Follow along as I visit the spiritual sights of the world, soaking up devotion and prayers in places of worship, embarking on pilgrimages, and looking inwards as I take in the Mother Earth’s religious, cultural, and natural wonders.
Lion’s Head Mountain (also known as Shitoushan or 獅頭山) is one of the most underrated attractions in Taiwan. Whether you enjoy hiking, are interested in Taiwan’s Buddhist and folk religious culture, want to spend a night in a temple, or simply want to get off the beaten track in Taiwan, Lion’s Head Mountain should be …
Read moreVisiting Lion’s Head Mountain and Nanzhuang, Taiwan
Museums have never really been my thing. I lived in Taipei for five years before I ever stepped foot in the National Palace Museum, one of the most important museums in the Chinese-speaking world. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the comparatively small Museum of World Religions Taipei (世界宗教博物館), the only …
Read moreFinding Peace at the Museum of World Religions Taipei
Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar calendar month, a sleepy town in southern Taiwan called Yanshui (鹽水) lights up from what has been called “the world’s most dangerous festival.” The notorious Taiwanese folk festival goes by many names: Yanshui Fireworks Festival, Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, or Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival, while …
Read moreYanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival: Taiwan’s Most Dangerous Festival
I’m navigating my way though Ximending, a shopping paradise for the young and trendy, to find Light Project Ximending. Olivia Wu, an acquaintance of mine and also certified practitioner of knife massage (dao liao or刀療) and I Ching (yi jing or 易經) divination, has invited me to experience an ancient Chinese knife massage in Taipei, …
Read moreThe Spiritual Art of Knife Massage in Ximen, Taipei
OK, so there are already MANY lists of best Chiang Mai temples out there. This only makes sense because: Chiang Mai is one of the top destinations in a country that is one of the most visited in the world. Including domestic tourists, 10 million people visit Chiang Mai every year! The amazing assortment of …
Pilgrimage is act of devotion. In many religions, these sacred walks are prescribed, even considered a must in one’s lifetime, and followers from all of world’s major faiths make holy pilgrimages. For most, non-believers are accepted or even welcome. Pilgrimage travel can be a meaningful, moving experience in which travelers can enrich their understanding of …
Read morePilgrimage Travel: Inspiring Sacred Walks around the World
Qufu, China is a small but ancient town 550 kilometers south of Beijing in Shandong. This province is famous for three things: Qingdao beer, Tai Shan (Mount Tai), and Qufu, the hometown of Confucius. The Temple of Confucius Qufu is the largest and most important Confucius temple in the world, and together with the adjoining …
Read moreVisiting the Cemetery of Confucius and Temple of Confucius, Qufu, China
Meditation is an often-misunderstood word. For many it conjures up images of cave-dwelling ascetics or posh retreats in Bali. But meditation for travelers can come in many forms, and doesn’t necessarily require isolation, silence, or sitting in a lotus pose for set period of time. It can even be as simple as staying present while …
Read moreA Super Simple Travel Meditation: How to Transform Your Travel Experience
There are already as many “best views of Mount Fuji” LISTS as there are claimed best places to see Mt. Fuji. Personally, I don’t think any single one is best, but for this list, I have focused on the best places to see Mount Fuji if you want a good chance to ACTUALLY SEE Mt. …
Read more10 Close-Up Spots to Seek the Best View of Mt. Fuji (and how to get to them)
The Kumano Kodo is a network of pilgrimage trails that connect various Shinto-Buddhist sites in the mountainous Kii Peninsula south of Osaka and Nagoya, and is considered one of the world’s great pilgrimages that travelers can easily join. These expansive tracts of wilderness are replete with spiritual sights that have attracted pilgrims for 1000+ years, …
