Welcome Beloved Community!

Feb 21

Welcome, Beloved Community to this Lenten online pilgrimage, a sacred journey not of miles but of the heart. Many of you I already know, but for those I haven’t yet connected with, I’m Swaady—your guide on this spiritual path, a trained Spiritual Director dedicated to supporting others in deepening their prayer life and connection with God. This journey will last 47 days, encompassing the 40 days of Lent and the seven days of Holy Week. This is my 25th intentional Lenten pilgrimage, and my first time leading one with an online group. It’s exciting to see so many of you respond to the call! Over these 47 days, we'll embark on a transformative path of deepening our relationship with God.

We will be journeying together from March 5th (Ash Wednesday) to April 20th (Easter Monday) 2025 which includes Holy Week (begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Monday).

If some of these terms (Lent, Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Ash Wednesday, Easter, etc.) are unfamiliar to you, don’t worry. I’ll be sharing insights that will be useful and interesting for both “seasoned” Christians and those encountering these concepts for the first time.

Who Is This Journey For?

Within this group, some of you have known God throughout your lives, raised in religious families or introduced to faith at an early age. Others have consciously distanced yourselves from organized religion yet still believe in God. Some began in religious families but drifted away, religion remaining distant, though perhaps still appealing. Some are exploring different faith traditions and practices. Some find belief in God easy at times, and at other times, very difficult. No matter where you have been or where you are right now, you are welcome here. The beauty of any rich journey is the diversity of the travelers.

Why Are You Here?

If you have joined this group, it’s because something in you is yearning, a desire to improve the inner quality of your life, to deepen your relationship with God in an open-minded and inclusive way, to be supported by a loving and compassionate community, and to follow a structured program that carves out sacred time for God each day.

Journeying alone can feel lonely. Here, you are not alone.

This pilgrimage will uplift you, guide you, and help you unlock the inner treasury of personal peace and harmony.

About My Own Spiritual Path

My spiritual affinity is Interspiritual Contemplative with a Christian anchoring, sometimes called New Monasticism in Interspirituality. As Brother Wayne Teasdale described it, Interspirituality is “the shared mystic heart beating in the center of the world’s deepest spiritual traditions.”

You may have never heard of this before, and that’s okay! Truthfully, I prefer to stay away from rigid boxes, as they often dim the fullness of human complexity and beauty. I also avoid dogmas, for the only thing we truly know is that we don’t know (and even that statement can be triggering!).

What this means is that while I am deeply embedded in the wisdom and tradition of Christianity, my spiritual practice is enriched by engaging with other faith traditions, which I honor and love in their most compassionate and loving expressions. This is the spirit in which we will journey together: a spirit of awe, curiosity, openness, reverence, and togetherness.

Our Focus: Following in the Footsteps of Jesus/Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ)

Since we are journeying during Lent, we will be following in the footsteps of Jesus/Yeshua, the central figure of the Christian faith. Our journey will be rooted in the Christian wisdom tradition, though I will share relevant wisdom from other faith traditions as well.

You may feel challenged along the way, and that is okay. All questions are welcome, as long as they are asked with kindness and respect. If at any point, you feel that this journey is not in alignment with what you need at this moment (for any reason), listen to your heart and feel free to step away. There is no pressure to stay, only an open invitation.

How Our Pilgrimage Will Be Structured

Each day, our journey will include:

Daily Theme: A short reflection to guide our journey, sometimes with suggested spiritual practices.
Meditative/Prayerful Reading: Heirloom Sacred Wisdom from the World’s Great Spiritual Traditions related to the theme.
Reflection and/or Journaling Prompt: A question or insight to deepen your experience.
Prayer and/or Inspirational Quote: To keep you uplifted throughout the day.
Weekly Zoom Calls (Optional): Guest speakers, Q&A, and community check-ins.

You only need a journal to write down your reflections. I will also share more about journaling as a spiritual practice in an upcoming message.

Getting Started

This is already a lot of information, so I’ll stop here for today! You’ll receive more details in the coming days to help you prepare for the pilgrimage.

To introduce yourself, please write in the WhatsApp Group:
➡ Your First Name | Country(ies) of origin | Current Location (City, Country)

Also, feel free to DM me:
✔ Any specific themes you’d like to explore.
✔ Any questions about the pilgrimage, your faith journey, or life in general.

While I may not be able to address every question, I will do my best to incorporate relevant insights and resources along the way.

Why Now?

Walking the path of faith brings meaning to both the joys and struggles of life. It allows you to know and be known.

There couldn’t be a better time to deepen your relationship with God than Lent and Easter, a season where Jesus walks through both ecstatic joy and excruciating pain.

I look forward to journeying together in the spirit of building the Beloved Community.