Forty Days a Pilgrim

In the Middle Ages, pilgrimages were popular. A group of people who may or may not have known each other ahead of time gathered, traveled together, stopped at shrines/altars to offer prayers of beseeching or thanksgiving. They were led by a monk/friar/priest, who read to them and encouraged spiritual conversation. Their travel was (ideally) a deliberate, spiritual one.

I’m creating a virtual pilgrimage during the forty days of Lent. We start at a newly created Facebook group: Forty Days a Pilgrim. The travelers are assembling as we speak.

Once gathered, we’ll start our journey on Ash Wednesday. This will be accomplished via labyrinth walks. Find one near you, or make a finger labyrinth, or…? I’ll provide detailed labyrinth instruction, in case some are new to the practice. Twice a week, I’ll send a labyrinthian meditation (I have books with great ideas – I’m not that clever all by myself.) 🙂 You’re free to use them or not, as the Spirit moves you.

Our spiritual leader will be Barbara Brown Taylor. Her book, An Altar in the World, will make a wonderful focal point for our travels. It’s available via Amazon or other bookstore (I have a Kindle download in addition to a hard cover) and it’s readily available in libraries.

We can read a chapter a week (not too arduous) or more if the group decides. We can take turns choosing a chapter. As we read, we can talk together on our Facebook page.

We’ll share prayers. We’ll share ‘travel.’ We’ll share our lives. I would love if we could even – via Skype or FB or something – share a meal or two! People are already ‘assembling’ from around the world.

Everyone can choose how much or how little they wish to participate. There is no pressure, no expectations. No one will be keeping score. We’ll just be journeying together and loving one another.

I hope that by honoring the way of the pilgrim, we’ll leave Lent as changed people – at least in little ways. (I can hope for total life transformation, right?)

So, what do you think? Are you ‘in’?