Lourdes and holistic spirituality: Contemporary Catholicism, the therapeutic and religious thermalism

Transcendent Experiences Among Pilgrims to Lourdes: A Qualitative Investigation

“…As shown in Table 1, ages ranged from 15 to 87: half were aged under 25 and a fifth were 75 or older. More than twothirds of participants were female, a figure in line with the gender distribution typically seen among pilgrims (Harris, 2013).…”

“…Gesler writes: "As one approaches the Grotto, everything becomes gradually quieter until finally the only sounds are the rippling of the river and whispers among the pilgrims" (Gesler, 1996). Fisher believes that spiritual well-being is augmented by a relationship with the natural environment (Fisher, 2010), and the presence of water in urban environments is associated with positive experiences and emotional benefits (Völker & Kistemann, 2011, 2013. We also note that many of the accounts of significant moments at the Grotto took place at night.…”

“…The mainstream perception can be that pilgrims visit in the hope of a miracle, a view that is potentially patronising to those who visit regularly (Notermans, 2007). The reality has been markedly different for some decades, with pilgrims, clergy and Lourdes officials adopting a narrative which prioritises emotional and spiritual refreshment (Gesler, 1996;Harris, 2013;Notermans, 2007;Warfield et al, 2014). Gesler's seminal work on therapeutic landscapes framed Lourdes as a site for healing rather than cure, and it may be deemed a "third space", away from home and work or home and hospital, thus giving opportunities for emotional refuge (Bell et al, 2018).…”

“…Among a large group of pilgrims travelling to Lourdes from the Netherlands, "praying for my own healing" was rated as the least important aspect of the Lourdes experience from a list of 20 items (Pieper & Van Uden, 1994). Research about Lourdes tends to explore broader therapeutic effects rather than miraculous cures (Harris, 2013;Higgins & Hamilton, 2019;Perriam, 2015;Warfield et al, 2014).…”

From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: A scoping review

“…Spirituality and spiritual healing were core components of Gesler's (1993) initial concept of therapeutic landscapes, which has since been employed to understand several different types of pilgrimages, formal and informal, religious and secular (Foley, 2013;Harris, 2013;Maddrell, 2011Maddrell, , 2013. Studies emphasise the assemblage character of both pilgrimage sites and routes, experienced to varying degrees as embodied-emotional-spiritual-social experiences.…”