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34 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
Mahabodhi Temple Lovely footprint
Why
Buddhists
Go on
Pilgrimage?
By Dr Sandra Ng Siow San
Sandra Ng Siow San is a life coach, educator, and research project continue to encourage her learning.
independent researcher. She studied at Victoria They have also expanded her cognitive, emotional
University, Australia, where she received her and somatic awareness to dig deeper into the
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Banking and Finance pilgrimage phenomenon and she realises that it is
in 2006, and her Ph.D. from Monash University not a mere categorical travel to sacred places but
Malaysia in 2016. Benny Liow has been in contact rather, a journey that is archetypal to humankind.
with Sandra since she started her doctoral thesis on Sandra’s interest in human journeys, practices,
Buddhist pilgrimage, and welcomes her response to experiences and meaning-making that manifest
several questions for an interview on this topic close in multiple forms, shapes and sizes continue to
to her heart. inspire, challenge, renew and nurture the work
that she does. She wants to express her thanks to
Sandra wants to highlight that all the stories and readers of Eastern Horizon for taking time to read
insights offered by pilgrim-participants as well this interview. She welcomes communication from
as informally (by pilgrim and non-pilgrim non- anyone interested in her work, and is available at
participants) before, during and after her doctoral siowsan@gmail.com