The Journey In

We all love to travel but what about travel as pilgrimage? Stepping outside of time & daily life and going to an unknown place in search of new or expanded meaning? This is the definition of a pilgrimage, a journey in, rather than a journey to. 

After visiting the temple island of Shikoku in Japan last year we became fascinated by the idea of pilgrimage. The island is ringed by 88 Buddhist temples dating back 1,200 years and pilgrims walk from one temple to the other, a distance of roughly 1150 kms, which can take anywhere from one to a few months to complete. We stayed in a pilgrim guesthouse at Yakuohji Temple 23 and met people of all ages, races & walks of life who had decided to take this journey. For some the purpose was to connect with something higher, for others it was to reconnect with themselves.

Our new favorite magazine Emergence has an incredible piece that's the next best thing to being on the Shikoku pilgrimage yourself. It's an immersive experience, so make cup of tea and enjoy a moment of deep beauty & reflection and who knows, maybe even inspiration for your next journey.