I am reading a wonderful book Walking a Sacred Path by Dr. Lauren Artress, who brought the labyrinth to the United States in the 1990s. She writes about the difference between a tourist and a pilgrim, and I was deeply struck by this distinction. She says that tourists observe, while pilgrims participate.

I believe I am a pilgrim of life—one who loves to dive deeply into the experience of living. I’ve been on a pilgrimage since I was a little girl, always seeking the deeper meaning behind everything.

Being a pilgrim instead of a tourist can sometimes get us into trouble. I know I’ve found myself in challenging situations simply because I wanted to experience life rather than merely observe it. But I believe this has been a blessing. It’s brought me to where I am today—still participating rather than standing on the sidelines. I believe our relationship with life as pilgrims never ends. It is the journey of the soul.

Where do you find yourself? Are you a tourist or a pilgrim? I believe it’s important to know. Your answer will shape how you choose to spend the precious time you have left on this plane of existence.

The quest to live as a pilgrim leads us into an upward spiral of learning and expansion. I want to emphasize that this role—tourist or pilgrim—has nothing to do with physical travel. It’s about how we move through life. That said, when I went to Italy last year, I traveled as a pilgrim. Every moment—from listening to conversations to witnessing beauty—became a form of participation. Watching wasn’t enough. I wanted to feel the experience, grow from it, and savor it with every sense.

All of this brings me to the power of the labyrinth as a tool for awakening our capacity to participate more fully in life. A labyrinth is a circular, meandering path that has existed for thousands of years. It appears across all cultures and belief systems. It’s universal—free of dogma or ideology.

When you walk a labyrinth, you walk as you are, and in doing so, you take a metaphorical pilgrimage through your life in the present moment. If you allow it, it transforms you. There is no other way to walk it but as a pilgrim. And when you step back into the ordinary world after your walk, you carry with you the possibility of living your life as a true participant.

I’m on that journey. My soul is opening to the unknown, and I am re-recognizing and re-purposing my power as a spiritual being. I realize that this transformation is unfolding because I’ve committed to walking a path into the depths of my soul. And there, I’m discovering new ways to serve the world in this challenging time. I believe we all have this same opportunity.

When we become pilgrims of life, we find our path. We find our truth. We find our place in the world.

Is it important to become a pilgrim rather than a tourist? For me, absolutely. And it’s so much more fun. Yes, it can be risky—especially if the ego is steering the ship. But when our true self leads, using joy as our compass, the unknown may feel scary—but it is also the safest way I know to travel.

Safe because I am guided by the highest part of myself.
Safe because synchronicity meets me, and guides and teachers appear.
Safe because, like the labyrinth, every meandering step leads me back to my Center—
to God, to Source, to Love.

If you are on Kaua’i, you are invited to walk our labyrinth at CSL Kaua’i, and experience the pilgrimage to your Truth Self.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Dr. Rita Andriello-Feren, Author, Co-Founding Spiritual Director CSL Kaua’i.