Participation in pilgrimages has been taking place for millennia. Whether for deep spiritual reasons, personal development or to assist with moments of crisis, pilgrims have travelled physically with the express intent to reap benefit inwardly.
In a recent conversation a group of business leaders were comparing notes on the Camino di Santiago, a famous series of pilgrimage routes traversing France, Spain and Portugal toward Santiago in Spain. Some spoke of the deep value of the solitary time, others about the surprising power of spontaneous group travel and the diversity of insights that emerged during their experience.
In any pilgrimage there are invariably physical, emotional and mental obstacles to contend with – not least of which are our own habits, mental models, perceived needs and wants. Putting ourselves into a completely unknown scenario such as a pilgrimage, however well prepared we think we may be, creates an almost alchemical response in which we cannot help but be confronted and given the opportunity for change. Often this is where the spiritual or soul element can come to the fore (even if we don’t consciously name ourselves as spiritual) as we cooperate with a deeper container of resources that help us enter that change process and receive the gift of something beneficial and sustainable within our lives.
In many ways, most leaders are facing the equivalent of a pilgrimage in these times. Navigating unfamiliar territory with constant twists and turns, instability, challenges on many fronts, occasional insights that give us the courage and fortitude to keep going. In an actual pilgrimage we have the benefit of the culture of being a pilgrim – an unwritten code if you will that creates a oneness in which it’s OK to not be OK, it’s OK to need to talk things through, it’s OK to be silent and so on. This group code facilitates each person on their journey – it builds community.
So for leaders holding positions of responsibility in organisations these days, there may be something to harness from the idea of pilgrimage. For example, choosing to embrace the unknown and accepting that each day may bring the unexpected – and celebrating this as part of the journey. In this way we harness the power rather than being disabled by it. Or, opening to the opportunity to release old habits and learn new skills and practices. The inner process of pilgrimage is about this – finding new resources within that replace old, outdated ways of being.
How about creating a team code in which it’s OK to be ‘on the journey’ of change together and that no matter how tough, the agreed ‘code’ of how we will be with each other and what’s acceptable in tough times, creates a team culture and community that uplifts and enables each person along the way.
For sure, pilgrimage isn’t a corporate or leadership concept per se, yet why shouldn’t it be? Every team development journey I’ve ever facilitated is a form of pilgrimage in which the group considers how it wants to travel and defines the stretch of path it wishes to take. Choosing a more conscious form of journeying can be deeply rewarding as well as an incredible act of leadership.