Sacred Communication/Journey 2021

An important distinction when comparing pilgrims and tourists is how much control each party has over the situations they enter. Tourists are often in control of the situations they find themselves in, while pilgrims have a more “go with the flow” attitude. A tourist will know where they are staying for the night, what they are eating, and by what means they will travel. Tourists derive meaning from the experience of interacting with the marketplace. On the other hand, pilgrims may not know how they will go through the pilgrimage. A pilgrim may derive meaning from the selfless acts of another.

 When comparing the Camino de Santiago and the Appalachian Trail, an undercooked difference is the hiker's type of interaction. As explained in the text, the Camino is more of a human and human interaction, and the Appalachian Trail is more of a human and environment interaction. I believe that this difference is wilderness. While on the Appalachian Trail, the hiker is really in nature. Though there will be human and human interactions on the Appalachian Trail, the disconnection of the hiker and civilization is more profound than on the Camino. The Camino and the Appalachian Trail have a cultural appeal that allures people to embark on these hikes; there is a stronger cultural connection with the Camino. As culture is people and civilization, it is distanced from the wilderness.

Lane talks about how people need to learn to see with their eyes to interact with God. While part of this “seeing” does involve the action of looking, it also requires opening up to interpretation and accepting the deeper meaning objects may have. Though Lane uses the example of a mountain to explain how humans can view ordinary objects as sacred objects, I found that communion wafers were an example that was easier to comprehend. On their own, communion wafers are just simple pieces of bread. However, from a Christian point of view, the bread becomes the body of Christ. Whether it’s a mountain or a wafer, mundane objects derive new meaning when viewed from a different perspective. From a Christian’s point of view, many simple things are granted greater purpose because of Christ.

 I live in an area where you can see the Blue Ridge Mountains from just about anywhere. I have lived in this area for all my 18 years on earth and have become accustomed to these mountains always being there. It was not until I headed off to college that I have been away from where I grew up for a prolonged period of time. When I eventually headed back home, about two months into the semester, I finally realized how imposing the mountains were. As things become normal, “special” things lose their significance. Though I understand that concept, I never really considered times where it could apply to me. It was not until I had a discussion with a friend from Seattle about Mount Rainier that I realized how the concept applied to me. While talking about viewing Mount Rainier as more than just an object off in the distance, I realized that this was how I viewed the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have always considered these mountains as objects off in the distance and not as monolithic landsca...

      In the section of Attention and Responsibility, something that stuck with me over anything else was this. "What we say in a prayer matters less than how we say it."  This was a great statement and shows that prayer has a deeper meaning to it than just asking God for things.  Also the sentence, "prayer inspires and animates a moral response to the world," had a positive tone to it that I liked.  People tend to forget that prayer is more than just asking a greater being for whatever is desired and this chapter served a great purpose to show that.

      In the beginning of this reading, it mentions about how a boy view someone using a form of prayer to reach out to God.  Then after being told that the person is doing so in order to ask God for something, he starts to pray about getting Gelato.  This was funny to me because I can relate to this experience.  I remember as a young kid going to church on Sundays and seeing people pray and had no clue what they were doing.  It was not until my parents and Sunday school taught me about prayer that I realized what it was.  The night I learned about it I prayed to God for probably about 30 minutes, however, I do not remember exactly what I was asking for but I just remember praying for a very long time.  So it was just interesting to relate to something at the beginning of the novel.

    In the beginning of this reading, something that stood out to me was the term liminality.  Liminality, being the state of transition between one stage onto the next, was very interesting.  Reading about this was pretty mind boggling and confusing at first, but that just made it even more interesting.  Being in a stage that puts you between past society and future society, or past state of mind and future state of mind, is something to really think about.  I believe that everyone has gone through a liminal phase in their lives, meaning that the person has left behind and old identity and became something new.  

      In general I really knew nothing about pilgrimage before this book.  After doing some reading, I was quickly enlightened in what pilgrimage was and how it is still relevant till this day.  Going into the reading I believed that pilgrimage was something of the past and did not have much significance today.  I soon realized that I could not have been more wrong.  The spiritual and religious significance that pilgrimage offered was truly astonishing.

      Chapter 3s writings about the Mountain that was God was very interesting.  Before the reading I had no clue what the Mountain that was God meant other than a mountain that was God, and even that made little sense.  As I continued to read, I was amazed at how something so simple sounding had so much backstory and meaning behind it.  It was very interesting learning about the holy site for indigenous people and how much they believed that whoever trespasses on the mountain will have to face the consequences. It was just amazing to see that something as simple as a mountain could have so much meaning.

      Landscapes of the Sacred was an excellent reading source on what a sacred place is and the elements behind a sacred place.  In the beginning chapters, something that I found very important that Lane speaker about, was the axioms of a sacred place.  The four axioms are what define a sacred place, and without knowing these axioms, it is hard to truly understand the meaning of "sacred place".  Also it was interesting to understand that sacred places focus on the link between people and the place, for the place itself may not have its meaning without the people.

My Spiritual Journey Before this class, I had been on the Appalachian trail many times but I had never witnessed it as a spiritual journey. One of the first things I did when I went home for Thanksgiving break was to walk the Appalachian trail. Since I had been hearing the spirituality of it I was so interested to see it for myself. When I went on the trail it really opened up my eyes to everything that I had been missing out on. It made every view and every part of nature so much more important to m

My Research paper Although I have lived so close to the Appalachian trail and been on it my whole life this class and my research paper have taught me so much more about it. For example, I previously knew that people thru-hiked it but I didn’t know the number was so large. I also learned that there was a spiritual journey that came along with it.

Israelites leaving Egypt   One of the great journeys that were told in the bible was the story of Israelites leaving Egypt. The reason for them leaving was because they were enslaved and Moses lead them out. Throughout the journey, God was in their presence as he parted the red sea and many other things. When they reach Mount Sinai God speaks to Moses and made a deal with the Jews.

Pilgrimages in the Bible (New Testament) In the new testament part of the bible, there is a common theme that is in multiple parts of different books. The book of Mathew talks about how salvation is found for a limited time only before Jesus Christ returns. This time is said to be at a totally unexpected time and is called the last judgment. John, 1 Corinthians, and James all back this up by saying prepare themselves for God’s verdict on how they lived. People are supposed to think of themselves as pilgrims and temporary residents as their true home is in heaven. It is said that their life is a pilgrimage with the final destination of heaven.

