The trigger for the body to breathe is not a need for oxygen, it is a build up of carbon dioxide. It isn't a need for something, it is a need to release something. The rhythm of life, the inspiration and expiration which refuels our blood with what we need to run and jump and sing, is triggered by what we need to let go of. Carbon dioxide is the byproduct of the Krebs cycle. If you dust off your memories from high school biology, you might remember that the Krebs cycle is the process that the body uses to make ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which is the body's unit of energy. Oxygen is used and carbon dioxide is formed. The carbon dioxide diffuses into your blood which makes its meandering way to your lungs. There it is exchanged for oxygen.

Oxygen in. ATP formed. Carbon dioxide out.

You breathe. You let go. You dance.

Pilgrimage is a five movement dance: Preparation, Journey, Arrival, Return, and Re-entry. It is one of the cornerstones of the Missional Wisdom Foundation, and it is a generator and crucible of our theology. It is a deep responsibility to teach the pilgrim way and not something we take lightly. We have learned the spiritual value of standing spaciously, embracing quiet, and listening deeply on pilgrimage. The hills have taught us patience with yourself and others. The crashing waves have taught us that our voice is not the prime mover of creation. The stones have taught us that wisdom takes a long time to develop.

People often seek out pilgrimage to gain something or find something. There is a pressure to encounter the sublime on the way of pilgrimage, but pilgrimage is often about what needs to be released. Twelve to twenty-four times a minute, your brain senses that you need to let go of the build up of life, how often do you pay attention to what needs to be released from your soul?

The first step of pilgrimage is preparation. It takes a lot of planning to engage in pilgrimage—it takes work to let go. For the month of May, the Missional Wisdom Foundation will be moving through the steps of pilgrimage with breathing practices to prepare to be on pilgrimage June 20-29. If you aren't going on the Iona Pilgrimage 2024, that's ok! Please join us as we practice. If you would like to engage in pilgrimage this year, look through our archives for writing pilgrimages. If you have a small group that would like to build out a local pilgrimage, feel free to email Andrea Lingle at alingle@missionalwisdom.com, or gather a small group to use one of our Incarnational Studies. Pilgrimage is not constrained by a place, a time, or an itinerary. It is about embracing the process with expectation, being willing to work a bit to get there (mentally, physically, or spiritually), carving out a space to listen to the heart of the universe, coming back to the mundane, and reflecting and remembering what you heard on pilgrimage.

The Practice:

For thought: 

• What is cluttering my soul?

• What steps would I need to take to let the clutter go?

• Who would I need to partner with?

For doing:

• Find your pulse

• Breath in for four beats of your heart

• Hold your breath for four beats

• Breathe out for four beats

• Hold your breath for four beats

• Repeat for 3-5 minutes

For reflection:

• What takes more effort? To breathe in or out?