EP 116: The Art of Noticing - Pilgrimage, Soul Longing & Finding the Sacred in Ordinary Moments

Have you ever felt a longing you could not explain?

In this episode of The Sacred Travel Podcast, Julia speaks with presbyterian pastor, author, traveler, and lifelong pilgrim Douglas Brouwer about the deeper longing that calls us beyond the familiar.

Together they explore pilgrimage, vulnerability, peacemaking, sacred encounters, indigenous wisdom, and the unnoticed moments that quietly transform our lives.

What begins as a conversation about travel unfolds into a reflection on curiosity, humanity, faith, and the art of truly seeing one another.

🌍 The Meaning of Sehnsucht & The Call Beyond The Familiar

Discover the deeper spiritual longing that calls some people beyond the familiar and into a life of exploration, growth, and continual discovery.

🥾 Why Pilgrimage Transforms Us

Explore how journeys such as the Camino de Santiago invite vulnerability, openness, and unexpected encounters that transform us from the inside out.

🤝 The Art of Bridge Building

Learn how curiosity, listening, and genuine presence can help us connect across cultures, beliefs, and differences and truly see one another as equal.

🌿 Braiding Sweetgrass & Indigenous Wisdom

Hear Doug’s reflections on relationship, reciprocity, and what becomes possible when we remain open to wisdom beyond our own traditions.

✨ Finding the Sacred in Ordinary Moments

Why life's most profound turning points often arrive quietly and unexpectedly, hidden within seemingly ordinary moments of everyday life, rather than through dramatic awakenings. 

ABOUT DOUGLAS:

Douglas Brouwer (Doug) is a Presbyterian pastor and writer. He received his master's and doctoral degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary as well as a BA from Calvin University and served congregations across the U.S. and Europe, including senior pastorates in Zürich (Switzerland), Fort Lauderdale, Ann Arbor, and Wheaton IL, spanning over four decades. 

He returned to Europe in retirement to serve as interim pastor in The Hague, the Netherlands. 

He is the author of seven nonfiction books, including his most recent, The Traveler's Path (2025). He lives in Holland, Michigan, with his wife Susan DeYoung, who was an attorney in private practice for much of her career. His older daughter stepped into his footsteps as a Presbyterian pastor and his younger daughter is a health economist.

👋 Connect with Doug:

Substack: https://dougsblog.substack.com/about

LinkedIn: @douglasbrouwer

Facebook: @douglas.brouwer.1

Instagram: @douglasbrouwer

 ༄˖📚*:Resources Mentioned:

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Traveler’s Path: Finding Spiritual Growth & Inspiration Through Travel by Douglas Brouwer

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𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟! 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟! 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟!

𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 - 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗲 - 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀!

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁-𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗯 𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 │ 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬 – 𝟮𝟰 │ 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗲

🔗 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗲

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𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗗𝗢𝗠

🧬 What’s Your Sacred Travel Style? 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝘇!✨

🌐🧬🚀 Where does your Soul Lead you in 2026? 

Join us for a 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

🌹Heart Womb Oracle │20-24 June │ Sainte Baume, France

ℂ𝕆𝕄𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝕊𝕆𝕆ℕ!

🐝 Return of the Bee Priestesses │October │Crete

🛕 Architects of Light │20 Nov - 04 Dec │Egypt

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗘

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⚜️🧬 1:1 Soul Blueprint ⁠𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲⁠ | Your 7 weeks transformation to align with your Soul’s Blueprint 

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