What makes a book dangerous? In this case, it is the potential to disrupt one’s world view. If one is not ready, properly guided, or fails to integrate, this process can be destructive. But if a book exists at one’s edge, calling to them, there is the a transformation waiting to happen.
I am looking for fellow pilgrims to answer the questions:
Can a book be a pilgrimage?
How do we amplify the impact reading can have?
The idea is to create a book club that goes beyond typical analysis to invoke John Vervaeke’s qualities of a pilgrimage, such as:
- Vulnerability
- Beholding
- Challenge to transformation
- Insights into how we orient
- Pivotal mental states
The plan for this experimental first run is to read Dante’s Inferno (the example given by John). Our guide will be Dante’s Divine Comedy: A Guide for the Spiritual Journey by Mark Vernon. This book is a dangerous dive into the depths. I’ve already experienced the impact of simply discussing the book - a dream encounter with a devil. Therefore, you should only join if you feel the call to explore such shadowy depths.
We will be cocreating practices, rituals and orientations to enhance the experience. Some initial ideas include:
- lighting a candle before reading
- dream intentions and journaling
- creation of art/ artifacts
- researching the author and historical context
I will be kicking off the recruitment at the first Oasis meeting in the new year. I encourage declarations of intent to join and feedback/ideas here as we orient towards our coming adventure.