When it regards our beliefs in a higher power (other than ourselves), there are many reasons whey we travel. For the purpose of my site, I use a few categories to talk about spiritual places.
Spirituality
Spirituality leads your personal connection to the divine. It is a process where you intentionally go “in” tapping into that space where you are your authentic self. You know you are tapping into that personal sacred place because your heart center feels “expanded,” and you feel there is something positive connected to your being that connects you to the whole.
Regardless of any background, nature is a way to connect with something larger than us. No wonder there are studies that prove that experiencing nature has a positive effect on health and wellbeing.
Faith
Faith provides trust that we are in the company of someone or something that will bring positive results. I have replaced the word hope with faith. Hope seems more fickle, short-lived, and even connotates a bit of “doubt.” Faith provides me an anchor, a backbone, to the deeper knowing of the soul with assurance and belief.
Religion
It is an organized system of beliefs that one has to follow to worship a God or a higher power. A religion has practices and ways of worshiping that lead a person to salvation or a higher state of being. Religion places some pressure on society and in many cases, it will be somehow part of your travel experience or landscape.
My own faith belongs a bit to different religions and just like myself, incorporates a bit of knowledge from each I encountered. There is so much to study with different religions that the best I can do is learn about them.
I grouped spiritual travel in Sacred Places, Spiritual Places, Yoga (yoga is a spiritual practice) and any other travel that fits someone’s soul.
- A SACRED PLACE is any place believed to be worthy of respect and devotion. In most sacred places there are religious ceremonies and pilgrimages that connect a person to a higher power.
- A SPIRITUAL PLACE is a very meaningful place that does not have to be necessarily sacred. A spiritual place has meaning to a person or a group regardless of where it is.
- YOGA is an ancient spiritual practice and as such, it connects the mind, body, and soul. Yoga’s purpose is to connect with the deep sense of your being.
