Pilgrimage Pre-Departure Letter

Dear Fellow Pilgrims,

As we begin to pack and make the physical preparations for our journey, I wanted to remind you of the spiritual preparations that might help transform this tour into a pilgrimage.

Dedicating the merit and blessings of this journey in service to your family, friends, and community.
Take some time to tune in to those for whom you have a heart connection. Imagine all of your efforts, and all of your pleasures benefitting your loved ones through the connection of your heart.

Asking for, and really receiving blessings for your pilgrimage.
When you let people know about your trip, ask them for their blessing. And when people give you their blessing, even if it is in the simple form of “Have a nice trip,” stop and take it in, and let that blessing fill you with inspiration for the journey.

Clarifying your intentions to offer prayers for healing, gratefulness, awareness.
As you leave the familiar land of your life, take a good long look at what is in need of healing, what might you be grateful for and what are you deepest yearnings.

Letting go of expectations.
The only thing certain about travel is that things don’t go as planned. It is not possible to be aware of, much less in control of, all the variables that will dramatically impact your experience. The more that we hold on to expectations the less we are open to the surprises, hidden blessings, messages that God wants to give us.

Becoming receptive.
One of my favorite names for God is “The Great Mystery.” The only way to receive that Mystery who is beyond my imagination, is by becoming receptive in each moment. This sometimes means suspending judgment and letting go of our preferences. It means “opening to what is,” whether it is a missed flight, a sudden mountain storm, a flat tire, or the soaring wings of a condor flying far above.

Stepping up to the Challenge of Creating Holy Community.
When we come together in Peru, we will step onto the path of pilgrimage together. This is an opportunity to share a spiritual practice, become spirit-buddies for each other. To be a spirit-buddy means being with each other beyond the level of personality (you may not even like them). As spiritual leader of this pilgrimage I hereby deputize all of us to take care of each other, watch out for each other and bring our own powerful self-aware presence to the shared project of building sacred community.

Below, you’ll find some theory and guidelines concerning what it means to be a spirit-buddy. I enclose them today for your perusal because I feel that the success of our pilgrimage rests on how we treat each other.

T’hilato b’k’hal Chasidim
God’s praise is found in a community of Lovers. (Psalm 149:1)

Spirit Buddies

The Kabbalists of S’fat began their prayer with the following intention: “For the sake of the union of The Blessed Holy One with The Shechina, I stand here, ready to take upon myself the Mitzvah, ‘You shall love your fellow human being as yourself,’ and by this merit may I open my mouth.”

This intention formed the foundation and measure for all practices. Our practice of Spirit Buddies is the concrete embodiment of this abstract intention. The daily practice of kindness, compassion, and service to each other helps to keep us from the dangers of inflation, isolation, delusion, or greediness. We get to check in with our own souls in the presence of a discerning friend. We can also dedicate the energy that we receive from our practice to our partners. This gesture of dedicating energy in service has the effect of opening our channels further for more and finer energy to flow.

The practice of Spirit Buddies requires us to search beneath the layers of personality and invite the pure soul/essence of our partner to be revealed. We do this through the practice of presence. This means letting go of judgment, letting go of the need to “fix” our partner or offer solutions. It means co-creating the safe and sacred space in which healing, self-realization and transformation can occur. It means “trusting the process.”

Spirit Buddies:

become anchors and grounding for one another
create the container for practice for each other
pray for each other
offer one another as windows into the infinite divine expanse

Through our Spirit Buddies we are loved unconditionally by the “Great Love.”

Our Spirit Buddies listen with warm delighted attention, witnessing our dreams and commitments, taking us seriously and holding us accountable to our promises. In this relationship we experience “safe space” making possible the leap into the unknown. We see the strength, essence, and potential of our Spirit Buddies and share our vision with them; sending them with confidence and joy to the work before them.

May this mitzvah of love be fulfilled for the sake of the unification within ourselves, between us and through all the worlds.

Spirit Buddy Guidelines

Sacred Space = Safe Space

Create sacred space between you with a chant, meditation, blessing, or rhythm that moves you from thinking/figuring-it-out mind to heart space.

Listen to your Spirit Buddy with respect and openness,
delighting in his or her uniqueness.

Encourage your Buddy to say what’s in his or her heart.

Honor confidentiality.

Remember that you can’t judge and serve at the same time.
So since we’re here to serve one another, continue to let go of all judgment.

Don’t interrupt or give advice or try to fix things. Don’t say, “That reminds me of…” and then tell your own story.

Allow for silence to deepen between you. Tune in to the breath of your spirit buddy.

Make sure each of you gets equal time for expression.

Before you go to sleep each night, pray for your Spirit Buddies.
Your prayer can be as simple as visualizing them shining with their
particular and beautiful light, or calling on God, the Great Mystery
to let the very best unfold for them for the period of time you are together.

Before the end of your time together, express your intention for deepening or expanding your spiritual practice (prayer, meditation, tikkun olam work, study, and so forth) inspired by what you’ve been doing.

Witness each other’s commitments.