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Pete Kalu's avatar

Thought-provoking. If we bend time (and why not) then perhaps everyone goes on mini-pilgrimages now and then - when they have to get away form ti all and find themselves again

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Dru Jaeger's avatar

I agree. Pilgrimage can centre on the depth of experience, not the length of the trail. Micro-pilgrimages are a wonderful experiment.

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Pablo Naboso's avatar

Very nice. Preparation for pilgrimage involves confronting many fears, yet they disappear once you’ve lifted your backpack, locked the doors behind you and dropped the key in the mailbox. Do you feel the same? I tried to describe this feeling in this short piece, link attached. And it’s nothing new! Two thousand years ago already, a certain visionary in the desert said this to his disciples: ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.’” https://open.substack.com/pub/nomadicmind/p/about-fear-on-the-mountain-pass?r=31fxoh&utm_medium=ios

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Dru Jaeger's avatar

I think something does change when you move from the anticipation of something unknown to actually walking the path. All the preparation fades into the background as you focus on moving step by step. And while I appreciate the sentiment of walking out unprepared and carrying nothing, which undoubtedly does open you to the vulnerability of discovery, I think you need a warm middle Eastern climate to make that possible. We northern Europeans definitely want to think about waterproof coats!

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