Pilgrimages in the Bible (Old Testament) In the old testament section of the bible, there is a great story about pilgrimage in the book of Genesis. This story is about Abraham and the story of the exodus from Egypt. He is sought out to find the land that God has promised him. While on his journey he encounters many hardships as well as a lot of help from god. In the end, he gets to the final destination with the care of God, which shows how god was on the adventure with him the whole time. This trail is now today a pilgrimage that is still journeyed on.

This chapter gave me a great understanding about pilgrimages and their importance for the people who do the pilgrimage. They have been around for thousands of years and give great eye-opening religious meanings. Pilgrimages also give great understandings and of spirituality. One of the great things about pilgrimages nowadays is that more and more people come each year.

This chapter talks about and gives a better understanding of the elements that create a sacred place. The ontological approach of a sacred space is understanding that there is spirituality in ordinary places. Another approach that was talked about is the cultural approach. This is best described as historical places that any story of the bible has taken place at or mentioned. All religious people will have a more spiritual view and understand why it is sacred

In this chapter, they explain prayer as a place. This relates to me because I was an avid churchgoer before I came to school. Praying in church gives me peace, and I am able to find God through praying at a specific place. Prayer is a way for God to exchange spirit and a connection while in an empty and open space.

The first chapter of “Phenomenology of Prayer” relates to my life because I am a devout Christian, and it was similar to my experience of initially praying. My first time praying was when I was at a very young age with my family at the dinner table. This is compared to the reading because it introduces the idea of prayer, and conveys how the character was confused with what their family was doing. From there, it could also relate to Interpreting Contemporary Pilgrimage as a Spiritual Journey or Aesthetic Tourism because tourism finds value in religion. This relates because once you learn to pray, you learn to build more religion and more beliefs and transition into a Christian, and the person I am today religiously.

 So, I've stated numerous times that I am spiritual, though non-religious. I was raised this way by my family. My parents wanted me and my brothers both to find a religion we felt right for us. My older brother is spiritual with a basis in Christianity, his wife is agnostic. My sibling-in-law is pagan. My mother is non-religious and my father is Christian but doesn't talk about it. I went to church a bit as a kid, I even went to a couple Christian summer camps. I felt no connection to them at all. No connection to god. I didn't feel at a place within the religion. Though my grandmother may try with all her heart, Christianity just wasn't for me. I looked into Wicca and paganism when my friends and my ex-girlfriend got involved. I didn't really vibe with that either. I've looked into Hinduism, Buddhism, and more. Nothing. However, I have always felt a connection to the flow of the earth. The ground, the wind, and the rain. I have always felt as though spirits of ...

I will be discussing the idea of flow. out of everything we've talked about in class, the idea of flow stood out to me the most. I wrote about it in my essay, my thesis, previous posts, and even in my midterm. I find the idea of disconnecting yourself from reality in order to be one with your surroundings to be quite interesting. Its something I try to do frequently and didn't even know it had a name. According to a classmate when we discussed flow in class, there is a similar idea in theatre, where you disconnect yourself from reality to full immerse yourself in an act. I've talked to friends who say in dance there is also flow. Flow is everywhere. IN the religious, the nonreligious, and the questioning. Located in all aspects of life. I believe this to be because as humans we full the desire to connect to others around us. We let ourselves be taken control of in order to relate to the world around us. We have to let go of our sense of ego to meld with our surroundings. If...

 For my second topic of choice, I would like to discuss ritual. Prayer is seen as a ritual, but as Turner discussed hunting, dancing, and more, can also be associated with ritual. The point of a ritual is to bring oneself closer to their deity, it doesn't truly matter the religion. In Christianity, it brings them closer to God and puts them on a similar level to him. That being said, Christians also acknowledge that God is superior and they will never be his equal. How does one know what ritual to conduct, however? How would you understand that what you're doing is what your deity would wish? Perhaps your deity doesn't seek a ritualistic dance, yet you provide one nonetheless. Rituals are sacred and mean something to the people worshipping a deity but do they mean something to that deity? How would one know? Is it a gut feeling? Because it has been put in writing? Or simply because it has been don for hundreds of years? I find it fascinating that just about anything can be ...

 My topic of choice is going to be that of intention. In many faiths, I find that the intention behind a ritual, a prayer, an altar, or anything is oftentimes the most important aspect. If the intention is what makes spirituality so powerful, then what does one intend when going on a sacred journey? What is the intent of a prayer? The intent of an individual's experience with flow? I could go on and ask, as the intent for everything in life could be questioned. As a non-religious human looking in from the outside, is it truly always necessary to have your intentions set? I don't see why or how that would be beneficial. Sometimes one needs to let the world happen to them, sit back and take the passenger seat for a while in order to gain a meaningful experience. Not everyone has an intention connected to everything they do, I know I don't. My closest friend who's pagan certainly doesn't. Neither does my catholic grandmother and yet their faith stands strong. I feel as...

 Though the Noland Trail was quite the experience, and yes I've walked it many times before this class and plenty after it, there is another place that comes to mind when speaking on spirituality. Simply put; my neighborhood. I know I know, it's nothing special, however, the air of my neighborhood is just different. I've noticed every crack, every line, every change in texture on the road. I spot cats, Opossums, raccoons, mice, birds, and squirrels. I hear dogs, and people, and the shifting of the wind in the trees. I see how the rain puddles in certain areas and almost completely dries in others. I've lived in the house I'm in now for 13 years of my life. I know every car, every flag, and every stop sign in my neighborhood and yet it never fails to look stunning. I make a point to walk around that neighborhood once a day every single time I'm home, this started early in high school. There are rarely people outside, a lot of the houses are abandoned and old, and...

 on page 207 it is stated that "Every postmodern prayer is ultimately still a prayer" and I'm not quite sure I understand this. It continues on into how pure prayer results in silence as a sign of something, and before this discusses Nomadic prayer and prayer of absence and so forth. If I am to be reading this correctly I believe that means it's indicating that post-modern prayer is prayer in which silence is better than speech? I'm not entirely sure about this. Not to mention if that's the case then is it meant to say merely thinking about God and your desires with the right intent qualifies as a prayer? I believe this to be true in many aspects as I've heard from friends it is a common belief that God is everywhere and always listening, even to your deepest thoughts so perhaps this is what is meant by post-modern prayer. Again the idea of prayer and the meaning behind it is often lost on me, I would love for someone to explain what I'm missing. 

