Encounters With the Sacred

As part of my fall semester independent study project with Professor Vanessa Ochs entitled Encounters With the Sacred, I will be writing a few times each week in the LOTUS travelogue. Although my entries will be focused on internal journeys, rather than the cross-cultural travels of Southeast Asia previously detailed in this blog, I hope my words may be of some interest to others striving to look beyond the ordinary in their everyday lives.

Below is my personal mission statement for my Independent Study, which will serve as background for the future entries. Comments and critique is always welcome. Thank you for reading!

I believe leading a balanced life full of holistic experiences enables one to encounter the sacred. By learning to observe one’s environment and reflect upon the subtleties of one’s surroundings, one may learn to experience the sacred in ordinary situations. My goal in embarking on this independent study during my final year at the university is to investigate encounters with the sacred that occur during:
(1) spiritual pilgrimages or travel
(2) the pursuit for self knowledge
(3) altruistic endeavors

Spiritual Pilgrimages or Travel

While the mission of a spiritual pilgrimage is directly linked to encountering the sacred, travel itself can also result in some spiritual revelations and divine run-ins. In the past year I have traveled to three different continents and five different countries. The aim of my travels was not spiritual solitude, but rather transcending my comfort zone, meeting and helping a diverse group of people, and learning about other cultures. I plan to review and edit my travel journals and prepare a cohesive travelogue of my experiences, both the spiritual and the mundane. Upon reflection of these experiences, I hope to relive some of the encounters with the sacred that I had during my travels.

The Pursuit for Self Knowledge

Self-knowledge can be acquired through a multitude of activities, both personal and social. I will be focusing on self-knowledge through the form of introspection, as encouraged by psychologist Carl Jung. I will also be investigating whether one must “know thyself” before one can help others. Does a better understanding of the self alone lead to encounters with the sacred or is it the activities that are involved in the pursuit of self knowledge that lead to the sacred?

Altruistic Endeavors

Volunteering as part of a travel program or helping others informally out of the kindness of one’s heart is a way of encountering the sacred by forgetting about your own needs and desires and searching for the universal good. I will be reflecting on the type of people who are by nature altruistic and why I have always felt a desire to be involved positively in the community I am living in.


"We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." --Ray Bradbury