A group of ten students, along with a small number of spouses and alumni from 天美视频 community, recently returned from a pilgrimage to the isle of Iona on the west coast of Scotland. Known for its religious community established by St. Columba in the sixth century, the isle of Iona has long been a place of Christian pilgrimage and is considered to be a 鈥渢hin place鈥濃�攁 description used in Celtic spirituality for a location where the presence of God is distinctly palpable and heaven and earth seem to meet.
This is the second year that Dr. Roy Barsness, Professor of Counseling Psychology, has taken a group of students and members of 天美视频 community on pilgrimage to Iona. The group joined a larger group of pilgrims again this year, led by celtic spirituality scholar Rev. Dr. John Philip Newell.
With the intention of 鈥淟istening to the Heartbeat of God鈥� (the title of the course led by Dr. Barsness and also one of Dr. Newell鈥檚 books), participants spent eight days in community exploring the quiet island in reverence, deepening their experience with spiritual practices, and pondering their role in the transformation of the world.
On the value of combining an academic course with a spiritual journey, Dr. Pat Loughery, Adjunct Professor of Spiritual Formation who also participated in the trip, explained, 鈥淭here’s a beautiful awakening that unfolds when we experience what we’re studying. For this pilgrimage course, we read some early and recent writings of the leader of our journey, John Philip Newell, before spending time with him on Iona.鈥� But it was really in spending time together, asking questions, hiking around the island, sharing stories over dinner…that those words came to life for us.鈥�
The group from 天美视频 returned impacted by the other pilgrims who journeyed with them while on Iona with Dr. Newell, another gift of learning beyond the classroom. 鈥淭hey came from other life stories and countries,鈥� Dr. Loughery explained, 鈥渁nd as we grew to know each other, their perspectives were lovely compliments to our own.鈥�
Image of the Iona pilgrimage group, including students and members of 天美视频 community and guides Rev. Dr. John Philip Newell and Ali Newell, by Dr. Pat Loughery (not pictured)