 In chapter 6 I found one particular sentence that stood out to me more than the rest, that is what I wish to discuss here. Turner states "The invisibility and intangibility of the spiritual and supernatural order obviously create problems regarding communication between incarnate and discarnate members of the Church" to me this is odd. The chapter speaks on how prayer is to be heard, miracles didn't stop after the last apostle, and so forth because when you pray the desired result should ensue. This follows into other religions as well such as paganism, when an individual will pray to their deity and oftentimes leave offerings. Some also work with spirits so the idea that the dead and the alive can interact based on intent stand within many cultures and religions, not just Christianity. I don't see why invisibility would create an issue within the church when praying is mostly about intention and belief. If you intend to reach out to a past love one and your belief i...

   Turner describes Liminality in the early chapters. Turner also talks about a locality and who it relates to that of liminality. Here he discusses "their religious life was also locally fixated; the parish was their spiritual manor" (4). he later explains it as "In societies with few economic opportunities the movement away from limited circles of friends, neighbors, and local authorities, all rooted alike in the soil, the only journey possible for those not merchants, peddlers, minstrels, jugglers, tumblers, wandering friars, or outlaws, or their modem equivalents, is a holy journey, a pilgrimage or a crusade." which I find interesting as it indicates to me that only pilgrims of the Christian faith were seen as moveable and spreadable, the others being stuck where they were. I find this to be fascinating as while yes, religion did often spread as pilgrims moved, merchants and peddlers did the same and introduced many to new items and knowledge, that was the point...

  In this reading Dr. Redick talks about the motives for venturing out onto the Camino presently, versus the motives during medieval times. During medieval times the Camino was much more prominent, and the societal pressure to go out onto the Camino was much greater for devout Catholics . However, nowadays the motive for going onto the Camino is more of a personal decision. Some people go onto the Camino because they require self reflection while others do it as a pilgrimage and tribute to god. The text talks about the interaction of holy sites and scripture with people hiking the Camino for non Christian reasons. The point being made was that the inclusion of those not belonging to Christianity , and their participation in worship is what makes these sacred stops such a great tribute. I found this portion of the reading very inclusive and a great point.

  This reading discusses liminality, which is symbolic action, ritual action, and the merging of pilgrimage and play. This reading discusses how pilgrimages and the ritual actions that occur throughout those pilgrimages came about as the result of sacred play. An example of this given in the text was how tribes would combine dancing with the hunt, and resulted in ritual to bring them closer to their desired higher being. I feel as though a good modern example of this would be the act of singing in churches. It has become a ritual performed to communicate with God, although it started out as something different. I also thought  that it was interesting how the text made the point that being a part of those ritual performances are what separate the devout from the tourist. Especially since a point has been made in other texts that tourism is  hurting other sacred places.

  Sacred places cannot be chosen by worldly people, but they are chosen by higher beings. They are places where the divide between our realm and the cosmic realm is slightly thinner, allowing better communication with a higher being, as well as a feeling of nearness. Axis mundi, as talked about in the beginning of the book, is a specific area connecting the world to the heavens. This is the most powerful version of a sacred place. I believe that natural creations, such as mountains, waterfalls, etc., are clearly favored by whomever created them. While wondering how on earth we as humans have come across sacred places, and been able to dub them as so, it seems obvious, at the same time, that these beautiful natural creations would be sacred. It also makes me wonder how many “sacred” places we have concluded as sacred are not actually.

This reading emphasizes the connection prayer brings in between the holy and the unholy. Communicating with the divine being of your religion is one of the main ways in which sacred communication takes place. However, this reading goes into further detail about what prayer should be. A very common way in which people usually believe that prayer works is in a “I ask and maybe I will receive” manner, or the earthly economy. However, in order to emerge yourself in prayer and become truly connected to God one needs to remove the “worldly” blocks from within their lives. In other words, transactional prayers do not work because they rely on a human idea. God is not human, and so in order to communicate one must empty their societal urges that are getting in the way of the goal of communicating.

    Throughout this course I have learned quite a lot and enjoyed the way the class was taught. I definitely look at things like through hikes differently now.      I enjoyed reading thought provoking things such as Buber's I and Thou. This class made me think deeply instead of just remembering information. It led me to ask questions I wouldn't normally think of and many of those questions are scrawled out in the margins of my notes. Questions like, "Do animals have sacred spaces?" and "Why does Disney have such a cult following?"       I also really enjoyed learning about the sacred places in Jerusalem and how they tie into Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. I think it is incredibly interesting and important to note that these extremely differing religions all have the same places and stories woven throughout.       I loved the day that In My Room by the Beach Boys was played in class. That song has been one of my favorite...

  I read a really interesting article from the New York Times, it talked about a variety of things relating to pilgrims such as, how veterans often do pilgrimages, despite being injured or even in wheelchairs. It mentioned that UN study that one of three tourists is a pilgrim, which I thought was cool because I never expected the UN to have an International Congress on Tourism and Pilgrimage, which is where the study was shown. The article also mentioned that the word pilgrim has different meanings for different religions. for example in Arabic, the word for pilgrimage is hajj, which comes from the Hebrew word that means celebration, and in 2013, more than two million Muslims did a hajj. There was a part I found pretty funny, the author wrote that the most common thing about faith that you hear nowadays is, “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual.” I thought this was so funny because I know so many people who say that when they either are very clearly religious, or they don’t understand ...

While taking this class I grew a strong interest in hiking. Many benefits come along with hiking such as improved mood, mental strength, and physical strength. The sites an individual will see while hiking is breathtaking. I would love to go on a hiking journey of my own one day. I think it would be the most peaceful and grounding experience I would ever be a part of. I am most interested in the Camino de Santiago. 

 Spiritual Rambling: In class I took a few notes to help myself understand this reading better. The following are key points I took away from the lecture: Kenosis is the emptying of ones self. Hermeneutics is the art of interpretation. Flow is having awareness on a topic or subject & a purge is to cleanse ones self.  Quies means rest. Hesychian is inner stillness. Akesis means discipline.  I overall enjoyed this reading and felt like I learned a lot from it. One thing that really stuck with me was the concept of flow and how it helps while being on a hike.

I grew up in a Christian household and have gone to church for as long as I can remember. Every Sunday I would go to bible study, worship service, and even vacation bible school in the summertime. Once I was old enough, I started participating in our church's youth group. In my youth group, we would go on trips together, feed the homeless, and have fundraisers. I enjoyed helping out as much as I could. This class has helped me connect more with God and be at peace. I now realize the elements that go into praying and feel like this can help me in the future. 

 In class, we talked about trail magic. Trail magic is defined as an unexpected occurrence that lifts a hikers spirits and inspires awe or gratitude. I was immediately intrigued listening to this topic in class. This can consist of giving a hiker a ride, letting them shower and eat at your place, or even leaving snacks and other things along the trail. Acts of generosity are so kind and it is nice to know that people still care for each other.  

