The Art of Pilgrimage: A Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred

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Summary: I enjoyed this book, but...
Review: The Art of Pilgrimage isn't just for the "spiritual traveler." It's for anyone who wants to do more than visit a shopping mall. Even business travelers can use this book--they'll be inspired to make even short jaunts meaningful by taking a half day off to visit someplace special, and experiencing it with attention and purpose. Cousineau stresses that every trip--whether to The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, your ancestral village in Ireland, or the magnificent temples in Ankor Wat in Cambodia--can be sacred and soulful if the traveler's heart and imagination are open to experiencing it. With chapters that cover the cycle of the journey, "the longing," "the call," "departure," the pilgrim's way," "the labyrinth," "arrival," and significantly "bringing back the boon," Cousineau's book is the ultimate pep talk for getting ready for, and experiencing what will surely become an unforgettable soulful adventure. With wonderful photographs and illustrations, this makes a great gift for anyone who loves travel. Anyone going anywhere should buy this book first!

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Summary: This is a wonderful book. It is a guide for your soul.
Review: This is one of those books that has the power to change your life. It is a guide to feeding your soul. The author gives us the motivations for taking a pilgrimage-the traveler as student, travel simply for travel's sake, to discover the answers you are seeking, to quench a longing for the unknown, the enticement of traveling to a destination leaving behind your name & past, and many more. The idea that travel can restore a sense of passion and wonder is something of great interest to me. I am stuck in the daily grind of seeing the same scenery and people and doing the same work everyday. My spirit hungers for meaning, beauty, and adventure. This book is the ultimate guide for unconventional travel even if your traveling somewhere conventional. It shows us how to observe and listen in a way that opens up a whole new world to explore. I have enjoyed reading this book and consider author Phil Cousineau a kindred spirit.