| |
| |
|
Just Between Us - FREE Spiritual Information for anyone interested. |
|
|
|
Vacation Pilgrimage
I heard recently on a Christian radio station somebody talking about turning a vacation into a pilgrimage or a sabbath time, an opportunity to get closer to God. The speaker said that there is no word in ancient languages equivalent to the word "vacation". While I don't think that's true (the word has it's origins in the Latin), I would agree if she had said that ancient people probably did not generally have time for vacationing since they were often more preocuppied with daily survival. The closest these people may have ever gotten to a vacation could have been a religious pilgrimage. One dictionary definition of a pilgrimage is "A long journey or search, especially one of exalted purpose or moral significance." So, a religious pilgrimage is generally a long, arduous journey. Hardly the kind of liesure modern people tend to seek when vacationing. And yet some people may feel the same way about camping and backpacking. These activities can be hard work, and even with the best camping gear, you would probably sleep better in the comfort of your own bed at home. Also, I must say that my memory of our family vacations as a child are of spending many hours locked in a car on our way to someplace like the Grand Canyon. These trips certainly seemed long and arduous to me. So, if we go with this theme of a vaction being like a pilgrimage, what could the exalted purpose be? A Chinese friend of mine recently observed that in America we have a balanced government, but we are not balanced in our personal lives. He said this is the exact opposite of China. This is an interesting observation. The Chinese place great importance on this concept of balance, or "yin and yang". Who could disagree that in our industrialized society there is far too much emphasis on money, career, advancement, success; and not enough attention paid to our relationships with our family and friends, with God, and with nature? Any vacation can be a start at restoring that balance which has been lost. Vacationing outdoors may have a particular advantage in that it takes us completely out of that environment which has caused us to lose balance. Especially when we leave the radios and electronic games at home, we are forced to actually hold conversations with others and at times left with nothing but our own thoughts as company. At first, many people are not comfortable with silence. We are accustomed to constant external stimulation. Without it, we feel lost. However, when we allow ourselves to slow down and just live in the moment, we realize that we don't need those outside intrusions. After returning from a camping vacation, hopefully we will feel refreshed, we will have a better appreciation for our modern conveniences, we will have made some good memories, we will have strengthened relationships, and we will have brought our life a little more into balance. Sounds like an exalted purpose to me. The author, Greg Bonney, is the owner of Bonney Information and E-Commerce and founder of Scoutcamping.com (http://www.scoutcamping.com). Copyright 2005 Bonney Information and E-Commerce.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Spiritual Friendships As we walk along our paths in life, we will encounter several forms of friendships. There will be friends of convenience, friends by association, and friends of the heart. Spring Cleanup The junk I'm talking about is the stuff that we keep stored up inside ourselves. It's the excess baggage in our lives that tends to weigh us down and serves no purpose. Mankinds Ten Worst Enemies: #4 Malice Malice is a great enemy to mankind. It is evil and wicked. The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned Over the past few years I have watched the popularity of whitewater rafting grip the vacation market. "Strange", I thought. New Every Morning I have almost died twice in my life. The first time was from pneumonia when I was 4 years old. E.V.P. (A Beginners Guide to Electronic Voice Phenomena) WHAT IS E.V. Penthouse or Basement? The Spiritual Realm is Topsy-Turvy Am I dreaming? The sign outside the skyscraper reads: "Spiritual Realm." I hurry straight to the elevator. By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them Military personnel at a U.S. The True Self as the Hidden Man of the Heart The Apocalypse, or unveilling, is the name given to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. The Book of Daniel is an apocalypse. Living Life Powered By My Own Intention, Knowing the True Essence of Security Since my departure from the traditional "Corporate Life" almost8 months ago at the young age of 42, I have been on a free-birdjourney to "find my bliss". In that time and my travels, I have continually been confronted with and struck by the fact that, although there is much talk about and studying of "the power of intentions", it appears to me as though many people aren't yet really "living it". Sacred Space, Sacred Time We all need space, we all need time to ourselves.In Exodus3:15- Word of God:When the Lord saw that Moses was coming closer, he called him from the middle of the bush and said: "Moses, Moses", he answered, "Yes, here I am"God said, " Do not come any closer. Life Gets Teejus, Don't It? Those five words are from a song that I remember hearing a long time ago. It may even be the song's title. You Lookin At Me? It's human nature to point a finger when we think someone else is guilty of something but yet we don't stop to consider that we too may be guilty of the very same thing we are accusing others of. Why is it so easy to turn a blind eye and overlook our own faults and yet so easy to see these faults in someone else? For some reason, we take pleasure in judging, condemning and criticizing others. You Must Feel to Heal! In my work with clients who have physical illnesses there is one consistent observation that I keep running up against. That is the inability to feel one's emotions. CEROMANCY: The Fine Art of Candle Reading Lately, I have been asked a lot of questions in the Psychic Realm chatroom about "ceromancy". That is the fine art of reading a situation by studying the way a candle burns. The Amazing Possibilities In Your Impossible Dream There was this TV commercial a couple of years back that made me look away every time it came on. It was for some kind of a power saw and the premise was that there was this guy who built furniture for a living. Zen and Peace (The Road To Lasting Harmony) Presently, many of us live in uncertainty. Due to the world situation and the many changes in society, there is a sense that at any time, our lives may be disrupted. Lance Armstrong had it Right-- Every Second Does Counts! I have been counseling people on weight loss, exercise efficiency and nutrition for over twenty years. Every time I go to the gym I observe people, their training tactics and their workout habits. Enlightenment, Moving to a New Level of Awareness (Channelled)Roy, what a marvellous job you are doing on your web. You have opened the doors for many and have given opportunity for awareness and growth to all those that are truly seeking true enlightenment. An Alternative to A Life of Healing While I do hope to avoid arguing the merits or validity of seeing ourselves as primarily and essentially wounded and on a lifelong quest for wholeness via healing, I would like to offer another perspective on wholeness that may disagree with and/or upset some. This perspective is pointed at by the Mystical Traditions of the East and West, and one in which we begin with the understanding of our innate and eternal perfection.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
