Top 10 Reasons to Go On Pilgrimage

10. You’re young and want an adventure.

9. You’re old and want to reflect on your life.

8. You’ve had a divorce, finished chemotherapy, or are grieving a loss.

7. You want to draw closer to God.

6. You’re pretty sure there is no God, but there’s a tiny sliver of doubt.

5. You think a pilgrimage sounds better than therapy.

4. You want to make new friends.

3. You want to be alone.

2. You’ve got itchy feet.

1. You’re human.

This list tips my hand: I think everyone should go on pilgrimage. At least once, and preferably more. If you’re feeling ho-hum about your spiritual life, consider taking it on the road.

As a writer, I’ve been interested in the twin topics of travel and spirituality for most of my life. About seven years ago I began blogging as the Holy Rover at my website Spiritual Travels (I do other sorts of writing projects too, but none are as much fun).

When an editor at Patheos contacted me to see if I was interested in joining their site, I was delighted. In a world in which there’s so much misunderstanding and mistrust relating to religion, Patheos is a place for respectful engagement and conversation about spirituality in all its many forms.

That’s the spirit I try to cultivate at the Holy Rover, too. I’m Christian in my primary allegiance. Episcopalian, to be exact. But I’ve wandered through a lot of other faiths on my way to Christianity, and I continue to be interested in all the diverse ways people seek holiness.

I’ve gotten up at 3:00 a.m. to chant in Buddhist monasteries in South Korea, lingered over morning coffee with nuns in Iowa, walked part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, splashed myself with holy water in Lourdes, France, and gathered holy dirt from the floor in Chimayo, New Mexico. I’ve never encountered a holy site that didn’t intrigue me. I even love ticky tacky religious souvenir stores and I have enough statues of the Virgin Mary to set up a small shop of my own.

“Holy Rover” is an indication that I try not to take myself too seriously. While religion can be serious, it also has its weird and wacky sides. For me one of the signs that someone has progressed spiritually is if they can laugh at themselves (if you’ve ever attended a talk by the Dalai Lama you know what I mean). I think of myself as a slightly naïve Everywoman, marveling at spiritual mysteries, wonders, and oddities as I travel the world.

This Holy Rover blog is a combination of practical advice and personal ruminations. I welcome back my long-time readers (Wonderful to see you! You’re looking great!). I hope you’ll stick around for this new incarnation of the Holy Rover. I also welcome fans of my photographer husband, Bob Sessions, who has astonished me during the past six months by making the transition from not even knowing how to answer an iPhone to having 10,000+ followers on Instagram. (I often discover him exchanging emoticons with fans in Russia, Norway, and Venezuela, but he assures me they’re just platonic relationships.) You can follow his Instragram account by clicking on the little button that looks like a camera near the top of the righthand column, under “Follow Holy Rover.”

And just above that line of buttons, you can sign up for email notifications of my posts as well, because you never know what trip may change your life. And if you’re more of an armchair pilgrim, that’s fine, too, because I hope this blog is a place for inner journeys as well as outer ones.

Together Bob and I travel the world visiting, photographing, and writing about holy sites. We don’t make much money, but we have fascinating experiences. Won’t you come along with us?