“…a holy place carries power. To be on pilgrimage is to move into a world where the dividing line between past and present, between this world and the next, between what we call sacred and what we call secular, dissolves. The outward journey is also a journey inwards.”
~ Esther de Waal, Forward to Glendalough: a Celtic Pilgrimage by Michael Rodgers and Marcus Losack
Mike & Father Michael Rodgers, Glendalough, Ireland
Introducing Mike Sanders, Pilgrimage Logistics for Culture Honey Touring’s Sacred Ireland Pilgrimage….
Mike Sanders was born and raised in Pasadena, California and has worked vocationally as a Quality Assurance Engineer for JPL / NASA for the past 30 years. He has traveled internationally extensively in that role, and has also spent considerable time abroad for personal exploration. But would a prayerfully and thoughtfully planned, very intentional Celtic pilgrimage be something different from the other travel he had done?
Georgia Sanders, Glendalough, Ireland, June 2018
The inspirational Celtic way of faith birthed a dream in the heart of CultureHoney.com Editor and Founder Georgia Sanders. Over a period of years, that inspiration moved her to develop Culture Honey Touring in order to offer hand-crafted small group pilgrimages to Sacred Ireland and Iona, Scotland. Her desire is to share the fullness and abundance of joy that she has found within this life-giving stream ….
Mike supported Georgia for many years as she dreamed, researched, persevered, and planned to introduce this deeply wonderful Celtic Way.
In the Spring of 2022, as Covid limitations appeared to be coming to something of a manageable end, a lovely couple who had been in touch with Culture Honey Touring since before the pandemic approached about the possibility of being led through Sacred Ireland in just over a month’s time. Thankfully, and since Mike & Georgia had already been planning to make the journey, and the pilgrimage details had been in the works for so long, they were able to prepare an amazing experience!
Gay C. said, “The Celtic Way pilgrimage is a journey weaving the ancient history of beautiful Ireland with its spiritual roots in saints of old, the great cloud of witnesses of our faith. Georgia and Mike are super engaging and easy to travel with. I would go again.“
Maiden Voyage, Sacred Ireland, Spring 2022
Then Mike joined Georgia on a Sacred Ireland pilgrimage with another couple…
Gay’s husband Jeff C. said, “Our time on the Sacred Ireland trip was educational, informative, and very inspirational. Culture Honey Touring’s pilgrimage is an opportunity to engage in different spiritual rhythms while reconnecting to the ancient paths of our Christian faith. This is indeed a gift much needed for our time.“
Mike & Georgia Sanders, Hill of Tara, Ireland
Mike’s smile didn’t seem to tire, here at the Hill of Tara with Georgia…
And as for Mike? Here’s what he had to say, “The pilgrimage created the space, provided the environment and supplied the spiritual groundwork to allow transformation to occur in my being. It was essential to get away from my day-to-day life in order to gain this new perspective. Being in an environment that connected me to nature as well as learning a history that demonstrated this Celtic path within the context of my personal journey of faith and understanding was invaluable.“
At Glendalough, the culmination of our pilgrimage, there is spacious personal time for deepening, including the opportunity for amazing hikes above the valley while overlooking the ruins of St. Kevin’s monastic community, originally established in the 6th century…
“Mike, would you like to run point for Logistics for the Culture Honey Touring pilgrimages? YES!”
Sacred Moments, Durrow, Ireland
Near St. Columba’s Well in Durrow…sacred moments….
A bit more about the Sanders:
Having been married for nearly 40 years, together Mike & Georgia have moved in the gifts of hospitality for many decades. As a long-time part of the leadership in a local spiritual community, they hosted many overseas guests in their home and as part of that church’s volunteer staff, Georgia was instrumental in organizing multiple international gatherings that hosted hundreds of people. Separately, both Mike & Georgia have been part of leading small teams overseas from within that community. Now, together with local guides along the way, and within Culture Honey Touring, they are offering pilgrims the opportunity to learn and uniquely experience the life-giving path of the Celtic Way.
Mike & Georgia Sanders in Glasgow, after the Sacred Ireland pilgrimage, preparing for the journey to Iona, Scotland….
Would you like to join us this Spring?
The NEXT Celtic Way Pilgrimages are coming up THIS Spring and have limited availability:
Sacred Ireland: April 18th – 26th
Iona, Scotland: April 28th – May 2nd
Reach out to “pilgrimages@culturehoneytouring.com for more information!
*
