Life is a Pilgrimage

Those who are students of religions and mysticism of the East as of the West, will be familiar with two similes used for the human soul: That of the traveler, and that of the pilgrim. Often man is depicted as a traveler who is visiting the Earth to enjoy himself, to learn, to gather experience. Sometimes that traveler is called the wanderer because he is a stranger in a strange land, and unaware of the manners, customs, even language of the country he is visiting; he wanders here and there, coming upon objects and events that puzzle him and whose meaning he is trying to seek. In more profound and truer mystical traditions man is compared to a pilgrim. It is said that the human soul is on a pilgrimage; he has undertaken a journey that has a sacred purpose. He is bound for a holy place and therefore life is not for mere enjoyment; the soul has an objective that must ever be kept before his vision.

These two ideas are not conflicting: The human soul is on a journey; all human souls are seeing sights, learning lessons and gathering experience; all are moving from stage to stage of evolution. But many souls do not recognize that they are bound for a particular destination, that there is a purpose to life, and that purpose is holy and sacred. Most men and women are wanderers; they live aimlessly, not even knowing why they live. Some are travelers who think they know the object and the goal of life. But with such it is more an instinctive belief, some old intuitive urge, and their minds are not clear as to the reality of their travels. In this class, there are also those whose urge prompts them to live nobly, and they say, "What does it matter what is to become of the soul; let me do that which I think to be right, and the rest must take care of itself."

© "The Theosophical Movement" (July, 2002) published by Theosophy Co. (India) Pvt. Ltd., Theosophy Hall, 40, New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020. Reprinted with permission.

Click here to view the full contents of the article.

<< Back