First Steps
“The pilgrim’s progress is … an interior journey, a spiritual exercise, and a physical journey toward an actual site imbued with a divine character. "
Nicholas Shrady
WE ARE DEVELOPING A NEW FORMAT
TRANSFORMATION IN A TRANSFORMING TIME
Co-Founders Linda and Philip are eager to hear of your dreams for pilgrimage as travel opportunities reopen. We have been to Central and South America as well as the British Isles and France. We can always return to these places and would be pleased to explore other locations. If the pilgrimage you have in mind is not something we can do ourselves, we will find leaders with a similar approach who may be of help to you.
OUR PREFERRED WAY TO TRAVEL
A few things are certain -- we do not want to hurry people onto a bus after breakfast, then spend the day racing from one site to the next. We much prefer to select a few sites that truly represent the spiritual significance of our goals. In other words, more time in a few sites is preferable to a short time in lots of sites.
WHERE DO LINDA AND PHILIP LIKE TO GO?
We have been to Iona, a "thin place" a number of times and are always pleased to return with any number of pilgrims. Iona's natural beauty and accessibility (once you get there!) is amazing.
St. Columba founded the Abbey and monastic community on Iona in the Sixth Century. It quickly become a focal point for an unusual blend of Celtic and Christian spirituality that recognized the interconnection between humans, nature, and the Divine. Kings and queens chose to be buried there and pilgrims made the difficulty journey to visit the Abbey and experience the “thin place” – the island itself – where there is little separation between the self and the Holy.
We suggest spending about a week on the island staying in the very comfortable St. Columba Hotel. Most mornings we can offer presentations on Celtic Spirituality and Jungian Psychology that also recognize the importance of paying attention to nature. Afternoons can be open for offerings from outdoor activities. Each pilgrim will be able to shape their pilgrimage as the Spirit moves them. And there is the magnificent Abbey itself that offers two worship services each day.