ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to develop a topic on pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is a widespread phenomenon across all religions, and across the world hundreds of millions of people undertake one at least once in their lifetime. Even Sikhs make pilgrimages to the Golden Temple, although the founder, Guru Nanak, argued against pilgrimage on the grounds that, as all places are equally sacred and special, pilgrimage is pointless. It is important to recognise that there are two aspects to a pilgrimage. There is the actual physical journey to a place, but this journey is also symbolic of an individual’s internal or spiritual journey towards arriving at a sense of meaning, a fulfilment of selfhood. That fulfilment can well be in God or Nirvana, as in the case of the troubled pilgrim to Lourdes who came home feeling that he had been made whole. It could also be a self-knowledge, self-awareness and acceptance, as in the case of those who went on the ‘hippy trail’ to India in previous decades and often discovered through their pilgrimage what was truly important to them. In fact an individual’s pilgrimage does not even have to be a journey – it can be entirely in the mind, a mental journey. When the topic is being taught it is important that both aspects are included and provided for. Pupils will need to gain knowledge and understanding of important pilgrimages drawn from some religious traditions (AT 1), but they should also have the opportunity to consider their own growth in understanding of the great issues involved in discovering meaning (AT 2).
