For two decades, pilgrimage has been a central part of Dave Whitson's life. Since starting out on the Camino de Santiago in 2002, he has subsequently trod thousands upon thousands of kilometers on sacred roads, from Spain and Italy, to Israel and India, to China and Japan. Even when home, pilgrimage is on his mind, leading to his authoring of three guidebooks on different branches of the Camino, and his production of The Camino Podcast. Across all those years, kilometers, pages, and conversations, he has always struggled to pin down his underlying motivations. He's not alone. As pilgrimage has experienced a remarkable resurgence in popularity in recent decades, it has drawn a diverse and eclectic mix of believers, seekers, and wanderers together, often inspired for reasons that remain elusive. Why do we choose to leave the comforts of home, endure personal hardship, and immerse ourselves in sometimes challenging contexts, in defiance of an increasingly secular world?

This study, synthesizing insights from pilgrim memoirs, academic research, and podcast conversations, finds that this venerable human tradition remains uniquely equipped to tend to our most persistent and vexing needs.