(Tomasito photo)
20.
Prayer
When I am on pilgrimage, do I “pray” during such mundane lunch breaks?
Prayer is certainly an embarrassingly old-fashioned concept.
Lots of people hate the very sound of the word the notion seems so unfamiliar or so phoney to them—and sometimes in my life it has sounded false to me also though I was raised among “believers”.
Well, I don’t know. For me sometimes “prayer” is words and sometimes it is silence and sometimes it is not so much “praying” as allowing oneself to be “prayed” by whatever “God” is—and there is more than enough mystery there to keep a contemplative soul busy for several lifetimes.
My pilgrimming colleague Peace Pilgrim once said, “Prayer is a concentration of positive thoughts.” and for my kind of pilgrimage of course, the Jesus prayer or some other traditional prayer is the literal environment for every breath.
For some, pilgrimage is a way to atone for past sins, but for me pilgrimage does not cancel out the sins of a lifetime but does provide a certain austerity and occasion to think about their cause and effect.
These wayside field crosses are gentle, periodic reminders for me of who I am, and what I am, have been and will be.
I really don’t know what these field crosses mean to the people who erect and care for them, but they seem purposely designed to inspire a pilgrim like me—and you never see them on the autobahns because high speed driving is not the best time to meditate, though it may be a very good time to pray!
There still may be something to say for being a spiritual athlete after all since “The Way” is said to be narrow, difficult and hard to find––and the crowds probably still miss it, even with the benefits of mass communication and global advertising— since there are, as yet, no package tours to the “kingdom of heaven”––to the chagrin of hoteliers, tour operators and travel writers!
I don’t say that I have found it—that narrow and difficult way. I am just reporting my experience with one traditional way of spiritual development which the old-timers recommend.
I want to report my experience to you but I also know that the way to be a real pilgrim is not to go gather information, return home and tell what happened--since that IS the job of a travel writer.
No, you don’t go on pilgrimage to “show and tell”—you go to go.
Walking, walking, one foot in front of the other, toward the goal…
Tomasito, 2009
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2 comments:
"For some, pilgrimage is a way to atone for past sins, but for me pilgrimage does not cancel out the sins of a lifetime but does provide a certain austerity and occasion to think about their cause and effect."
That's some walk- whatever could you have done- that you'd need that kind of time to "think" about it?...
I'm still in awe of the extent of your adventure... but there must have been something beyond "sins"... I'm thinking you're just a health nut.
Although that kind of repetitive movement must have had some sort of effect on them old bones.
So perhaps not the healthiest choice. now- had you been able to swim all that- I understand that may have been easier on your knees and such.
pardon- just rambling- long day at work- I like catching up on your writings-
Hello Paul. No apology necessary.
I actually don't even believe in "sin"--just poor choices--and it is very possible to make poor choices when you are pilgrimming too.
Though I come from a "Christian" background--and some of THEM are very obsessed by "sin"--I am not.
My long pilgrimages HAVE been over the top, as the British say, but as you know, I like the challenge of travel and different lands and situations and I found the mantra-type "repetitious" prayer (the Hindu "japa", I think) suited me to a T as I walked or rode a bicycle--and I like the idea of a kind of mysterious goal too.
--You mentioned your own long walks--they might have been in the same vein, perhaps.
Solo long distance pilgrimage IS good for the health in lots of ways--you simply CAN'T get fat on hedge soup. And you get lots of fresh air sleeping rough and plenty of healthy exercise.
Also there' no boss telling you what to do and no bills to pay and nothing to buy (nor money to buy it with!)or much to worry about or anyone to argue with--everything's simplified for a pilgrim.
I had plenty of time--(the rest of my life) and thought it might be good for me (as other people in other ages have found it to be).
Pilgrimages of the kind I made are just not being done these days--but I thought it would be not only fun but good to try it.
It is NOT for everybody, but it was my way at that time. And, by the way, I have never met anyone else who did it.
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