Oddly enough, I have actually been on a pilgrimage once before. In 2013 my parents took my entire family on a ten day trip to Ireland celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Much of the trip was spent hiking along cliffs or up mountainsides. It was beautiful. My favorite part of the trip was hiking a mountain known as the Croagh Patrick. According to Catholic tradition, Saint Patrick climbed the mountain and fasted for forty days and nights. It was from the summit of Croagh Patrick that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Climbing the mountain is Ireland's most famous pilgrimage.
I knew none of this before arriving at the base of the mountain. I'm not catholic, so I knew nothing of Hail Mary's and pilgrimages and penance. I just wanted to climb a mountain that shared my name. However, my climb became far more than just a leisurely hike. The experience was surreal.
The day my family hiked, fog was heavily set on the mountainside. After rising two hundred feet, visibility was limited to no more than twenty to thirty feet in front of oneself. The path was rough and rocky, and my boots were killing my feet. I decided to take my shoes off and hike in bare feet after about 20 minutes of pain. I had read in a pamphlet that pilgrims traditionally made their ascent in bare feet as an act of penance, so at least I had a good excuse. My motivation was not religious at all.
The hike took much longer than I thought it would. After about thirty minutes in the fog I was completely disoriented. The trail was incredibly steep, so much so that I ended up crawling hands and feet up the mountainside for the last half an hour of the journey. My parents and brothers lagged behind at a slower pace, so most of my climb was spent in solitude. Every ten minutes or so, hikers would pass me coming down and remark on my bare feet. Apparently hiking barefooted is a dead tradition. Many of the hikers were middle aged Irish catholics who were impressed with my determination. Many people called me "pilgrim" and said "God bless you" while I climbed.
Again, I'm not catholic and I know nothing of penance, but I certainly understood why Croagh Patrick is considered a sacred place. I felt as though I was making my climb with God, like Jesus was scrambling up the rocks just to my left. I prayed out loud as I climbed. By the time I reached the top, I felt like a real pilgrim.
This class has helped me understand some of the things I felt while hiking the Croagh Patrick. While I hiked, my focus on climbing and my consideration of God led to a decentering of self. The mountain veiled in fog made the trail liminal: I felt as though I were halfway between earth and heaven. The mountain was axis mundi. A hike that began with no religious inspiration ended in a unique spiritual experience that I will cherish forever.
.....It sure is too bad that Celtic Christianity trip was cancelled. I miss Ireland.....
I agree about the trip. I wish we could have all been there together.
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