For those who feel the call/ the pull into the work of witnessing, healing, anchoring, grieving - a pilgrimage can be a powerful practice of reckoning.
Intentionally going to places of pain and horrific acts of violence can be a way of honoring the dead, the land that has held these stories, a way to feel and heal into our futures after honoring our past.
Some places in the US to honor: Montgomery, Alabama ( The Legacy Museum), Charlottesville, VA ( downtown memorial to Heather Heyer), Tree of Life Synagogue, Pittsburgh, PA, Sandyhook Elementary, Newtown, CT. This is not an exhaustive list, just a few suggestions.
When you get to the place, take time to pause, listen to the trees/ the stones/the buildings/ whatever you can feel into. Just pause and listen. Any type of prayer or offering can be nice but more than anything else, turning towards our pain, rather than away- can be a gift and help process the grief.
A pilgrimage practice can be part of any tradition and is not affiliated with any dogma or rigid rules. I encourage you to find places when you travel that could use some of this care and attention. Let me know how it goes. XO, P.
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