 When I saw my schedule at the beginning of the semester and saw I was in this class, I had no idea what to expect. The first few weeks taught me a lot and I feel like I am more open minded. This class has broadened my knowledge on sacred places, pilgrimages, and different religions. I enjoyed being in this class and hope to take another course like this in the future. 

 When I read Martin Buber's "I and Thou" I was honestly so confused and had no idea what it meant. After talking about it in class I got a better understanding. The following are a few notes I took in class that I thought were important: I correlates with ones self and ego.  In religion, I is the indispensable for any relationship, including the highest, which always presupposes an I and You. God is the "wholly other" but also the wholly same and the wholly present. I and You relate intersubjectively.

A while ago, I read an article about the relation between hiking and veterans. At first I didn't understand how these two things were connected, but after reading I fully understand how hiking can become a healing ritual for people, not only veterans. While being in combat, veterans see and experience a lot of traumatic things. Once they are out of service, most tend to deal with mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The article I read explained how hiking has many benefits, especially for veterans who struggle with their mental health.  For veterans, going on a hiking trip is found to ease their mental health, give them a sense of peace, and overall strengthen their bodies and minds. I have multiple family members who have served in the military so I feel very strongly about this topic.

 Over Thanksgiving break, I went on a walk with my grandparents. We walked down a path they made and through the woods behind their house. After a little while of walking and talking, we all sat at a picnic table by a little stream. It was so peaceful and had beautiful scenery. We sat in silence for a while, all of us were listening to the running water and leaves falling. My mind tends to be all over the place sometimes but on that day I felt at peace and my mind was clear. After taking this class, I have learned to appreciate nature more. 

 Reflections of the class: This class was unlike any class I have ever taken before. I feel that this class was a very open minded space which is so different from my prior high school education. I was introduced so so many new concepts of spirituality, religion, journeys, community, communication, music, poetry, and everything else that I had never been exposed to before. I really appreciate all the stories that not only kept class interesting, but also helped tie in all of the concepts that may otherwise have been hard to understand, such as liminality or chronos and kairos, or chora and topos, flow, the green tunnel, and much more. My favorite part was hearing about all of the stories from the AT and the Camino which is why I chose my research paper topic to be comparing the two. The trail community just seems absolutely amazing. Had I not been placed in this class I probably would have never considered taking it but now I am glad I got the chance to.

I wanted to tell a personal story for one of my choice posts so here it is. I actually touched on this story briefly in one of my other posts but I thought it would be a good one to expand on, it has to do with environmental interaction. One day many years ago I believe I was about 12 years old and I was in Utah with my family at the Great Salt Lake. We were just hanging out in the sand and I was just laying down peacefully when I felt a tickle on my hand. Luckily I did not go to scratch it or shake my hand or anything because that tickle was actually a monarch butterfly that had landed right on the back of  my hand. I very carefully got up to show my mom and was very gentle with my movements so I did not scare it away, I did not even think butterflies would travel to the salt lake. I showed my mom and she became emotional. Monarch butterflies like the one on my hand were a symbol of her late father to her because at his funeral there was a monarch butterfly that seemingly followed...

 My overall view on spirituality has changed due to this course. I found spirituality to be something that was hand in hand with religion, and could not exist without being religious or theistic. Now, spirituality is something much more personal, and less rooted in a systematic process or ritual, but instead something that every person possesses and can develop, either in a theistic system or on their own. This gives the concept of spirituality much more significance in my life, and something that I think is far more relevant than it was prior. 

 I found it incredibly interesting how pilgrimage as a tradition developed in Christianity, and how many faithful participate. The pilgrimage was something I always viewed as a distinctly medieval practice and one that in the era of cars, transcontinental flight, and cell phones, was kind of archaic. In contrast, pilgrimage is more popular than it has been in decades, with more and more people, theist or not, going on pilgrimages across the globe. I think that the use of pilgrimage in both historical and modern Christianity is something that is praiseworthy, and unexpectedly widespread today. 

 Trail Journals:           I have read many many trail journals for different things in this class and I just never really get tired of them. It is so inspiring to be able to read about so many people's journeys which will probably become one of their greatest life moments. Before this class I would have never even considered for a second going on a long distance hike like the AT or the Camino, but I have now opened my mind to the possibility of maybe completing one, one day. I am just obsessed with the sense of community that everyone seems to achieve on the trail and all the trail names are so cute, its like a nickname for everyone in the community. Also the sense of accomplishment from making a journey like that must be incredible. There is just so many benefits including the fact that it is like free therapy. Real therapy is expensive and I bet nature could do just as well. I'm so glad this class made me more open minded about this subject! It...

 In my research paper, I wrote and studied about the differences between long distance hiking and pilgrimages, and tourism or religious tourism. In my work, I found a marked difference between those who make great journeys to sacred sites, and those who go on guided tours. These differences are more profound than just "one worked harder" but instead, I found that the testimonials given were vastly different. When looking at guided tours, finding moving testimonials was rather difficult, as most people seemed rather unimpressed, while reading accounts of pilgrims and hikers, it was hard not to find people describing the life-altering experience they had. This gave me a newfound interest in hiking or pilgriming myself, and a newfound disdain for guided tours that commercialize deeply personal and spiritual events. 

 I found it incredibly interesting how Lane outlined the relationship that geography and buildings have on those who venerate them. It is common to hear people describe how they were moved by seeing some grand architectural or geographic feat, but to describe the way they speak to those who believe, and not just in a "wow that was moving" way but as in people who visit those sites are genuinely reinvigorated and have a newfound sense of specific purpose was incredibly interesting, and gave as usual, more perspective than I previously had. 

 My research for my research paper: I wrote my research paper on the differences and similarities between the Appalachian trail and the Camino de Santiago. After reading academic journals, trail journals, and even a few pages of some books on the subject I came to the conclusion that while physically the trails may be very different they do not differ ad much spiritually. The physical differences being location, the AT being in the United states and the Camino being all the way across the ocean. Another difference being the length of the trail and the length of time required to walk it. The AT takes about 6 months to walk and is over two thousand miles long while the Camino takes about thirty days and is significantly shorter. Despite these difference both attract pilgrims. The pilgrims of the AT are not so different from the pilgrims of the Camino spiritually. Everyone is out there looking for something and while it may be different things they are looking for, it creates a safe c...

