Pilgrimage Archives

An ancient spiritual practice, pilgrimage invites seekers to travel away from home on journeys of intention in search of Sacred Encounter and transformation. Find posts on pilgrimage below, learn more about pilgrimage on the about page, and sign up here to receive updates on new posts directly in your inbox.

Which Type of Pilgrim Are You?

Pilgrimage is a Sacred journey—a movement that brings us toward the Divine.

While pilgrims have set out on soul-stirring journeys in search of transformation and Sacred Encounter for thousands of years, the pilgrim isn’t simply a person on a physical journey. The pilgrim lives within each one of us and accompanies us on our journeys at home, too.

Which type of pilgrim are you, and where is the Sacred Guide leading? Begin your exploration by seeing if you align with one of these seven pilgrim archetypes:

the nomad

A pilgrim with no destination in mind, the Nomad is a wanderer, compelled to leave what is known behind even if it means there’s no clear path ahead.

the seeker

Fueled by a certainty that something more awaits just beyond the horizon, the Seeker’s quest is to follow the Light, knowing that it always leads to Life.

the wayfarer

Rooted in the Old English word fær, meaning “journey” or “passage,” the Wayfarer is the traditional pilgrim following the well-worn path of those who have gone before him.

the pioneer

A pilgrim in spirit and a visionary at heart, the Pioneer sets off down unmarked paths and blazes new trails, unafraid to encounter the wilderness of the unknown on his search for the Sacred.

the sojourner

A sojourn is a temporary stay, and the Sojourner is a pilgrim in a liminal place—a traveler in between one season of life and the next.

the voyager

The Voyager is one who, as the Celtic tradition of peregrinatio tells us, wanders for the love of God, setting out into life’s tumultuous seas, like St. Brendan the Navigator and St. Columba of Iona, with faith as his guide.

GO FURTHER

Learn more about these pilgrim archetypes and incorporate them into your daily pilgrimage practice with the Pilgrim Archetype Deck in the Journey Shop. Along with an archetypal image, each card contains a guiding quote, a description, a shadow side, and rich symbolism to further unveil the journey’s invitation. In addition, each card provides invitations for spiritual practice, with unique breath prayers and opportunities for imagery work through the practice of visio divina. Use these cards as icons, meditations, and guides to summon your inner pilgrim, uncover your current journey, or discern the path ahead. Visit the Journey Shop »

5 Creative Ways to Fund a Pilgrimage

There’s no denying it: Going on pilgrimage can be pricey.

With travel and accommodations, facilitator fees, and more, costs can quickly add up. I often hear from seekers who are longing to go on pilgrimage—whether it’s a trip I’m leading, a journey led by another, or a pilgrimage of their own design—and yet the reality of finances stands in the way of their desires.

I’m always excited to tell them, though, that their circumstance doesn’t equal the end of the road. Just like a pastor following a call to the pulpit or a missionary responding through a life of service, your “yes” to pilgrimage is a “yes” to the invitation of the Sacred Guide, and when you apply some intention and even invite others to join you in your calling and on your quest, you’ll be surprised by how quickly generous and enthusiastic support—financial and otherwise—falls into place.

Are you longing to go on pilgrimage but need some ideas to make it happen financially?

What makes a pilgrimage a pilgrimage?

The spiritual practice of pilgrimage is as ancient as they come. For thousands of years, pilgrims have set out on soul-stirring journeys to Sacred sites. Some of these pilgrimages were a religious requirement—a pillar of faith, as with the Hajj in Islam. Other journeys were taken as a gesture of penance, as with the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, where upon completion of the journey it was declared that your sins were forgiven. Others were undertaken in pursuit of healing, as with Lourdes, or simply because of the pilgrim’s desire to encounter the Holy in tangible ways, such as pilgrimages taken to the Holy Land to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

While these journeys differ in purpose and pursuit, they each share one thing in common: they’re tied to a destination. In fact, the practice of pilgrimage has been tied to a destination for most of its existence, always thought to be a journey to a place of significance.

To many, it seems as if this is the main requirement. But I’m here to tell you that pilgrimage is not as much about the destination as it might seem—at least the traditional ones often thought of when the practice of pilgrimage comes to mind. While many might define a pilgrimage as a journey to a Sacred site, I like to put more emphasis on the entirety of the journey rather than just the destination.

It’s All Saints’ Day and the start of the season of remembrance!

To celebrate, in today’s new Pilgrim Podcast Episode I’m talking with Christine Valters Painter of Abbey of the Arts about one of her favorite spiritual practices—ancestral pilgrimage. In it, we discuss her own journey to uncover her ancestry, how she’s experienced healing in her relationship with her father even though he passed long ago, practices to honor and connect with ancestors in this liminal season, and more.

You’re not the only one.

Not long ago we talked about the pilgrim abroad. Perhaps, like many of us here, you’re a seeker at heart and long to be a pilgrim, but one thing is missing—the pilgrimage. It’s not the right season, you don’t have the money, you can’t take the time away. The truth is, though, we are all on journeys—journeys of faith, journeys in relationship, journeys of discovering what we love and who we really are. And when we bring the intention and awareness of the pilgrim to these journeys, our everyday lives are transformed.

While the practice of pilgrimage traditionally involves journeys to far-off Sacred sites, I have a secret to tell you: You don’t have to leave home to begin living like a pilgrim. All you need to do to begin practicing pilgrimage every day is to see your life as a journey and your role as a Seeker of the Sacred. Are you on the path of the pilgrim at home?

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Which pilgrim path are you on?

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the pilgrim at home

the pilgrim abroad