July 16, 2010
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One year ago today
One year today I finished the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage (八十八ヶ所巡り hachijūhakkasho-meguri) by reaching Oku no In temple on Mt. Koya.
It's hard to believe I've been off the trail for an entire year now. I still have pilgrimage flashbacks--especially now that it is super hot again.
The pilgrimage was probably the best thing I have done/ will ever do in my life. I want to go back. I wonder if I ever will?Right now Kyohei's little sister Maki is doing to the route in sections by car with a friend. She says it has changed her life or at least her longing to get married and have kids. I can't underestimate the calming factor of the pilgrimage. I, by no means, turned into a saint. I do feel more at peace, happier in my marriage and I got a job with health insurance (which is something I prayed for). I have evolved in my ideas and fears about death. Also, I am much less lonely and content to be home alone-- something that used to drive me to distraction. Even better, I have 745 miles of "happy place" to go to when things go to shit.
I wish I could split myself in two. One of me to live my normal life and one of me to walk around Shikoku. In a way though, I do have that. It seems part of me will always be there, but I brought back so much more.
Comments (4)
I hope one day to be fortunate enough to go on a pilgrimage such as yours. seems like you found a lot out there you didnt even know you were looking for.
That reminds me that I should go back and read your posts properly and comment on the trip! Same goes for Paris!
Glad you are more at peace these days those! That could come with age too!!
If you did the trip again would you do it alone, and would you do it in summer again?
@SakataMon - Good questions! I want to say that I wouldn't want to do it in the summer again-- it was so hot. That said, because the summer is a slow season, many times I was the only one or one of 2 or 3 staying at an inn. I got a lot of special treatment and privacy that I wouldn't have normally been afforded. Also, it allowed me to be a little bit more free with scheduling. Because there were almost no worries that a place would be full, I could wait until 12-2 to even bother thinking about calling a place and making reservations. That took the stress off. The summer was beautiful too because the ajisai were in season (my favorite!). It would be cool to try it in the fall for the leave-change though. Even though the sakura in the spring would be amazing--spring in Japan is the best-- the pilgrimage is too busy an I suspect it would rain more.
Alone v. not alone. I don't know! Ultimately it was hard enough to coordinate just myself to undergo this trip--let alone try and rope someone else into it! It would be great to do it with Kyohei or his sister. I would prefer a Japanese speaker over non---because then I would get stuck in the translator role... but come to think of it, it would be cool to "show" anyone the pilgrimage.
That was WAY long--sorry. Your questions just really got me thinking!
@Rveblade - That is for sure! there are a few shorter 33 Kannon worshiping pilgirmages too that I've had my eye on. It would be shorter, thus more do-able. Just throwing that out there.
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