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Reviews
The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred by Phil Cousineau, Huston Smith
dreaming_ace's review against another edition
4.0
A reminder how to make travel and make life itself a pilgrimage and more meaningful
aurahwhitethorne's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, and was intrigued by the premise. About 40 pages in, I started wondering when it would pick up - where’s the meat I came for? The back describes many items that the author promises to elaborate on, but really it ends up being a bunch of stories of friends and ‘this one guy I knew at X place’, and various parables, although not very eloquently told. I may potentially enjoy a lecture from this author, but this book just …. Never went anywhere. If you’re curious, read the introduction of the book and call it good - a few nuggets there, but it truly does nothing but get worse from there on out.
amymo73's review against another edition
4.0
I suppose I was attracted to this book because I already attempt to be mindful when I travel. Even when I'm on the road for work, I try to find something unique, something local to do or experience -- even if it's just a run through a section of town which gives a completely different feel for the area than moving around via car. But I digress.
Phil Cousineau's book is woven with his own personal tales, anecdotes from others pilgrimages, retelling of heroic myths and prompts for the reader to examine her own approach to travel.
I underlined many passages and phrases in the book, but my bottom line takeaways are this:
Prepare for your journey. Read about the place you are going to visit, investigate before you go and mentally/emotionally prepare yourself by asking yourself the purpose of your journey. Ideally you do this more than 5 minutes before you leave.
Go with a spirit of wonder. You can plan but make room for life to happen. Talk with people. Ask questions. Don't just look. Stop. Take it in. See.
Have a spirit of gratitude. Leave an offering. It could be coins in a poor box at a church or a poem at the place you find most "sacred" never forgetting that sacred and secular pilgrimages have many of the same qualities.
Return different. Take time to share what you learned. Celebrate your return home. Incorporate what you learned, your touchstones, into your life back home.
Some of my favorite lines:
"Pilgrimage means following in the footsteps of somebody or something we honor to pay homage. It revitalizes our lives, reinvigorates our very souls."
"A journey without challenge has no meaning; one without purpose has no soul."
"Pilgrimage is a powerful metaphor for any journey with the purpose of finding something that matters deeply to the traveler."
"Soulful travel is the art of finding beauty even in ruins, even in inclement weather, even in foul moods."
Phil Cousineau's book is woven with his own personal tales, anecdotes from others pilgrimages, retelling of heroic myths and prompts for the reader to examine her own approach to travel.
I underlined many passages and phrases in the book, but my bottom line takeaways are this:
Prepare for your journey. Read about the place you are going to visit, investigate before you go and mentally/emotionally prepare yourself by asking yourself the purpose of your journey. Ideally you do this more than 5 minutes before you leave.
Go with a spirit of wonder. You can plan but make room for life to happen. Talk with people. Ask questions. Don't just look. Stop. Take it in. See.
Have a spirit of gratitude. Leave an offering. It could be coins in a poor box at a church or a poem at the place you find most "sacred" never forgetting that sacred and secular pilgrimages have many of the same qualities.
Return different. Take time to share what you learned. Celebrate your return home. Incorporate what you learned, your touchstones, into your life back home.
Some of my favorite lines:
"Pilgrimage means following in the footsteps of somebody or something we honor to pay homage. It revitalizes our lives, reinvigorates our very souls."
"A journey without challenge has no meaning; one without purpose has no soul."
"Pilgrimage is a powerful metaphor for any journey with the purpose of finding something that matters deeply to the traveler."
"Soulful travel is the art of finding beauty even in ruins, even in inclement weather, even in foul moods."
leeza_robertson_writes's review against another edition
3.0
This is a fantastic book and one I very much enjoyed journeying through.
ricefun's review against another edition
5.0
Reading this book was a pilgrimage in its own rite. While it was a difficult book to move through quickly, it is certainly one of my all-time favorite books. The thoughtfulness in which Cousineau invites readers to prepare for and carry out pilgrimages has inspired me to think deeply about my own journeys in life. I drew heavily on this book for a message I offered to my church congregation about the journey of our lives.
By taking time to journal along the way inspired by the questions Cousineau asks, I've been better able to appreciate the pilgrimages I've already undertaken in life and the blessing it has been to travel to significant sites. I am also motivated to seek out new pilgrimage sites both near to me and far away. I highly recommend this to any traveler who would like to invest in their journeys instead of simply going on vacation.
By taking time to journal along the way inspired by the questions Cousineau asks, I've been better able to appreciate the pilgrimages I've already undertaken in life and the blessing it has been to travel to significant sites. I am also motivated to seek out new pilgrimage sites both near to me and far away. I highly recommend this to any traveler who would like to invest in their journeys instead of simply going on vacation.
jackirenee's review against another edition
3.0
Not much to say about this book. It started out well, with lots of dog-eared pages. Then went downhill with me just skimming to get it done.
kyleedonn's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0