingly beautiful sunset from a holiday beach, you’ve felt the transcendent wonder that can define a pilgrim’s experience. And if you’ve ever hastily booked a comfy hotel bed to rest your tired pilgrim limbs, you’ve entered the practical world of travel.
Pilgrimage, long-distance walking, adventure travel and spiritual tourism are all part of a complex picture of how we leave home in search of experience and bring home what we have learned.
Post-secular pilgrimage
My journey towards pilgrimage has been long and winding. I had harrowing experiences in the church in my late teens and twenties, and I am a survivor of both conversion therapy and spiritual abuse. The first stages of recovering from trauma left me distrustful of religion - and christianity in particular. So, I embraced atheism in my thirties and tried hard to create a good life centred on humanistic ideals.
But at the end of my thirties, my world began to crumble. I started to see that there was more to the world than what I could perceive with my senses. I experienced a profound crisis of meaning as I tried to make sense of my purpose. I realised that I could not make sense of life without embracing mystery. I took my first steps on a new path, shaped by a deep connection with nature and filled with wide-eyed wonder at the unknown.
“Spiritual but not religious” is often a phrase used dismissively to describe people like me, but I believe it encapsulates the experience of many of us. We sense that there is more to life than this. We wonder about our place in the family of all things. We search for meaning and purpose.
Who are we? And what is our life for?
Research shows that meaning and purpose in life are essential for our wellbeing, and losing sight of the answers to these questions can devastate us. But a crisis of meaning can also propel us to new explorations of ourselves and the world around us.
If we reimagine pilgrimage as a search for meaning, we place ourselves in a history of wandering that erases the false division between secular and sacred. We see the pilgrim trail beyond the traditions of particular religious beliefs. We come to see pilgrimage as an innately human experience that is open to all of us, whatever we believe.
From long before the beginning of recorded time, three fundamental beliefs have launched human beings onto the roads of pilgrimage. The first is the conviction that there are forces infinitely larger than ourselves - gods, super heroes, the tectonic plates of history - forces with the ability to influence our lives. The second is that each of us has the potential to initiate a meaningful relationship with those forces. The third is that there are certain special places where the remote, transcendental power of those forces seems close enough for us to touch.
Pilgrimage: From the Ganges to Graceland by Linda Kay Davidson and David Gitlitz
When we’ve run out of road, pilgrimage (actual or metaphorical) can help us find a new path.
Experiences of pilgrimage
George Greenia, professor emeritus and founder of the Institute for Pilgrimage Studies at the College of William & Mary, is a medievalist scholar who has become a leading light in understanding contemporary pilgrimage. He first cycled from Paris to Santiago de Compostela in 1998.
Greenia identifies seven critical aspects of the pilgrimage experience that can help us understand what makes being a pilgrim different from simply walking.
The value of transcendence. While many pilgrims walk as a solo endeavour, we merge into a broader community of fellow travellers through engaging in pilgrimage. Transcending ourselves allows us to connect deeply with others on a shared journey, fostering a sense of unity and collective purpose. The experience can encourage us to move beyond personal concerns and embrace a collective identity. We recognise that we do not travel through this life alone.
The engines of memory. Memory plays a crucial role in pilgrimage, both in terms of personal recollection and collective historical consciousness. Pilgrimage routes and destinations can be steeped in historical significance, serving as physical embodiments of shared memories and traditions. The act of pilgrimage itself becomes a way to connect with these memories, reinforcing a sense of continuity and belonging within a larger human narrative. And we create lasting personal memories through our journeys, which we carry long after the pilgrimage has ended.
Timelessness imagined. Pilgrimage offers a journey beyond the ordinary flow of time. As pilgrims, we often feel as though we are stepping out of our everyday lives and entering an otherworldly time-space continuum. Through rituals and practices that have been performed for centuries, we connect with the infinite and the eternal. The sense of timelessness can provide a profound sense of peace and fulfilment as we connect to something greater than ourselves.
The effacement of self. Pilgrimage means letting go of the ego. Whether we engage in public acts of humility or endure physical hardships, being a pilgrim places us beyond the need to win the approval and respect of others. Letting go of our individual concerns and desires opens us to transformation and a deeper connection with the unknown. This process of self-effacement can lead to a profound sense of inner peace and renewal.
Performance without pretence. Pilgrimage is sincere and genuine. This authenticity is a crucial aspect of the pilgrimage experience, as it allows pilgrims to connect deeply with their beliefs and the sites they visit. The lack of pretence fosters a sense of openness and vulnerability, enabling us to fully immerse ourselves in the journey and experience profound personal growth.
Body-centeredness. Pilgrimage is a profoundly physical experience involving long walks, physical exertion, and often challenging terrain. Being in our bodies is essential to the journey, grounding us in the present moment and connecting us to the physical world. Walking creates blisters, chafing, aching joints and all manner of discomforts, but we can learn to embrace these as part of the experience of pilgrimage.
Open-endedness. Pilgrimage has no final destination, even if we are walking to a particular place. Our journey continues. We reflect on our experiences and integrate insights into our daily lives. The pilgrim’s journey is never truly complete, as it continues to shape and transform us long after we have returned home.
So many of these experiences resonate with my own. I may wander alone, but I always walk in the company of fellow travellers, actual and remembered. Memory and time shape my path. I let go of my ego’s protective covering and the judgement of others and focus solely on being in my body. And, of course, I continue to rewalk pilgrimage paths in my recollections, opening myself to fresh discoveries of meaning and purpose.
Pilgrimage, for me, is a journey of the soul. And it never ends.