practicing pilgrimage at home and abroad
Jenny Wade is a Seattle-based therapist and yoga instructor, and today we talk about the significance of the body when it comes to the spiritual journey, as well as how opening ourselves up to the Sacred Feminine—whether we’re male or female—can impact how we relate to our bodies, our faith, and our way of being.
In today’s episode I speak with spiritual director, writer, and contemplative activist Ryan Kuja about approaching mission work through the lens of pilgrimage, the practice of contemplative activism, and how to engage some of the difficult conversations arising today with prayer and intention. (Note: The sound was a bit off from time to time on Ryan’s end, but his words speak loud and clear!)
Pronounced “hoo-gah” (its adjective is even better: hyggeligt, pronounced “hoo-gah-lee”), hygge can translate to “cozy,” and who doesn’t love that? It especially is attractive in the cold winter months. Multiple books have come out on the subject just this year, and even the New York Times has caught on to the trend.
These are the words of Jesus (Matthew 25:35), and yet in light of recent events, somehow they seem so foreign. How can a country that is made up mostly of immigrants deny those who seek the refuge that their ancestors once sought? How can a mandate drafted by those who claim to follow Jesus (wrongly) prioritize Christians and yet completely neglect Christ? And how can pastors and priests step up to the pulpit and not utter a word about the injustice being done to the least of these?
Don’t know what a what resolution is? For an example, let’s go with the archetype of all New Year’s resolutions: you join a gym. You commit to work out everyday, but then one morning your 6am alarm seemed particularly early, and before you knew it you rolled over and pressed snooze. This is a what resolution, a fleeting intention that dies quickly once you become distracted. It’s focused on doing, and once the doing ends, the resolution often ends with it.
It’s not that it wasn’t good resolution; it just didn’t give you the grace and guidance you needed to really make a change. My theory? It’s because we often start with the what instead of the why.