This season, many of us are packing up the SUV for a trip to the beach or the mountains. Kids are heading to summer camp. Retirees are spending their children’s inheritance on trips to faraway places. Why do we feel the need to travel, and what impact can it have on our spiritual lives?
Philosopher Alan Wilson Watts, one of the first to interpret Eastern wisdom for a Western audience, said: “The soul is something that contains the body. The body does not contain the soul.
This notion is a reversal of thought for most of us. Think of the soul as something to be cared for, just like the body. While we are doing earthly things, the soul becomes weak, lonely, and depressed. Fortunately, traveling is a great way to nourish the soul.
We know that Jesus was constantly traveling, on foot and in sandals. He was always trying to spread the Word. He traveled with his disciples, alone or in crowds. Paul traveled about 30,000 miles throughout the Roman Empire.
Less than a century after the arrival of missionaries from Rome to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon pilgrimages to Rome were already established. Today, more and more of us are embarking on Christian pilgrimages such as the Camino de Santiago in Spain in honor of St. James and the Via Francigena in France in honor of St. Francis.
This year my husband and I hiked Croagh Patrick in Westport, Ireland. St. Patrick is believed to have fasted there for 40 days in 441. The tradition of hiking Croagh Patrick began 1,500 years ago. Although we didn’t complete the four-hour hike, we encountered many people who climbed over gravel and shale to reach the summit, including one man who completed it barefoot.
Pilgrimages are not just for Christians. The Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage, is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims. The Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be performed at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are financially and physically able to do so.
Hindus are not required to perform pilgrimages, but most do. They go to Puri, Remeswaram, Dwark and Badrinath.
The Hebrew Bible requires all Jews to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year: in the spring for Passover, in the summer for Shavuot, and in the fall for Sukkot. Christian pilgrims began coming to Jerusalem and the Holy Land a few centuries after Jesus’ death.
We cannot all venture out on a great pilgrimage. I have a good new. A pilgrimage is defined as a journey to a sacred place. On this Earth created by God, every place can be sacred if you make it that way. A family vacation or day trip to Enchanted Rock can also be a pilgrimage.
Many of us travel to rare places all the time without realizing that we have arrived in a sacred place. A thin place is a place where the membrane between this world and the eternal world is thin – a place where we can walk in two worlds. Our soul thrives in such places. The Celts believed that thin places could be found at sunset and sunrise, on mountain tops, on shores, lakes and rivers, in caves and wells. Cemeteries and ancient ruins are also slim places. Through travel, we can discover subtle places all over the world and nourish our thirsty soul.
Traveling to rare places renews the soul in several ways:
Travel offers our soul access to the beauty of creation. In Texas, many of us travel north to the splendor of the Rocky Mountains, or south to the Gulf. Either way, the beauty of God’s great Earth provides an opportunity to strengthen the soul through the splendor of the Earth. “It is the work of the Lord and it is wonderful in our eyes.” —Psalm 118:23-24
Travel offers our soul new and unique experiences. A trip introduces us to different cultures and places. With each new culture, we learn how others live, work, and play. The “stranger” becomes a friend. God calls us to love one another. Seeing that we are part of a world with all kinds of people reminds us that we are one. “From one man he created all nations to inhabit the whole earth.” – Acts 17:26
Travel offers our souls the opportunity to connect and socialize with ancient souls. Visits to cathedrals in Europe, ruins in Peru and Mexico, the Holy Land, or family cemeteries remind us that our bodies will not last forever. Our souls connect us to all who have lived before us. “Ask of the former generations and find out what their fathers have learned. For we were born yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words of their understanding?” —Job 8:8-10
Traveling nourishes the soul by providing rest. Taking time away from the temporal demands of life provides the soul with much-needed rest. Psalm 23 provides us with a guide to rest and relaxation. “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me by still waters, he refreshes my soul. »
Whether we visit the mountains, another country, a cemetery, or simply rest in silence as the sun sets, travel provides opportunities to restore our soul. This season, whatever your journey, while nourishing your body, remember to nourish your soul.
Diane Owens Prettyman is a parishioner at All Saints Episcopal Church, where she is a member of the Central Texas Interfaith Team. Diane has published numerous works, including the novel “Thin Places”. To contribute a column on faith, email nvillalpando@statesman.com
