Reflections on Stages

In something I was recently reading about pilgrimage, I came across the idea of pilgrims doing their journey 12 stages. There is the longing, then preparation and thirdly setting out.

Maybe a few reflections on each of these while I sit on the plane somewhere over the Indian Ocean.

Longing. Pilgrimage has been with me for a long time. When I was first on a reflective retreat over 25 years ago in the UK, we were asked to journal the outline story of our lives and give the whole story and each chapter, a title. I called mine "Travelling Tim". This was not primarily because I had done a huge amount or particularly loved traveling, but more out of the the sense of spiritual journey that has been part of my life. Each of the major trips I have done since are called pilgrimages' in my journal and have been an important part of my growth. I guess the idea of actually walking a real live pilgrimage journey, began on the Island of Iona way back in 1996, when I walked the Island pilgrimage (only a day, Iona is a tiny Island off the West cost of Scotland). A former warden of the Iona Community, Peter Millar became a friend and on a visit to Tasmania, created a spontaneous pilgrimage around my home town of Sheffield while he guided a Celtic Spiritual Retreat. Then friends began to head off on the Camino in Spain, Santiago de Compostella and would come back with significant stories and reflections on the inner changes that occurred in their lives. Being due to take Sabbatical leave this year the idea was born around 2 years ago. Originally we thought for Spain, but two things shifted for us. Our daughter, Maddie, ended up on exchange in Italy. We began to hear that the Camino was getting very popular and even crowded. So when we heard of the remarking of the Via Francigena to Rome, we thought this is for us!

Another friend has had me thinking over recent years about the spirituality of walking. Rhythm. Distance. Pace. Limits. So much of our lives revolve around speed, getting here and there by the fastest way. Save time. See it on TV. I sense in myself I have been moving too fast over recent months. Time for a change of pace. One of the Via Francigena sites is sponsored by the Italian 'Movemento Lento', the Slow Movement. The is a deep inner appeal in this for me. I enjoy walking the Tasmanian wilderness, this will be very different but enjoyably slow.

The inner side of pilgrimage has also been important as part of shaping the longing stage. My work takes me into some ugly and difficult territory from time to time. I am looking forward to some important opportunities to regain perspective, to enjoy nature, beauty, history and culture and to be spiritually refreshed, however this happens. I have no real idea how that will happen. As pilgrimage wisdom is often quoted, ,,"on the way you will find your answer". This is apparently true even if you do not yet know the question.