 When reading the opening sections of  "Phenomenology of Prayer" I found it incredibly interesting and useful. It, as a book, examined the particular reasons and methods of prayer, and broke it down into more than just lines to be read off of a church program or religious book, but instead as a deeply personal communication with God, or whatever particular higher power your are praying to. It was made as something that is less of a ritual, and more of a personal dialogue that you hope your higher power is listening to. It can be a way to express personal strife, success, or mere thoughts, so as to feel more connected with your faith and more closely tied to what you believe in. To me, prayer was always something I merely did the motions for, opening a bible and speaking the lines as written, without putting particular thought or meaning into them, and this explains prayer better to me than anything I'd read prior. 

I chose a reading about Buddhism that I found online because In my Art History class we were talking about the religion and I did not know much about it before and wanted to learn more. Siddhartha Gautama was a Hindu prince before he became buddha. At his birth he received a prophecy that he would either become a great king or a religious leader and his father did not want the latter. Because his father was so worried about him becoming a religious leader he tried to shield Siddhartha from all of life's sufferings. When Siddhartha finally broke free for a little bit he saw four signs which were a sick man, an aged man, a dead man, and a religious ascetic. These four signs made him realize all of those things would be him one day which drove him to the conclusion that all of life is suffering. This suffering could be from want or from loss. After his epiphany he decided he wanted to follow in the path of the religious ascetic. He studied under many religious mentors then eventually ...

 I found the description of flow to be particularly interesting, and something that has less of a religious connotation, and more of personal meaning. Flow is something that I, as a HEMA fighter and long-distance runner, have experienced on numerous occasions, and was something I originally just chalked up to good training and adrenaline. However, on review and hearing of Prof. Redick's accounts, it seemed to be more than just that. It wasn't just muscle memory, it was the ability for the mind to overcome the body's weaknesses and pain and push through, acting in a way that was both rehearsed and unfamiliar, and acting contrary to pain that just moments ago was debilitating in a run or fight. 

 I entered this class not really expecting much. I figured it would be an easy way to fill my cultural pre-requisites, and I heard from some friends that it wasn't too rigorous. I am not particularly religious, although my household is, so I came in not expecting to have my worldview challenged much. Instead, I found an environment where the spiritual process and institutions such as prayer were described not in a catholic, or Jewish, or Islamic way, but as a deeply personal way that is detached from any one particular theistic belief set. I found it described in a way that enables me, as someone who does not practice faith, to be able to connect with ideas that formerly seemed uniquely ingrained in organized religion that followed a particular God or prophet figure. I found spiritual significance in geography, in other people's actions, and in detachment from modern institutions, which is something that the Abrahamic faiths don't put a massive amount of influence into. 

  The act of achieving flow is when one “merges actions with awareness”. In class Dr. Redick compared it to going into autopilot when driving home from the place you go to everyday (such as school or work). In this instance you are completely aware of what is happening around you, but the physical action of completing the process is almost effortless. You have reached a point of flow where it is not a battle against the trail everyday, instead you are able to work with it. I really liked the portion of spiritual rambling when it compares long distance hiking to that of pilgrimage. This means that any portion of the world could become holy to you, and not just places that are dubbed so. Pilgrimage is achieved through the act of the long distance hike, and not necessarily the locations. However, the nature aspect of long distance hikers merges with this statement. Because earth itself is seen as “God’s Creation” it is those creations that take you along the pilgrimage  

 I have learned a lot in this class over the semester. I learned things about different pilgrimages, religions and cultures, that I did not know before. When I found out that I was going to be in this class, I was not very excited. This was probably because I did not pick to be in this class, and I wanted to take something else. Rather than dropping the class before the first day of school, I decided to see how the first day would go. That first day was better than I thought it was going to be, and I kept the class. I am glad that I did because I got the opportunity to learn and read about many interesting things. I also gained some new perspectives on religion, history and the world. Maybe I will take another religious studies class if I can next year.

  The Mountain that was God in Washington state, is a holy site for native Americans in the US that stems from the early introduction of Christianity into their religions. Personally I found this lecture and reading very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about this mountain. Because it is considered a holy site to Indigenous people of northern America, the people believing in its power do not dare to travel onto the site out of fear of the consequences. On this specific mountain, however, the environment is fragile and not welcoming to outsiders. The dangerous wilderness includes mountain lions and glacier floods. It is a dangerous hike and the amount of people that die there, mixed with religious stories of the mountain makes a poetic combination.

  This Hindu mythological story is about the origin of diseases. Considering our current circumstances with the COVID-19 virus I think that this origin story adds an interesting take to the subject. In the story Daksha (the father in law of Shiva, the avenging and destroying god) held a ceremonial sacrifice of horses. He invited all of the gods except for one, which was Shiva. This absolutely enraged Shiva and during her temper tantrum a drop of her sweat and blood hit the earth and released a terrifying monster. This monster was known as a disease. Brahma (the creator god) promised Shiva that he/she would be invited to all further sacrifices if she would undo the monster that she created. This appeased Shiva and so she turned disease into micro figures that would only trouble humans, plants, and animals. I think that this origin story is very interesting and a peculiar take. When we think of higher beings, such as gods, we often only see them as capable of creating all that is bea...

  For my leadership class I had to read the book “Man’s Search for Meaning”. Although this was an assignment I thoroughly enjoyed the reading and the horrible, yet mind opening journey that the main character Frankl went on. Frankl is an inmate in the Nazi concentration camps of wwII. He also happens to be a Doctor in the field of psychology and spends his time analyzing the situation, how people are responding in the horrific situation, and keeping himself detached enough to be able to be open minded and analyze what he and the people around him are going through. While enduring the awful experiences of the Nazi camps Frankl set out to find the meaning of life. His findings resulted in a direct answer, which contained that setting goals for yourself and finding things you are passionate about and throwing yourself into those things is where the meaning in life comes from. He also explains that humans have a choice no matter what the circumstances are. I believe that these conclus...

El Santuario de Chimayo:            El Santuario de Chimayo is a small church located in the center of a small village named El Potrero. The church is widely known across the country for its special origin and supposed powers. This little unassuming church is so popular it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, most who are on a sacred journey or pilgrimage to experience what this holy structure has to offer.  While there are a few stories about how El Santuario de Chimayo gained its healing abilities and earned its special place as a sacred site, the most widely accepted is a story that begins with the man Don Bernardo Abeyta. In 1810, on the holy night of Good Friday, Abeyta observed a beam of light peeking out from the hills near a river in Chimayo. Naturally, he followed this light to find it was originating from the ground, then he began to dig. He unveiled a crucifix. His next move was to alert the priest, who decided to seize th...

