A Global Sacred Circumambulation with Beginner's Mind
This repository documents a sacred journey (parikrama) to the holy and hallowed places of Earth—visiting sites of spiritual power across all continents, from ancient temples and monolithic architectures to pristine natural power spots. With beginner's mind (shoshin), we approach each sacred space with openness, reverence, and wonder, seeking darshan (sacred viewing/blessing) with the divine investitures of our world.
Our parikrama encompasses all inhabited continents and their sacred geographies:
- Africa - Ancient Egyptian temples, Ethiopian rock churches, Moroccan zawiyas, Dogon sacred sites
- Asia - The Himalayas, Indian temples, Buddhist stupas, Shinto shrines, Daoist mountains, Islamic holy sites
- Europe - Megalithic monuments, cathedrals, Orthodox monasteries, Celtic sacred groves
- North America - Indigenous sacred sites, desert vortexes, medicine wheels, mission churches
- South America - Incan temples, Amazonian power spots, pilgrimage sites, sacred mountains
- Oceania - Aboriginal songlines, Māori wāhi tapu, Pacific island sacred sites, megalithic structures
- Antarctica - The pristine frozen continent as natural temple
Beyond human-made architecture, we honor the intrinsic sanctity of:
- Mountains - Sacred peaks, pilgrimage routes, sky temples
- Rivers & Water Bodies - Holy rivers, sacred lakes, springs, waterfalls
- Forests & Groves - Ancient trees, sacred woodland, temple forests
- Caves - Meditation caves, oracle sites, underground temples
- Deserts - Vast emptiness, vision quest lands, desert monasteries
- Islands - Sacred archipelagos, isolated sanctuary islands
Each sacred site is documented with:
- Location & Access - Geographic coordinates, how to reach
- History & Tradition - Origins, spiritual lineage, cultural context
- Sacred Features - Architecture, natural elements, energy points
- Practices - Appropriate spiritual protocols, offerings, meditation
- Darshan Notes - Personal experiences and insights
- Practical Information - Visiting hours, customs, pilgrim facilities
- Gallery - Respectful photography and sketches
Personal reflections, travel experiences, and spiritual insights from the parikrama are recorded in journey_logs/.
Guidelines for respectful sacred site visitation:
- Darshan Practices
- Sacred Site Etiquette
- Meditation & Prayer Techniques
- Offerings & Rituals
- Photography Guidelines
- Continental Index - Browse sites by continent
- Tradition Index - Browse by spiritual tradition
- Natural Sites Index - Browse natural power spots
- Journey Timeline - Chronological pilgrimage progress
- Bibliography - Sacred texts, guidebooks, references
- Maps & Routes - Pilgrimage paths and sacred geographies
- Travel Preparations - Practical guidance
- Spiritual Lineages - Understanding traditions
- Glossary - Terms and concepts
The sacred number 108 appears throughout this journey:
- 108 beads on a mala (prayer beads)
- 108 Upanishads in Hindu tradition
- 108 earthly desires in Buddhism
- 108 energy lines converging at the heart chakra
- Distance from Earth to Sun = 108 × Sun's diameter
- A reminder of cosmic harmony and completeness
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few." - Shunryu Suzuki
We approach each sacred site with:
- Openness - Receptivity to new experiences
- Reverence - Deep respect for all traditions
- Humility - Recognition of our limited understanding
- Curiosity - Genuine interest in learning
- Presence - Full attention to the moment
- Gratitude - Appreciation for the opportunity
This is a personal pilgrimage repository, but insights, corrections, and respectful additions are welcome. Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
This work is shared under the GNU General Public License v3.0 - see LICENSE file for details.
"The whole world is a single flower." - Sengcan
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti 🕉️