The Pilgrim's Way: Desert Simplicity

Monday, March 31 - Monday, April 7, 2008

The desert has always been a special place of encounter with God. The fierce beauty of the landscape invites us to let go of any falseness that would get in the way of our truest, most authentic self in God. On this journey, we will draw from the spiritual resources of natural beauty, the simplicity of the desert, and the wisdom of desert peoples, both ancient and modern, to show us something more of God's purpose and design for our own lives and for the world in which we live.

Our destination is the high desert of northern New Mexico and our home is Ghost Ranch, a church education and retreat center located in Abiquiu. Our lodging atop the mesa offers a 360-degree panorama of this magnificent landscape.

Our intention will be to let this desert landscape fill our souls with its beauty, be our guide into prayer and our teacher in simplicity. Daily spiritual practices will include those disciplines which school our eyes in gazing with love and apprecia-tion, our ears in listening for the "still small voice," our hearts in opening more fully with compassion, and our feet in blessing the earth with each step.

This is a pilgrimage of renewal, in and by the desert. It is for individuals seeking an experience of spiritual deepening for themselves as well as for those who seek to bring the blessings of renewal to their church/religious or home communities.

ITINERARY

Our home for this pilgrimage is the high desert of Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. In this dramatic landscape, we will seek to learn from the cultures of those whose spiritual roots have been and are nourished by partnering with the earth. Through it all, we will invite the desert to be our teacher and our source of inspiration, healing and renewal.

Day 1 (March 31) ~ Forming Pilgrim Community: We begin our pilgrimage in the dining hall at Ghost Ranch with dinner, followed by an evening session on the Mesa for introductions, setting our intentions and pilgrim prayers.

Day 2 (April 1) ~ Dialogue with the Soul of Place: We spend this day schooling our senses of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell in the desert landscape. We will also seek to locate ourselves within a geography of time and space, inspired by the 12,000 years of human history in this area and the brilliant night sky stars.

Day 3 (April 2) ~ The Wisdom Way: One of the spiritual elders from a nearby Pueblo will help deepen our understanding of the wisdom way of spiritual agriculture and earth abundance. We end the day with a visit to Poshuouinge, ruins of an early Pueblo village, and gather in its ancient Kiva space to share the wisdom of the community. As the sun sets, we welcome the night to the beat of the drum.

Day 4 (April 3) ~ The Beautiful Way: The desert land stimulates our innate creativity and invites a partnership with the earth in creating beauty. Our focus today is on a spirituality of creativity that emerges from the beauty and simplicity of the desert. Native artists join us to share their knowledge and gifts of creativity.

Day 5 (April 4) ~ The Healing Way: We leave the Ranch this morning for a pilgrimage walk to the ancient healing shrine Santuario de Chimayo, blessing the earth with our feet as we walk and seeking healing for ourselves and the world's needs. This evening we begin a silent retreat for deeper listening for the guidance of the Spirit.

Day 6 (April 5) ~ The Simple Way: A day of silent retreat letting the desert renew our spirits and open our hearts for deeper compassion. In the spirit of a vision quest, we will seek our truest most authentic self in God, a fresh vision for the future and an empowered sense of our place in it.

Day 7 (April 6) ~ The Blessing Way: Our silent retreat includes a contemplative Eucharist and ends with an opportunity to reflect on ways to bring home the blessings of this time. There will be an optional session for those who wish to explore the ways that pilgrimage can be a source of vitality and renewal for their church and home community. Tonight we celebrate our Pilgrim Way.

Day 8 (April 7) ~ Farewells and Departure: After breakfast, final prayers and farewells, by God's grace we will depart renewed and with a fresh sense of the new life and vision God is seeking to birth in and through us for the world.

Registration

Pilgrimage Registration closed.  Thank you pilgrims!

To register, please contact Clare Openshaw (301-897-7334, ext 212), or email pilgrimage@shalem.org, to request a brochure and registration packet for this pilgrimage.