Iona Pilgrimage

We have been to this "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  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.

In the past we have invited a number of resource people to join us. They include the people you see elsewhere on this page. With their help we plus our own experience we can offer presentations and field trip on Celtic Spirituality, Jungian Psychology, mindful photography, geology, sea bathing, music, and much more.  

However, time on Iona is not about being busy. It is is about being in this "thin place." The island is four and half miles long and 2 and half miles wide at at widest point. There are hills to climb that have 360 degree views of the nearby islands in the North Atlantic. There are several beaches that all have historical stories to tell. There is Staffa Island nearby with Fingal's Cave and some unusual geological formations and nesting puffins in the Spring.

We can help you shape your Iona pilgrimage to the needs and interests of your grou and bring along our resource friends shown elsewhere on this page.

  Lisa Whitfield , music leader and teacher

Lisa grew up in a musical family in Florida, learned to play guitar at a high level, and found her musical niche in elementary school music. Some of Lisa’s influences are Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, Ellis Paul, and Tom Paxton; and she is most likely to listen to an eclectic mix of bluegrass, Americana, old country, and jazz. 

Lisa says, “One of my favorite things about working with adults and music is to take that person who say they can’t sing and help them see that they can! When we’ve worked for a harmony and it clicks – wow! That excites me.” Lisa was an Iona “first-timer” on our 2019 pilgrimage and was inspired to take time to explore her spiritual side, walk, breathe, and worship in the Abbey as well as making beautiful music with all of the pilgrims.

          Jerry R. Wright, Jungian analyst 

                                 and author

Jerry has led pilgrimages across the globe, yet his favorite place is the wee island of Iona where the veil is very thin.  He loves the undeveloped nature of the island that provides a fresh experience of the natural world.  A former Presbyterian minister, his current ‘faith community’ are the scattered friends with whom he has shared pilgrimages over the past twenty years.  This will be his 12 group on Iona. Jerry finds delight in the natural world of western North Carolina, often accompanied by his canine companion and muse, Muffin, as they ponder life’s unanswerable, yet unavoidable, questions.

Author, Reimagining God and Religion: Essays for the Psychologically Minded, (Available @ Chironpublications.com)

     Kinlay Francis, Scottish Islands native and historian, founder Orkney Uncovered

Kinlay Francis is a Viking giant with an enormous heart and a contagious passion for exploring the world. Kinlay has had a long association with the Royal Navy Fleet Diving Squadron and is an honorary member of their brotherhood. He enjoys pursuing his passions for hiking, scuba diving, and geology back in his native islands. Kinlay proudly traces his ancestry back to Swedish Varangian Vikings in the year 920, half a millennium before Orkney became part of Scotland. He and his wife Kirsty operate Orkney Uncovered, a service that provides customized guided tours of Orkney’s many remarkable sites that has been endorsed by travel guru Rick Steves.   

               Martha Hoelzer combines 

             spirituality and photography

As a photography professional and teacher, Martha delights in the beauty of the natural world, and in helping people to see things, both outer and inner, in wider and deeper perspectives.  Her camera remains a magic tool for her art, an art she will share in classes and hikes around beautiful Iona.  

She was reared in Alabama, graduated from the University of North Carolina, and now resides in nearby Durham.  While at the University, she was a photographer for the daily newspaper, and a runner on the collegiate team, a regular discipline she has maintained, along with yoga.  On Iona she may often be seen running ahead of the group helping with the important logistics of transportation, housing, and assembly.

During these difficult times, the natural world remains a place of refuge and respite, just as Iona has been for centuries. This will be Martha’s second pilgrimage to the sacred isle. 

Day 1  

Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport

     + 17:00 wine and cheese reception, introductions, dinner, overnight in hotel

(included)

Day 2  

+ 8:15 breakfast

     + 8:30 travel to Iona

     + 16:00 St. Columba hotel check-in and orientation, happy hour, dinner

     + 21:00 Abbey worship

Days 3-8

     + 7:45 Breakfast (starts in silence)

     + 9:00 Abbey Worship

     + 9:45 Presentations

     + 12:30 lunch on own and open time

     + Special programs

     + 17:30 Happy Hour

     + 18:15 Dinner

     + 21:00 Abbey Worship

Day 9 - Quiet Day

       + 16:00  Closing Ritual

Day 10

     + 7:45 Return to Glasgow Airport

     + 17:00 arrive Glasgow Airport 

      NOTE:  overnight Airport Holiday Inn

        NOT INCLUDED

possible afternoon activities 

     + Pilgrim’s Walk to Columba Beach

     + Hike to monk’s cave

     + Hike to Dunn I

     + Walk to North beaches

     + Boat to Staffa

     + Geology on Mull

     + Bike trip

     + Kayak trip

     + Photography walks