Uluru or Ayers Rock is the most sacred site in all of Australia. The site belongs to the Anangu community of Aborigines that surround that rock. The rock, once trampled by tourists, is now being deemed a sacred site and the government of Australia is making it illegal for anyone to walk onto the site. Indigenous ceremonies have been taking place on this rock for over 10,000 years, and there are many many different folklore stories, passed down through generations about the site. Even now local community members still believe that ancestors remain on the rock. I believe that it is refreshing to see the government of Australia protect a holy land site with great importance to the indigenous inhabitants of the area. When looking at pictures it is very clear why the Anangu deem this site such a holy spot.  

  As someone who has never felt as though they truly belonged to a certain religion I have always enjoyed appreciating the religions of other cultures and looking at them with an open mind. Buddhism has always interested me greatly. I have always found it to be peaceful and a good pillar of thought. The idea of enlightenment has also always interested me, and I like how once true contentment was reached the Buddha went off to teach others what enlightenment had provided him. The four noble truths are the main teachings and ideas in which Buddhism is based on. The four noble truths include “ Life is suffering, the cause of suffering is craving, the end of suffering comes with an end to craving, and there is a path which leads one away from craving and suffering.” The last of these four noble truths lead followers of the religion down the Eightfold Path. The eightfold path consists of eight ideas that serve as rules. These guiding rules show Buddhist followers the correct ways to liv...

  It seems as though many of the spiritual journey hikes we have learned about in class consistently have an aspect of danger to them. Whether it is a journey along the Appalachian Trail fighting sickness, cold temperatures, and other harsh conditions, or through the isolated trails through canyons, the journey to a spiritual awakening is not an easy one. This makes adversity an integral portion of spiritual journeys. Being able to respond positively and effectively is important. The only way to achieve flow and the other phases of spiritual journeys is to become okay with being uncomfortable. One thing that I am curious about is how this adjustment transfers over into  everyday life. Can this complacent flow be applied well when working a 9-5 job? Or does going on a journey like this change your perspective for the average life our society has become accustomed to?

  For my research paper I talked about the many different factors that make the Appalachian Trail, as a spiritual journey, different for women and men. The trail itself is a spiritual journey for those who complete all 2,000 miles of it. Along with that it is a large accomplishment. In my paper I talked about many of the deterring factors that women face that make them much less likely to take the challenge of the Appalachian Trail. Some of those factors include added danger in regards to strangers because of their gender, gender inequality and discrimination that they may face while on the trail, and how their demographic and background change their perspective of the trail. These subjects are connected to the certain aspects about the trail that make it a spiritual journey. For example the complete solitude that one experiences while on the trail and in the green tunnel can be a stronger and possibly more shocking experience for women. This is because women are less likely to ex...

One outside reading I chose was the book Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.            Man’s Search for Meaning is a thought-provoking novel that gives insight into the lives of the average prisoners of the holocaust, written by a man named Viktor Frankl who experienced this tragedy firsthand. Frankl speaks of his experiences while imprisoned in a few of the different Nazi concentration camps, as well as illuminating some of the experiences that other regular prisoners endured during their imprisonment. He speaks of the daily torments and tortures they faced very factually and apathetically, which is the second of the psychological phases that he says the prisoners are subject to, the first being pure shock. He talks a great deal about the mental implications of being subjected to such a great deal of suffering and torture stating that if the prisoner does not have a strong mindset, that they will not survive. He also spoke a lot about religion...

  One thing that I have taken away from this class is that religious journey’s do not mean that you have to be a member of a specific religious group to be on a spiritual journey. While most spiritual journeys have to do with already established religions, many people go on spiritual journeys to bring themselves peace. For example on the Camino De Santiago many of the people were on the trail to accomplish goals other than being closer to the divine power they believed in. One of the women on the trail was trying to rid her life of the pessimism that had overcome it. I believe that is a beautiful thing and it makes these great journeys that people are taking very inclusive to everyone. Even though most people on the Camino De Santiago were catholic, the churches were not the main portion of the journey, and neither was the destination. 

  Over Thanksgiving break my older brother and I went on a silent hike. We hiked Cold Mountain, a local mountain from where I am from and part of the Blue Ridge’s. Although we had lots to catch up on, we stayed mostly silent throughout the hike. The silence was almost mind blowing. Other than the leaves crunching beneath your feet and the wind shaking the leaves from their positions, there was no sound that signified another human being from miles. After getting to the top and enjoying the pretty view, we discussed the fact that while climbing the mountain in silence it was slightly difficult to keep our minds focused on the task at hand. I could not help but to think a thousand different thoughts about everything that was currently and previously going on with myself. Even though self reflection was not my main goal for this hike, I found it interesting that it became what the hike was about.

  During class outdoors on the Nolan Trail and at lion’s bridge it was fairly warm and a clear day. The hot summer was not slowing down even though fall was about to arrive. This meant that all of the vegetation in the area was in full bloom. One of the most interesting things that Dr. Redick mentioned that the plants in the area were able to communicate with one another. This was beneficial to their survival because if a plant disease or infestation was spreading through the area they would be able to give off the chemicals to communicate that with the other vegetation. Each vegetation had a different texture and color making each plant beautiful both up close and when combined with one another. I thought that that aspect of our trip was very interesting.

Today, I completed all of my required reading from the book Landscapes of the Sacred. I think that this book was the most interesting book to read, compared to my other assigned readings. This book was a great resource for the papers that I had to write for this class. I will be re-reading certain parts of it to help me prepare for the final exam. If I was not required to read this book for class, I likely would have chosen to read it on my own. Once the semester is over, and I have more time, I might go back and read the chapters that I did not have to read for class. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about nature, culture or spirituality. 

 This semester I did not get outdoors as much as I would have liked to; however, I did have a great hike when I went back home for thanksgiving break. I went with my family to Conway Robinson State Park which is up in northern Virginia where I live. My family which consists of my mom, my sister and I have been going to that state park a few times a year for a while now. This particular time we brought our dogs with us to walk. It is not a very long hike the way we usually go, probably about 5 miles or so but there are many longer routes to choose from. This particular hike was special. After being away from home and my family for the longest I have ever been it was so nice to reconnect with them and go to one of our regular locations. But the location did not feel regular this time, it felt nostalgic almost even though I had only been gone for a few months. The cool breeze on the nice November day was very memorable, it is usually freezing cold in November, but not that day. It mus...

