In the Footsteps of St Francis
"Experience the region of Assisi, which is imbued with a profound presence of stillness. ‘Something’ unseen, but nonetheless palpable"
An intimate Satsang retreat with Brandon
Please read your personal invitation from Brandon to join us on this unique, intimate and
first ever Satsang Pilgrimage in and around Assisi in June 2012.
For the last 6 years I have invited Journey Practitioners to join me in India on a three-week sacred Satsang pilgrimage, to spend time in a deep spiritual immersion on the ‘In The Presence Satsang Tour’. Throughout these six years I have repeatedly heard the prayers and felt the deep longing from many of you who have been unable to join me in India because you have yet to undertake and complete the yearlong Practitioners’ Programme. And still many of you have a thirst to be in the fire of a genuine spiritual pilgrimage – immersed in yoga, classical Satsang sessions, chanting, and meditation in a spiritually charged environment.
So, in response to this fierce prayer, I will be offering an ‘In the Footsteps of St Francis’ Satsang Pilgrimage in Assisi in June 2012. We are opening this retreat to ALL Journey Grads, so it’s not exclusively for Practitioners. This pilgrimage will be kept intimate, so it’s open to only 75 people, and there is already a real buzz around it with grads who’ve heard about it on ‘the grapevine’ already calling in from around the world to secure a place.
Over the last 5 years I have done two personal pilgrimages in the Assisi area, seeking out the spiritually charged ‘hotspots’, and I experience the whole region (in spite of the religious tourists) to have a very special quality, to be imbued with a presence of stillness. There must be a reason why just last month most of the world’s great spiritual leaders (The Pope, Dalai Lama, etc.) came together in Assisi for a world peace conference. They actually stayed at the very hotel that we have booked for the first half of our tour – an 11th century Franciscan convent converted into a very modern Zen–like four-star hotel. ‘Something’ unseen, but nonetheless palpable draws spiritual seekers from every continent to this exquisite little corner of the world.
On our pilgrimage we will be walking the same paths St Francis walked, sitting in the stillness of the church he built with his own hands, visiting the same cave in which he spent the last days of his life, meditating on the same hillside where he received stigmata, and immersing ourselves in nature.
St Francis was first and foremost a mystic, whose universal teachings were simple and true: to live a humble life of love and gratitude, to offer understanding where understanding is needed and forgiveness where forgiveness is required, to succour those in need regardless of their station in life and with one’s whole heart to honour all of God’s creation. A vegetarian, his life was lived in surrender to God, trust of the infinite, in harmony with all of God’s creatures, in awe of nature. His simple values – ones that are the basis of all our world’s spiritual traditions -speak directly and potently to the human heart. There will be no teachings of the beliefs or practices of the Catholic Church, or any other church. Instead we will be immersing ourselves in the essence of St Francis, which is reflected in his life-long prayer, ‘Make me a vehicle of peace’, a prayer that mirrors our own prayer in The Journey ‘…Use me’. Mainly, we will be soaking in the strong presence of Assisi, having daily yoga sessions, chanting, meditation, and having classical dialogue-style Satsang in these spiritually charged settings. Whenever possible, weather permitting, our sessions will take place outside, in nature, the way St Francis lived his whole adult life.
So you are welcome with all my heart on this sacred pilgrimage and if your heart feels called you must register straight away to secure a place as this invitation is going out to the thousands of Journey Grads worldwide and undoubtedly the pilgrimage will quickly be fully booked. I send all love and blessings to you and I pray you will be able to come.
All love
Brandon
This pilgrimage will be kept intimate, so it's only open to 75 people
In the Footsteps of St Francis, Assisi
11 – 16 June 2012
Accommodation: We begin our sacred pilgrimage in Assisi at the Hotel Ora Cenacolo, an 11th century Franciscan convent converted into a very modern Zen–like four-star hotel www.hotelcenacolo.com. Please arrive from 14.00h (Italian local time, ECT) and no later than 17.00h for registration and check-in.
We complete our ‘In the Footsteps of St. Francis’ journey in Sansepolcro at the Borgo Palace, www.borgopalace.it/en on Saturday after breakfast.
Your booking is based on shared accommodation and if you wish to share with a specific person, please let us know. All your meals and refreshments are included; please inform us of any specific dietary requirements and know that wheat- and lactose free options are provided.
If you wish to book additional nights, please contact the hotels directly for availability.
Optional 3½-day extension: There is also an option to extend for a special 3½-day retreat with our Italian Journey Family, Ariane and Edwin at their farm, known as the garden of St. Francis. Ariane and Edwin are Journey Practitioners, publish all Journey books in Italy and Ariane is our presenter for The Journey in Italy. Please telephone The Journey UK office for further information on +44 (0) 1656 890 400.
Translation: Italian and German simultaneous translation is included, please let us know if you require translation.
Attire: During our time together, we will be having daily yoga sessions, chanting, meditation and having classical dialogue-style Satsang. Whenever possible, weather permitting, our sessions will take place outside, in nature, the way St Francis lived his whole adult life. It’s summertime in Italy in June - please make sure you have appropriate outdoor clothing and walking shoes!
Travel: You are responsible for your own travel arrangements, although in order to support you, please click the 'more info' button at the bottom of this page for a table of the best flight options to locations nearest to Assisi, as well as driving times by car or train from Rome, Florence and Pisa.
On arrival day, Monday 11 June, we will offer an optional shuttle service from Perugia airport to Hotel Ora – you can reach this airport from any other airport or fly directly to Perugia – it’s the closest airport and is ca. 25km from Assisi, or 30 minutes drive.
On departure day, Saturday 16 June, we offer either an optional shuttle to Perugia airport, or to the major train station in Arezzo for connections to most points in Europe.
Or if you stay on at Edwin and Ariane’s ‘Farm of the Golden Oak’ we’ll take you there.
Insurance: Please ensure that you have appropriate travel insurance in place for this retreat.
We welcome you with all our heart to this sacred pilgrimage and look forward to spending this deeply liberating time with you in the magic of the Tuscan countryside.
For more information, please contact the Journey office on +44 (0)1656 890 400 between the hours of 09.30 – 17.30 or email us on assisi@thejourney.com
See the full schedule for this seminar
showing schedule for
Europe
