Whether you want to seal your faith, explore your beliefs or simply enjoy some good scenery, pilgrimage holidays can reap massive personal rewards. We challenge the stigma that a pilgrimage is a purely religious experience, and outline the top pilgrimage destinations worldwide.
‘Developing a spiritual belief system stimulates personal identity and control over peace and personal happiness,’ says life coach Karrin Lawrence. ‘But a pilgrimage can work on so many different levels. The trick is in understanding your own particular purpose and ensuring you reach your spiritual or emotional goals.’
These might be simply taking some time out by yourself, questioning your choices or even strengthening a relationship bond. ‘Undergoing a pilgrimage as part of a couple can mean you challenge one another’s beliefs. This can change your perceptions of one another and enhance your relationship with a new, deeper understanding,’ says Karrin.
Undertaking a pilgrimage will be something out of the ordinary for most people, and yet is following in the footsteps of other men and women over many centuries. Karrin explains that ‘Doing something new by doing something old is an interesting concept. Modern day living is so far removed from our instinctual, emotional and physical selves. We chase after having more money, the best career, the happiest children, and the best body. But by following in the footsteps of our ancestors, we are symbolically gaining a rite of passage to finding and being our true selves.’
Adjusting to life after your journey needn’t be difficult. ‘If you’ve found any gems of knowledge or wisdom during your travels on any kind of pilgrimage, then far from feeling dull and ordinary on your return to normal life, you will feel enhanced. Spiritual knowledge – unlike a nice tan – is not left in the place you visited, but becomes a part of you forever.’
Inspired? Read on to discover more about the world’s top pilgrimage destinations
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