 Chapter 6:          At the beginning of this chapter Turner talks about the resurgence of Marian pilgrimages and images. Especially in the nineteenth century there was such an abundance of art focusing on Mary and her baby Jesus. I am currently taking an art history class as well and Mary and her child was a major major theme in art around those time periods, People were fascinated with her purity and obviously the holiness of her son. This was such an important event because it seemed to provide a link between humanity and the divinity of the holy God. Every other divine creature is invisible, not to be seen, heard or even have a proven  existence which obviously creates problems because it is impossible to know when or if one's prayer has been heard, making communication to the sacred very difficult. This must explain why pilgrimages begin when there is signs or "evidence" of a supernatural quality or being. The church of El...

 Chapter 1:          Turner describes Liminality as the state and process of mid-transition in a rite of passage. It is said that this liminal state has few or none of the attributes of the past or coming state. To be honest this kind of reminds me of this old show called the Twilight Zone. The show is from about the 1960's I believe and every episode is different but they all end the same, the main character or many characters end up in what they call the Twilight zone where the character(s) are in a state in between knowing what is real from knowing what is fake it even says in the show " It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone." Turner also says that liminality is not only transition but also potentiality, which can apply to almost anything. Turner also ...

 Chapter 9:           The story of the spider in this chapter was particularly interesting to me. The student who let the spider cast its web on him was obviously participating with nature, however I am sure he did not know the symbolism the spider carried at first, he was just captivated by the spiders quiet methodical activity and related with his desire for  a quiet action in his life. Apparently the spider is a historical symbol of varying meanings from quiet contemplation to moral weakness; however, as Ricoeur says there is a double-intentionality to these symbols, the direct meaning and a deeper analogical meaning. I have actually experienced a situation similar to this when I was younger. Quite a few years ago I was on the beach with my mom and I was just laying in the sand by my beach towel when a butterfly comes and lands right on my hand. I could not wait to show my mom so I actually got up and walked very carefully over t...

 Chapter 2 thoroughly deepened my understanding of sacred places. Lane says there is a change of consciousness when a regular place or a topos suddenly becomes a place of significance or a chora. He also brings up the idea that experiencing these topos and chora is like two different dimensions, which makes total sense especially when taking into account chora carries its own energy. It makes me wonder if that is where the word choreography from dance came from or if it was the other way around. There is also the dimensions of time which are chronos and kairos, chronos being merely the passage of time or ticking clock, but kairos is a moment bearing significance and meaning. Lane says to experience chora and kairos simultaneously is to truly encounter wonder. It got me thinking if I have ever encountered an experience such as that and not much comes to mind, so I guess I have that moment of pure wonder to look foreword to at some point in my life. Lane also talks about the way that...

  Wilderness As Axis Mundi focuses mainly on Christian scripture, and the spiritual journeys of the Appalachian Trail. It shows that the wilderness is based on one’s emotions, and the deeper symbolic meaning of objects people experience while on their journeys. This can directly relate to “Landscapes of the Sacred” because both of these readings relate to the setting the author experiences. Although Wilderness As Axis Mundi focuses on the symbolism behind places whereas Landscapes of the Sacred is more about the religious side of the landscapes, there are examples of symbolism. On page 82, Lane talks about the Pueblo kiva, and how it is represented as a symbolist locale and contains spirits of a totem pole. Due to this, these two readings can be easily linked because the symbolism behind certain locations in nature is covered.

  This reading mainly focuses on the flow experience that occurs when hiking mindlessly. This was particularly interesting to me because it expresses walking as very peaceful, but it requires these long-distance hikes in order to achieve the spiritual rambling state. Spiritual rambling creates a distance from reality, which can often only be achieved on these day-long hikes. In addition to this spiritual rambling, it emphasizes the importance of mental health during these hikes, and that it relaxes the mind in big ways. You can experience pretty landscapes such as lush farm fields and lots of wildlife along the way such as herons, ospreys, geese, and much more. From this reading, I noticed a similarity between this and “Pilgrimage of Tinker Creek”.

  Another nature experience I had was hiking a small part of the Appalachian Trail. I was able to do this because I am from an area in Virginia with a lot of mountains near Roanoke County. During my trek, I experienced a variety of things. I hiked this trail when I went home during fall break, so I could experience more colors from the trees and other landscapes. Since it was fall, the leaves on the trees were changing color, with colors like yellow, orange, and red. I hiked probably a total of five to six miles, and I experienced way more than I could have imagined. One day I would like to endure much more of the trail, and see even more of what it has to offer. 

I really enjoyed having class outside. The engaging environment opened my eyes to how beautiful nature really is. Seeing the diverse colors of the sun reflecting on the water and the other things like the water and the wildlife protection area became very interesting to me. The trail was fun to walk, and I also enjoyed the bridge with the lion statues and the overall look of it. The berries we ate were good, and this showed me the diversity and bushes and trees from the environment around me as well. All in all, the Lionsbridge trip showed me what Newport News has to offer, and I definitely see myself going back there again soon.

 This chapter of the book is about how religious symbols and spirituality are related. The author goes on to explain how simple things can later lead to complex thoughts and ideas. This happens because of the way humans view the world around them. "A place is often declared sacred or a spirituality gradually takes shape because of the symbol-making process by which humans make sense of the world around them. This essay is an effort to explore that process, reflecting on how the study of spirituality as an academic discipline is necessarily interdisciplinary in its attentiveness to the lived experience of theological insight within a selected cultural context." (Lane, Page 229). As humans, we have an instinct to want to learn and know about things. If we are not able to learn or read about something, we draw our own conclusions about the world around us. This was needed by early humans for survival, but today we use this instinct at work or in school. An academic study or rese...

  In this class, I’m often reminded of the movie Nomadland, and the book its based off of. Basically, the premise of the book is about “houseless” adults who have to travel the US in search of work and the movie focuses on the story of one woman. I know it’s not necessarily a pilgrimage, but there are similar elements. For example, because these people don’t have houses or even cars sometimes they have to rely on each other for a lot. They find communitas within the nomad society and groups and they form a support system because they’re all struggling financially and probably mentally and physically as well. In a way, I guess it could also be spiritual because these nomads are greatly struggling, but they're also trying to better themselves with the help of support from fellow nomads. Also, I think nomads remind me of pilgrims because nomads often have cars that they live in and live out of, and a pilgrim lives out of their packs, although it may only be temporary for the pilgrims....

