A Pilgrimage for people and place

After a change of feelings towards my position here at Stanford Hall CSA and the continued progression of Psyche and Soul, I have decided to finally let go of all inhibitions and embark on a pilgrimage. This has been something I have wanted to do for a few years, however, my mind has always held me back. I have now decided, it is time for action as I can no longer ignore the deep wells of empathetic pain that very regularly brings me to my knees. It is time to spread the good news of the creative works we are doing and how our fundraisers will support sustainability projects aimed at bringing about a transformative healing process for people and place. It is time to nurture and develop our communities through artistic activism. It is time to have open conversations with those on the ground with their hands in the soil, marching at protests and fighting to end inequality. It is time to be a pilgrim.

On a practical note, there is an awful lot to consider when embarking on a pilgrimage, particularly as we approach the colder months. What should I take? What's my weight limit considering I have multi-directional hypermobility in both of my shoulders? Do I take money, or rest in faith alone? What will winter be like? Could I host a podcast along the way? All of these bring up a plethora of other questions as the mind leans towards anxiety as its security is challenged.

I have answered these questions. I will take the bare minimum, to accommodate my shoulders. I will carry my few possessions, you know, the usual lightweight camping gear, in hip bags instead of a rucksack. I wont take any money and rest in the good faith of people and exchange my energy for food. I will host a podcast as technology allows such a thing today, so I'll have an Apple Ipad Mini, courtesy of my uncle (thank you so much), and a Shure USB microphone! I will take two outfits. Two tracksuits as it seems important to connect to my roots as a delinquent youth.

The idea as it stands is to walk from CSA to CSA until I have been to all 113 of them, starting in Penzance and finishing in Shetland, Scotland, however, this is a very fluid idea as I will allow Spirit to lead me too other areas of specific interest. Along the road, I will conduct interviews with a variety of different people to explore what is happening on the ground, how people are feeling about out shared situation, what barriers people face, what successes we can celebrate and where and how people can get involved with the good works of stewardship. I will also speak with educators, religious leaders and politicians and anybody else open to having these hard conversations. A Pilgrims Podcast is up and ready to be followed, the first episode will go live when I have reached my first destination, conducted the interview, edited and uploaded it which will be an entirely new experience for me.

I can say at this point in time, I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of the journey ahead of me. It is bringing up so many emotions that are attached to conditioned thoughts which brings up fear and doubt. Now is not the time to believe these voices in my head. Now is the time for action.