Pilgimage
The tradition perceives the earth as a reservoir of energy or spiritual power. From the highest mountains of the Himalayas to Ireland's holy springs, features of landscape have been recognized by the enlightened as places where the earth's spiritual pulse is most strongly felt.
Traveling across the landscape towards a certain destination appears in many traditions as a metaphor for the process of inner spiritual growth and acquisition of knowledge. This is seen in its most literal sense in the act of pilgrimage in which physical and spiritual journey are simultaneous. In doing so, they hope to develop intimacy with nature, different kinds of people and more complete self and a closer relationship with the divine.
The idea of a pilgrimage without destination when the journey traveled is the goal, was thus expressed by the poet Walt whitman, who said,' The universe itself as a road, as many roads for traveling souls.'
Shankara, the famous philosopher goes a further step in pointing out that all the places of pilgrimage, all sacred waters are within.
In kashi panchaka ( a poem of five verses on Kashi, a pilgrimage center in India ), he says,' This body is Kashi, all pervading knowledge is the flowing river Ganges,devotion, faith is Gaya ( a sacred place of pilgrimage), meditation on the feet of the preceptor is Prayaga ( a pilgrimage center), this soul in me is the Almighty. When all are in my body, what other pilgrimage is needed?
The tradition perceives the earth as a reservoir of energy or spiritual power. From the highest mountains of the Himalayas to Ireland's holy springs, features of landscape have been recognized by the enlightened as places where the earth's spiritual pulse is most strongly felt.
Traveling across the landscape towards a certain destination appears in many traditions as a metaphor for the process of inner spiritual growth and acquisition of knowledge. This is seen in its most literal sense in the act of pilgrimage in which physical and spiritual journey are simultaneous. In doing so, they hope to develop intimacy with nature, different kinds of people and more complete self and a closer relationship with the divine.
The idea of a pilgrimage without destination when the journey traveled is the goal, was thus expressed by the poet Walt whitman, who said,' The universe itself as a road, as many roads for traveling souls.'
Shankara, the famous philosopher goes a further step in pointing out that all the places of pilgrimage, all sacred waters are within.
In kashi panchaka ( a poem of five verses on Kashi, a pilgrimage center in India ), he says,' This body is Kashi, all pervading knowledge is the flowing river Ganges,devotion, faith is Gaya ( a sacred place of pilgrimage), meditation on the feet of the preceptor is Prayaga ( a pilgrimage center), this soul in me is the Almighty. When all are in my body, what other pilgrimage is needed?
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