Sometimes we need to get right away from all things familiar to find ourselves — to go to a place from where we can look objectively at our lives and at the world.

Such a place is often to be found in nature and living simply without any of the benefits of modern technology.  Then we can listen deeply, to who we are, and to see our place in the world.

The wild places of the world are ideal for this and in the UK we can visit retreats in places like the mountains and islands of Scotland.

But sometimes it is not enough to be still part of a familiar landscape and culture and then travelling to a place like Sinai, where people have been going on retreats for at least 2500 years, can allow us to connect with spirit more easily.

While going on retreats to find ourselves we can come into contact with a land and culture vastly different from our own and with a people who are used to living in harmony with nature that show our own consumeristic hunger for what it is.

Having to use every drop of water with reverence for its scarcity during a week in the desert, brings into sharp relief the obscenity of luscious grass grown in front of the 4 star hotels of the resort of Sharm-el-Sheik, also a part of the desert.

When we travel to distant places and are hosted by the local people, our money can contribute to those who live their lives on the threshold of comfort like many nomadic peoples, while the richness of the simplicity of the nomadic way helps us to see what is important in life.

In addition if our journey includes work on a water conservation project we can leave a gift of our time and energy which makes a big difference to the quality of other peoples lives.  Journeys can teach the preciousness of the Earth, of water, of life which can lead to the journey maker to make dramatic changes to their own lives.

Satish Kuma, activist, former Jain monk, founder of the Schumaker College and Resurgence magazine as often posed the question, Are you a tourist or a pilgrim?

Satish says ‘Life is a pilgrimage’, yet most of us travel as tourists.

A tourist travels in the landscape of desire, while a pilgrim travels in the landscape of love.  A tourist WANTS, and complains.  They want good food, nice bathrooms, good taxis, good services but their desires are never fulfilled, it is never enough, and so they complain and come home dissatisfied.  A pilgrim uses the places they visit as sacred places. They might see the Earth as a sacred place, to cherish and to celebrate; it includes the wholeness of life.  However, to be a pilgrim needs a transformation of mindset in order to see the beauty of the place you are in.  Being a pilgrim is about adoration, celebration and gratitude for Earth and all experiences.  As a pilgrim we see beauty, kindness and hospitality wherever we go, because they travel without expectations.

A feeling of superiority is a tourist attitude — we are paying so why are we not getting the best service. As a tourist we feel all people, plants and animals are there to serve us, and we may feel that the Earth is there to serve us as if we are her customers.  Generally, this attitude brings a sense of dissatisfaction, disappointment, and even anger, and certainly not an enjoyable holiday.

When we say thank you to the earth we are living in a sacred manner. 

I invite all who come on a trip to Sinai, with Sinai Journeys, to come with the attitude of the pilgrim.  Have no expectations, just see what is there.  Be curious.  Ask questions.  Be in the moment.  You will have amazing experiences.