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Realize value of pilgrimage

Young Bites. Dated: 10/14/2017 10:57:12 AM

Pilgrimage is a meaningful journey to a sacred place. It provides the opportunity to step out of the non-stop busyness of our lives, to seek a time of quiet and reflection. It gives us the chance to ‘walk through’ those issues that we have on our minds, whatever they might be. It is a time of simply ‘being’ rather than always ‘doing’. Pilgrimage can also be a highly sociable activity, allowing us to enjoy the company of others we meet on the road. It gives us the chance re-energise mentally, physical and spiritually. And it allows us to reconnect with our cultural heritage and the natural world—as well as to refresh our faith or seek spiritual direction. Pilgrimage can be a life-changing, transformational experience. A time of letting go of the old to let the new come in. Pilgrims don’t merely visit a place as tourists, they come away inspired and changed by it in some way. Going on pilgrimage may give us a new sense of awareness and wonder. Or result in a greater sense of our life’s purpose. Pilgrimage helps to illuminate the journey of life by helping us to focus on ‘what really matters’ and to rediscover the joy of giving and generosity. And to have a greater appreciation for life’s gifts. Pilgrimage is a sacred journey. It is a process that is not meant to simply get away from it all, but to allow oneself to encounter, see, and experience the Divine. This is accomplished by associating with holy people, visiting the holy places where the pastimes of the Divine have taken place, and where the sacred temples allow darshan: the Vision of the Supreme. Pilgrimage means living very simply, and going toward what is holy and most sacred, and remaining focused on the opportunity of having a life-changing experience. In this way we will undergo voluntary austerities for purification to relieve ourselves of lifetimes of karma. This process will help change our consciousness and our perception of our spiritual identity and how we fit into this world, and help us gain access to the spiritual dimension through enlightenment. There are several reasons why many people go on pilgrimage tours of the holy sites and temples of India. One, of course, is to dovetail our interest in travelling and seeing foreign lands into a way of acquiring spiritual merit. Most everyone likes to travel and see new countries and sights and inspiring places, and some of the most stimulating places are those of spiritual importance where historical events or miracles have taken place, or where significant spiritual incidents have happened as described in various spiritual texts and epics, such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, etc. One of the most important reasons for going on pilgrimage tours and seeing the places of spiritual importance is to meet other saintly people who follow a spiritual path and see how they live. This is especially the case with saints and sages who can help us by giving their association and sharing their spiritual knowledge and realizations. This is of prime importance for us in order to align our lives in a similar manner so we can also make spiritual progress.