Pilgrimage & Sacred Journey
Psalm 84:5-7
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also fill it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”
Quran 2:196-197 (Hajj)
“Complete the Hajj and 'Umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then offer what sacrifice is feasible, and do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its destination. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head must pay a ransom of fasting, charity, or sacrifice.”
Bhagavata Purana (Tirtha)
“The sacred pilgrimage sites are filled with divine power. By visiting these holy places and bathing in their sacred waters, one purifies the soul and draws closer to the divine.”
Digha Nikaya (Buddhist pilgrimage)
“There are four holy sites that all devoted disciples should visit and reflect upon with awe: the place of the Buddha's birth, the place of his enlightenment, the place of his first sermon, and the place of his passing into Nirvana.”
Guru Granth Sahib (spiritual journey)
“The true pilgrimage is the inward journey to the divine within. Every step, every breath is sacred when the mind is fixed on God. The Gurdwara, the temple of Sikh, is a place where all gather as one.”
Ise Shrine pilgrimage
“Ise Grand Shrine is the holiest site in Shinto. Millions of pilgrims journey annually to purify themselves and pay respects to the sun goddess Amaterasu, the supreme deity in the Shinto pantheon.”