16 Spirit-Renewing Destinations

"Located at the foothills of the great Himalayas and the banks of the holy river Ganges, Rishikesh is an ideal place for a spiritual retreat. The city has attracted a lot of spiritual leaders to establish ashrams and yoga schools, providing tourists and pilgrims a nourishing atmosphere to revitalize their mind, body and spirit." — Yogi Kanna, author of Nirvana: Absolute Freedom

"When I was here in 1987, an old Frenchman who reminded me of Grandfather Charlemagne took me by the hand and led me to the labyrinth in the center of the apse and showed me how to walk it." — Phil Cousineau, author of The Art of Pilgrimage

"I made my pilgrimage here in 1996 in honor of my father, who gave me a book about the magnificent site when I was a boy. When I finally made the journey in his honor, the first person I met was a Buddhist nun whose hands had been cut off by the Khmer Rouge. She offered to pray for me." — Phil Cousineau

"Deserts often numb me, but the Negev numbs me in a particular way. As a Jew, I view it as a powerful reminder of and metaphor for my history, my ancestors' journey, our collective isolation and pain, our fortitude and courage." — Niles Goldstein, author of God at the Edge