This introduction gives you some pointers and thoughts on pilgrimage and transformation.
Do people change while walking a camino?
Yes, people always change while performing.
OK, but tell me more...
Just read on and pick what you like...
Do people change while walking a camino?
Yes, people always change while performing.
OK, but tell me more...
Just read on and pick what you like...
Spirituality
First on spirituality, giving a clue where a transformation could occur. Not trying to define the concept ;-)
Recently I read an article from Fisher on four domains of spiritual wellbeing, a nice overview:
"spiritual health is a dynamic state of being, shown by the extent to which people live in harmony within relationships in the following domains of spiritual wellbeing:
1. Personal domain (wherein one intra-relates with oneself with regards to meaning, purpose and values in life. The human spirit creates selfawareness, relating to self-esteem and identity).2. Communal domain (as expressed in the quality and depth of interpersonal relationships, between self and others, relating to morality and culture. This includes love, justice, hope, and faith in humanity).
3. Environmental domain (past care and nurture for the physical and biological, to a sense of awe and wonder; for some, the notion of unity or connectedness with the environment).
4. Transcendental domain (Relationship of self with some-thing or some-One beyond the human level, a Transcendent Other (i.e., ultimate concern, cosmic force, transcendent reality, or God). This involves faith toward, adoration and worship of, the source of Mystery of the universe."
(Assessing Spiritual Health via Four Domains of Spiritual Wellbeing: The SH4DI
John W. Fisher, Leslie J. Francis, Peter Johnson
Pastoral Psychology, Vol. 49, No. 2, 2000)
Caminoist on spirituality
A nice overview article on pilgrimage, the camino and spirituality provides Sandy Brown in this Caminoist blog article.
Seven secular pilgrimages (and one added;-)
CNN just published an update on seven secular pilgrimages that could change your life.
Perhaps you can guess the three on the picture?
The others are: Kumano Kodo (Japan), Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Mount Kailash Pilgrimage (Tibet), Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury (England) and Char Dham (India).
I think CNN left out a rising star: Olavs route in Norway!
So look here for this one (Olavs Route).
And perhaps walking to Canterbury gives you appetite to follow on the Via Francigena through France, Switzerland and Italy to Rome.
Sacred Travel: The Pilgrimage Experience
What can the ritual of Pilgrimage tell us about deepening the sacred dimension of life?
What spiritual state or benefit are pilgrims ultimately looking for?
How do they know and express it, if and when they find it?
See introduction and other parts of discussion with Phil Cousineau, Pico Iyer and Zoila Mendoza below.
Global Spirit: Sacred Travel The Pilgrimage Experience - Introduction
(3:11)
My fellow weblog The Pilgrim's Gaze just published a spot for a documentary The Power of St James' Way.
"The Power of Saint James’ Way is a documentary that contains true stories of pilgrims whose pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela radically changed their lives. Amazing witnesses that testify this phenomenon plus explanations from experts in different disciplines that try to identify why these changes may occur." See it here.
- Transformative Pilgrimage, William S. Schmidt, Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 2009 (article)
- We Make the Way by Walking: Spiritual Pilgrimage and Transformative Learning While Walking the Camino De Santiago, Elizabeth J. Tisdell (article)
- Spiritual Tourism, Travel and Religious practice in Western Society, Alex Norman (book)
- Pilgrimage and Healing, Jill Dubisch and Michael Winkelman (book)
- Transformational tourism, tourist perspectives, Yvette Reisinger (ed) (book)
