Pilgrimage is a physical journey motivated by a spiritual quest.
For me, the Appalachian Trail has become my primary place of pilgrimage, although, woods and trails of just about any sort will often suffice.
In the summer of 2020, during the first few months of the COVID pandemic, I decided to take action on what had only been a bit of a day-dream for about 20 years. Nearly 30 years previously, during one of my college summer jobs in western Massachussettes, I hiked to the top of Mt. Greylock with some friends and saw these white blazes along the way that intrigued me. It was my first encounter with the AT!
Then in 2011, I was on my way to a conference in DC and decided to swing by Harper’s Ferry, WV on the way and spend one night on the trail. After some poor planning and a couple of missteps and mishaps, I ended up sleeping in my car but hiked for a few hours on the trail into Maryland the next morning. My Appalachian relationship was still in the very early stages.
In the summer of 2020, I was wrestling with my calling and vocation and decided I needed an extended time away for retreat and discernment. Not many people knew this at the time, but as I planned a self-directed sabbatical of sorts, I was walking into the woods with the intention to decide whether or not to continue in ministry. I spent a couple of months planning for “40 days in the wilderness” and buying or borrowing all the gear I would need. Early on a Tuesday morning in late June, I hopped in my van and drove to Amicalola Falls State Park near the southern terminus of the AT and rented a tent site for one night. It started raining so I just setup my sleep system in the back of the van and slept in a vehicle again! But the next morning, I double-checked my pack for everything I would need and started hiking up to Springer Mountain. 23 days later, I arrived in Hot Springs, NC with a tired body but a restored soul. And about a month later, I started a new season of ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
It would be a bit dramatic to say that the AT saved my life or ministry, but things may have turned out quite differently had I not prioritized a season of solitude and #prayingwithmyfeet on the Appalachian Trail. Now it’s an annual rhythm that I choose NOT to omit, even though it’s a significant challenge for the my body, my calendar, my family, etc. It’s worth the time and effort always.
Not everyone can carve out 1-2 weeks per year to go backpacking and pray in the woods…but I believe habits and rhythms of silence and solitude are critical for those who want to walk in the Way of Jesus. What could pilgrimage look like in your life? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? In some ways, it’s simply a serious commitment to Sabbath and soul keeping.