  For my research paper, I’m focusing on the difference between pilgrims and tourists in terms of motivations and journeys. One of the sources I found on Jstor is about a woman and her husband who walked the Shikoku pilgrimage in Japan. I thought it was really interesting because she talked a bit about how buses and other modern modes of transportations are becoming more popular for pilgrims, which I thought was fitting because we’ve talked about bus pilgrims in class before. The Shikoku pilgrimage is the only circular pilgrimage in Japan, which is part of the reason so many people don’t do it on foot because it’s not as fast and efficient as a car or a bus. I also thought that it was cool to read about an Asian pilgrimage as opposed to the predominantly western pilgrimages we’ve gone over in class. She writes about passing by various temples and botanical gardens, so it was interesting to read about Buddist sacred places, and how their significance differs from Christian sacr...

 Reflection of the Heidegger and the Prospect of a Phenomenology of Prayer chapter:       This chapter was definitely a mind twister for me. I feel like the beginning and the end had two completely different vibes. I was lost in the beginning trying to figure out the ways that these two researchers were trying to scientifically study religion. In my opinion religion can not be scientifically studied, just observationally. Also talking about the deeper meanings of life at the beginning really threw me off because that is not something I can really wrap my head around. It also talked about religion and prayer being a way of life. I just cannot really comprehend trying to study someone's way of life especially empirically with no data or evidence of their practices such as speaking to a God that may or may not even be in existence. However, what I can understand is the longing for fulfillment which everyone has a bit of in their life. I admire Christians for f...

 A reflection of the Prayer as Kenosis chapter:           As a non-religious person I found this chapter to be very interesting. I have never really taken part in prayer even when I was going to church, because I did not even know where to start. I feel like this chapter perfectly encapsulated that confusion of praying for the wrong things or not knowing what to pray/how to pray for it and certain parts really stood out to me. On the very first page the book mentions how many pray for things such as victory or promotion with complete disregard to the losers in those situations. This stood out to me because that is something I have heard a lot of people talking about praying for such as winning a sports game or passing a test and even I have partaken in that without even believing in a God at all. It is extremely inconsiderate to the less fortunate in that situation and this cast light upon that. Another thing that stood out to me was the concept of the...

 I think the concept of earning a trail name fits perfectly into the comparison of a liminal pilgrimage. When someone embarks on a long journey, whether it's a wilderness hike like the A.T. or a cultural hike like the Camino.. the hiker is in a position of liminality. They are between who they once were and who they are actively becoming as they "shake away the village." Their journey's liminality puts them in a position for greater possibilities. By earning a trail name, the hiker can easily recreate their story and experience through a new ever-changing interpretation of their self-expression.

 Rumi Poem  In Baghdad, Dreaming of Cairo was our first reading in the class. It set the tone of what it means to be a pilgrim.   The answers are sometimes found when someone leaves home. Sometimes we have to part with the constraining roles we are forced to play in our daily lives. What is precisely left if we are stripped of our responsibilities and interactions? The big question of who we still linger to be answered. By embarking on a journey to find one's self, it's essential not to get lost by the dreams of the destination and forget to soak up the lessons of the trip itself. When embarking on a pilgrimage, we have to surrender that life is full of surprises, and like a trail, some twists and turns will differ from our expectations. By limiting the expectations, we leave room for true experiences that create real meaning. 

 Annie Dillards Pilgrimage A Tinker Creek This is another one of my favorite readings from class. I purchased this book because I enjoyed it so much. This reading reminded me again how extraordinary aspects of life are happening everywhere around me. If I simply pay attention and open my eyes, there are lessons to be learned by the natural world. I keep this in mind on every wilderness adventure I go on these days, and I try to keep my eyes open so I catch the small pieces of magic, whether it's a spider spinning a beautiful web and seeing the dew twink and shine across it in the early morning. Or the way huge flocks of starling birds coat the sky, shifting directions while moving in perfect sync with one another.  Nature is always a way to connect to an essence more significant than me or A way to be a part of tremendous energy or spirit in all living things. Some call that God. I don't have a name for it... I know it as something I feel. Every living thing on this spinning r...

 Thinking like a Mountains Aldo Leopold  And the Mountain that is God  I am connecting these two readings as I found overlap with the masked Mountain and how Aldo Leopold personifies the Mountain in the story of the wolf. I loved this reading.. as if it was almost an old wise take of the folk story describing an interaction with a place.  Only the mountains have lived long enough to listen objectively to the howls of a wolf. (the mountains are old and wise) The mountains have a personal opinion that outdates any man and living creature about the world. The Mountain has moved and been weathered and sits high up on its hill, objectively monitoring the world below them.  In this story, the Mountain is masked as an elder that is "all-knowing." This is similar to how Mount Rainer is masked as an "all-knowing" God. 

 Spiritual Rampling  My favorite concept and takeaway from this reading was how one enters the flow state, specifically on long-distance hiking or mindfulness walking. "my thoughts ran like a river of observations," and my thoughts came later through self-reflection. This experience is similar to the reading found in "Pilgrimage of Tinker Creek."  When hiking long distances, one offers encounter discomfort, whether physical pain or emotional loneliness. However, that suffering could be a form of kairos and a space where action falls upon action, and the individual can find awareness. When walking, you have to be mindful of where you're going to keep yourself safe. Putting one foot in front of the other becomes a unified flow to the next with little distance between the self and the environment around them. ******use this is a thesis  This kairos aisan emptying technique is conducted by shaking off the village, which allows the individual to recreate their life s...

 Chapter five  Locality and Universality Medieval pilgrimages This was not my favorite read I found it to be dense.  It described three pilgrimages.  The author compared Walsingham and Loreto as the Christian Meccas because they were nationally renowned and had international status and respect amongst the large spread Christian community.  One hundred thousand pilgrims a year passed through Walsingham, and today it is the same for the catholic pilgrimage. It was so renowned that many English Kings visited, including Henry III. However, the importance was placed on the ORDINARY pilgrims that devotion made the shrine into the great spiritual center it was.  Many of these centers were accompanied by traditional markets, and a lot of the shrines had unique relics (for example, bones of Saint.  James)

 Image of Pilgrimage and Christian Culture Page 1-39 Pilgrimage as a Liminoid phenomenon Liminality means to be in between In the pilgrim sense, it is the journey, not the destination, to be in the doorway of one's self and spirit.  Rites de Passage are marked by three things : Separation, limen, and aggregation.  Liminality is the literal sense of the word that refers to transition and what that in-between offers, which is the potential of what may be. I find this interesting because I feel as if it resonates with my season of life right now. A year from now, I know everything will be different. I have no clue what it will look like or what I will be doing. It's terrifying but exciting at the same time because I know I'm in a position of great potential, and I will only get to the destination by embarking on the journey of self-discovery. For this reason, I have strongly considered my through-hike pilgrimage.