USD $74.00
Search Results
Author:
Abstract
The growth of pilgrimage journeys on a global scale is an indicator that individuals are seeking some type of existential connection. Since there are examples of pilgrimage journeys in most, if not all, cultures around the globe, a psychological perspective is warranted on the topic. However, there is a dearth of psychological literature on the phenomenon. One intersection between pilgrimage and psychology is positioned within the sphere of psychological universals, which underpins cross-cultural and international psychology. This chapter aims to explore the notion that themes associated with pilgrimage journeys could be categorized as psychological universals. The proposed universals include meaning-making, desire for connection, elevated consciousness, homecoming, and participation in ritual. Based upon the existence of these shared psychological universals, it is posited that the pilgrim status emerges in prominence over and above pre-pilgrimage constructions of identity, cognitions and social roles. As a result, a post-pilgrimage sense of shared humanity and sense of ideological communitas can lead to increased tolerance, meaningful engagement with the ‘Other’, and a greater awareness of ways pilgrimage journeys facilitate enhanced wellbeing.
The Movement from Fractured to Integrated
The construct of transformation has emerged as a prominent theme in academic discourse. Based on the accepted notion that processes and living organisms are in an ongoing state of development, it is unsurprising that this concept of transformation would find resonance within literature on the pilgrimage phenomenon. Examples of transformational processes intersecting with pilgrimage are the movement from sickness to wellness, from grief to closure and from fractured to integrated. That the pilgrimage journey itself can be construed as a transformational quest was noted by Winkleman and Dubisch (2005), who stated “Life-transforming experiences are at the core of both ‘traditional’ and more contemporary forms of pilgrimage”. In the current volume, Warfield and Hetherington examine the transformational process of pilgrimage journeys. Contributors are Sharenda Holland Barlar, Anne M. Blankenship, Valentina Bold, Shirley du Plooy, Alexandria M. Egler, Miguel Tain Guzman, Kate Hetherington, Scott Libson, Chadwick Co Sy Su, Kip Redick, Roy Tamashiro and Heather A. Warfield.
The Movement from Fractured to Integrated
The construct of transformation has emerged as a prominent theme in academic discourse. Based on the accepted notion that processes and living organisms are in an ongoing state of development, it is unsurprising that this concept of transformation would find resonance within literature on the pilgrimage phenomenon. Examples of transformational processes intersecting with pilgrimage are the movement from sickness to wellness, from grief to closure and from fractured to integrated. That the pilgrimage journey itself can be construed as a transformational quest was noted by Winkleman and Dubisch (2005), who stated “Life-transforming experiences are at the core of both ‘traditional’ and more contemporary forms of pilgrimage”. In the current volume, Warfield and Hetherington examine the transformational process of pilgrimage journeys. Contributors are Sharenda Holland Barlar, Anne M. Blankenship, Valentina Bold, Shirley du Plooy, Alexandria M. Egler, Miguel Tain Guzman, Kate Hetherington, Scott Libson, Chadwick Co Sy Su, Kip Redick, Roy Tamashiro and Heather A. Warfield.