9 Spiritual Journeys Across Ancient Trails
Throughout time, spiritual seekers have traveled austerely across paths still visible today to find fulfillment, knowledge, improvement or to touch and feel history. Such paths, always traced on the ground, by millions of travelers ahead of us, deliver a sort of both, rugged physical trail and personal contemplation. No matter if one is in search of self-improvement, spiritual enlightenment or simply solitude together with an opportunity to follow the paths of ancestors, nine historical trails worldwide offer a journey to both.body and spirit.
1. The Camino de Santiago, Spain
Regarded perhaps as the most popular pilgrimage of today the Camino de Santiago or Way of St James has been tread for one thousand year now. Extending to a coastal plain of the Atlantic Ocean, in northern Spain from Galicia to Santander, the Camino skirts undulating farmland, valleys of vineyards, and pretty hamlets and villages and it closes at the awe-inspiring Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the reputed tomb of St. James.
Camino is not only the walking path but the journey for the mind and spirit too: people commonly wake up in a different person and have no worries when they reach the end of the day. This is an excellent chance to free yourself from stress and each-tracing life routines as a pilgrim and as a wanderer you discover yourself on the Camino.
2. Mount Kailash Kora, Tibet
As one of the most famous and holy places for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Bonners Mount Kailash presents a powerful light for everybody. People come from all over the world touching the mountain or going around it once is said to wash all your sins and bring light.
Kora, a 52-kilometre long circumambulation; can be arduous in terms of pilgrimage through high altitude geographical terrains; rocky and tough and yet beautiful beyond any artistic imagination as is the Tibetan Plateau. Still, the pilgrimage around Mount Kailash is very inspiring because overwhelming sense of awe and reverence for the sacred mountain.
3. Shikoku Pilgrimage, Japan
Shikoku is an island of Japan and in order to cover all 88 temples one shall need to walk through a distance of 1200 kilometres. It is an old trail that is dedicated to the Buddhist monk Kukai who is believed to have established most of temples in the area.
The Shikoku Pilgrimage is therefore a walk around the temples but it also has a more profound meaning regarding ones wellbeing. Tourists can pay and light a incense at each temple in specific Buddhist ceremonies and many involve the journey is just as much to, while discovering the cultural heritage of Japan.
4. The Pilgrims’ Way, England
The Pilgrims’ Way is the line that for over 600 years has connected Winchester to Canterbury today and passing through the middle of the countryside. Originally used by pilgrims in the middle ages en-route to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral the walk has a variety of historical points of interest and stunning scenery.
The Pilgrims’ Way taking you through beautiful, still countryside passing through woodlands, hills and picturesque villages is enjoyable and can be taken in with an atmosphere of reflection. The destination of the journey — Canterbury Cathedral — has always been associated with Christian faith and pilgirmsae in England.
Planning a Journey?
When going for spiritual reasons it can add to your time of the journey to think about small details in your day to day life such as where you will park your car when going to the airport. If you are flying from Gatwick, why not leave your car and get it back picked up at Gatwick service – meet and greet Gatwick?
Whenever one would be booking parking it would be important to take some time and look at available airport parking deals. Yes, you will be able to spend less, but more importantly, advance booking may guarantee a place for you thus enhancing your traveling experience.
5. Kumano Kodo, Japan
The Kumano Kodo is primarily an ancient trail of pilgrimage that connected and passes through the Kii Peninsula of Japan. Since the Yayoi period over a thousand years ago this has been a site of shrine for both Shinto and Buddhist religions.
The most famous one is the Nakahechi course – the forest path, mountain pathway and rural villages passing through ancient groves finally reach an important Shinto shrine called Kumano Hongu Taisha. The wonderful attractiveness of the areas affiliated with those shrines plus the religious importance of the sites turns this trip into the pilgrims’ meditation and silence.
6. The Inca Trail, Peru
This spiritual trail commonly known as Inca trail is one of the most impressive and famous world’s routes to the majestic city of Machu Picchu. Raw travelers this historic trail beneath to be the sacred roadway of the Incas in a city, including crossing Andes Mountains, cloud forests, other archaeological sites and the Lost City of the Incas.
Namely, many people seeing the Inca Trail as irreplaceable opportunity to experience the breathtaking landscapes. Historically, the trip has happened mainly for religious purposes, but the ban for example, trail itself, the energy of the place, watching the magnificent temple in the morning, turns this into a pilgrimage in an actual physical and spiritual sense.
7. The Appalachian Trail in the United States
Another trail which does not qualify for listing under pilgrimage per se is the Appalachian Trail stretching across the eastern part of America has increasingly become the modern pilgrimage journey. Spanning from Georgia to Maine and with the length of 2,184 miles, the trail ends up laying across the most beautiful terrains of North America including forests, mountains and rivers.
The Appalachian Trail is a chance for not only physical growth but also to find something in ourselves we have never seen before. They have said that the lack of human interaction that the trail provides, as well as the ability to be at one with everything including trees, rocks and river enable many hikers to feel calm and at one with the world similar to their feelings of spirituality in church.
8. Mount Sinai, Egypt
The mount Sinai has always been very special in the ear of many people especially those with Jewish, Christians, and Muslims faiths. It is known that it is the mountain on which Moses received the Ten Commandments hence it is counted among the holiest of mountains.
It is arduous trek in the morning to get to the top of Mount Sinai using candle light before sunrise the experience is fascinating and religious. Coming with the break of the sun, over the desert area, several complainants tell of feeling close to the deity and history.
9. Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka
Mount Adam’s or Adam’s Peak also Sri Pada is the single sacred site of Sri Lanka revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christian pilgrims. The mountain itself has an imprint of a foot at the top which has religious significance for followers of the Buddha, Shiva, Adam or St. Thomas.
A climb to Adam’s Peak is an arduous one and is usually done at night to see the peak of the sunrise from the Mountain. The religious connotation of the mountain, beautifying sceneries make this trip a special one for Christians and tourists in general.
Conclusion
From practicing the Camino de Santiago in Spain to climbing the mountains in Mount Sinai, these acts of pilgrimage are not only undertaking an ardent exercise but a worthwhile chance to self-awakening and linking with some sort of divinity. When planning for your own trip, it will also help to sort out everything right from parking at the airport so that you can focus on the main event.
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