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Pilgrimage

© Yeshe Chodon

Pilgrimage is forever linked in my mind with the Canterbury Tales. I slept so deeply in Chaucer class that the images were burned into my subconscious not unlike a computer screen left on too long into the night.

Immediately after that association, comes the image of pilgrimage to Mecca.

At http://www.the-webplaza.com/hajj/index.s... we get information about Hajj, the obligatory once-in--a-lifetime pilgrimage of Muslims "to Makkah, Saudi Arabia during the month of Dhul Hijah. Hajj, the Fifth Pillar of Islam, is absolutely required on all capable Muslims. Umrah, when performed independent of Hajj, is the optional lesser pilgrimage and may be accomplished anytime during the year."

A mandatory pilgrimage; a guilt-free vacation. Would that every religion had this stipulation. One could do worse. Well, I hate to take that much time off from work, but...it is absolutely required...

For the rest of us, pilgrimage is an informal, optional conglomeration of sites, attractions, plans and adventures.

http://www.mircenter.com/is a good place to learn about Catholic pilgrimages of faith to sites such as Medjugorie in Croatia, or Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, or Rome.

Some make pilgrimage to the less exotic St. Augustine,and would probably like to read Mike Carlock's St. Augustine quote of the week at http://users.aol.com/kmichaelc/www/augow...

There is an annual Gypsy Pilgrimage where thousands gather to honor Saint Sarah, the patron saint of the Gypsies. The festival takes place in late May in the small French town of Saintes Maries de la Mer.

http://www.positive-australia.com/avatar/ brings us information on the Avatar's Abode in Australia, a focal point for followers of Meher Baba, destination for many pilgrims.

http://www.anu.ie/reek/ is "an online trek to the peak of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain. Includes details from the legend of Saint Patrick along with general information about pilgrimages to the mountain named for the Irish patron saint."

In a secular vein, the 49th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage was April 22, 23, 24, 1999. The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is a three-day program of conducted nature walks, motorcades and photographic tours in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

What defines a pilgrimage? Why do people --Muslim and non-Muslim alike, leave the comfort of home for to live out of backpacks, and deal with uncertain weather, plumbing and social conditions?

Answers may be found at http://www.colorado.edu/Conferences/pilg... This website compiles the information from an international workshop on the cosmology and complexity of pilgrimage at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi January 5-9, 1999, in an effort to answer such questions.

The copyright of the article Pilgrimage in Buddhism is owned by Yeshe Chodon. Permission to republish Pilgrimage in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.