Just prior to entering into parinirvana, it is said that the Buddha encouraged his disciples to go on pilgrimage after his death to the sacred sites associated with his life. Claiming that it would uplift the hearts of the faithful, for over 2500 years practitioners from every corner of the Buddhist world have gone on pilgrimage. This has resulted in a profound tradition of pilgrimage. Often misunderstood, pilgrimage is not some esoteric, difficult to understand set of practices. Instead, it is a highly applicable lens that can directly inform how we live our lives. 

During our time together, we will approach the topic of pilgrimage from two angles. First, we will learn about pilgrimage in its traditional context, exploring how pilgrimage evolved over time, and drawing inspiration from this profound tradition. This inquiry will include: 

• taking virtual “visits” to sacred pilgrimage sites of Buddhist traditions in India, including Bodhgaya (the place of the Buddha’s awakening), Sarnath (the place of the Buddha’s first teaching); Shravasti (the place where the Buddha spent many retreats); and Kushinagar (the place of the Buddha’s parinibbana)

• exploring Buddhist writings on the topic of pilgrimage 

• listening to contemporary voices on the topic of pilgrimage 

The second element of the program will focus on applying the principles of pilgrimage to our everyday lives. Taking a deeply experiential approach, we will engage in both contemplative and relational practices, helping each other explore pilgrimage further and begin to reimagine our everyday activities in and through the lens of pilgrimage.

Grounded in Justin’s six principles of pilgrimage—awareness, movement, education, kindness, inclusivity, and nature—this program is both experiential and relational. Participants will be invited to engage in weekly exercises that will inform the unfolding of our sessions together and, while gathered, we will engage in dialogue in service of more fully understanding the experience of pilgrimage. 

This program is appropriate for people of all walks of life and stages of practice. The only requirement is an open heart.