SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of the show, you can get 25% off Deb Gregory's new book, Spiritual Wayfinding, by using the code IVPOD25 at checkout at ivpress.com. We hope you enjoy this season! Join us in this contemplative conversation with Jesuit Father Brendan McManus, whose life of pilgrimage and spiritual accompaniment reveals the deep ways walking can transform our hearts and minds. Through stories of the Camino de Santiago, discernment in nature, and the embodiment of Ignatian spirituality, Brendan invites us to see walking as a sacred act of opening ourselves to divine love and presence. Main insights from this episode:· How walking in darkness and dawn can heighten awareness of God's light and love · The power of embodied prayer through simple gestures and mantras during walks · Long pilgrimage journeys as transformative spaces for healing grief, fear, and finding clarity · The significance of discernment in action — listening for God's voice amid movement and challenge · Ignatian principles of consolation and desolation as guides for interior awareness · Practical ways to create your own pilgrimage in everyday life and small journeys at home · The importance of silent, intentional walking for deep spiritual listening · Insights on processing grief and trauma through the body's movement and reflective practices · How the ongoing journey continues after the pilgrimage ends, needing space for integration · God's love as the foundation for our discernment, healing, and calling Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to spiritual wayfinding through pilgrimage 02:09 - Fr Brendan shares about walking in the dawn and experiencing God's presence 04:54 - The surprising intimacy of walking in darkness and relying on external light 06:43 - Long walks in Ireland and Ireland’s pilgrim routes as catalyzers for conversion 07:49 - The significance of Camino de Santiago in Fr Brendan’s life and formation 08:36 - A profound experience of prayer and trust amidst hardship on the Camino 10:19 - Fr Brendan’s journey from careers in IT and psychology to Jesuit ministry 12:38 - Reflecting on walking in nature as a source of clarity and listening to God 13:19 - Creating space for silence, reflection, and discerning God's call in pilgrimage 15:00 - How challenges teach us about humility, moderation, and God's voice 17:15 - Embodying discernment in motion, paying attention to interior movements 18:46 - Questions and aspirations pilgrims bring to their journeys 19:46 - The gift of Ignatian spirituality: noticing consolation and desolation 22:49 - The inward and outward half-light as a trail marker for spiritual clarity 26:26 - Fr Brendan’s powerful story of grief and healing through a pilgrimage after brother's suicide 28:42 - The body’s role in metabolizing grief, and the unfolding process after pilgrimage 30:33 - Living the Camino back home: processing long-term transformation 32:53 - Grounding in God's love and foundational trust in the spiritual journey 37:59 - A simple embodied practice: asking for grace in advance before walking 39:42 - Letting nature and prayer unfold naturally, not overcomplicating 41:22 - A gentle invitation to observe interior movements: consolation, desolation 42:21 - Trust in God's gentle companionship in every step of life’s pilgrimage Resources & Links: Spiritual Wayfinding by Deb Gregory Father Brendan McManus, SJ Finding God in the Mess by Brendan McManus SJ The Camino de Santiago Camino Companions Ministry Ignatian Spirituality Resources Feel inspired to step into your own pilgrimage—whether walking in nature, reflecting in silence, or carrying sacred rituals into daily life. Remember, God is always walking with us, inviting us deeper into love, trust, and presence. Meditation music: Documentary Nature by Viacheslav Starostin Intro Music: Palms Down by BlueDot Sessions Closing Music: Roots by Ryvoli Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.
