a pilgrimage

Back in Feb 2012 I mentioned ‘pilgrimage’. Is there something in the human psyche which seeks fulfilment from… pilgrimage?

• The biggest mass migration of people on the planet where two and a half million Muslims visit Mecca for the  Hajj.
• Over 600,000 annually visit Graceland to worship at the shrine of Elvis Presley.
• Our small group will ‘pilgrimage‘ to the birthplace of an influential disciplined methodical thinker and doer; John Wesley.

In 2002 John Wesley was listed at number 50 on the BBC’s list of the 100 Greatest Britons.

A pilgrimage need not be ‘a journey’, heaven forbid, this can be an overused escapist phrase. I have recently spent time during Advent and Lent attempting to reposition perspectives by refocusing and reflecting on ‘stuff’.

I understand pilgrimage to be: a specific move to a position outside the norm or to something significant – typically aiming for a place of importance central to or ‘at the heart of’ a person’s world view. A seeking to discover, understand or be healed? It would seem the idea of pilgrimage is a common human experience.

To venture outside of the norm…

I read books to discover? escape? understand?
I watch films to discover? escape? understand?
I listen to music to discover? escape? understand?
I sing and play music to discover? escape? understand?
I cycle to discover? escape? understand?
I surf the web to discover? escape? understand?
I imbibe festival and celebrations to discover? escape? understand?
I wander the countryside to discover? escape? understand?
I feed the birds and talk to my pets to discover? escape? understand?
I live to discover? escape? understand?

Most weekends we have a holiday “Holy Day” where we try to make an effort to do something to discover, escape, understand or experience something out of the ordinary.

Then again this might become the norm, to be constantly escaping to the void.

I wonder if a day cycling with strangers, aiming for the birthplace of an influential disciplined methodical thinker and doer John Wesley, might be a bit different?

If you can space a £1 please do 🙂

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