July 3-10, 2026

Are you feeling called to trace ancient steps to discover, and remember, your wild and precious life? Do you desire a deeper connection with the divine through our wild and wondrous world? Perhaps you desire a way to mark a transition in your life, a threshold, with meaning and memory. 

Make a transformative journey to the wild edges of sea and sky, where the powerful presence of female companionship, revelatory elements, and ancient, spirited stories will awaken in you deep memories and divine inspiration to live forward renewed and reconnected to the primeval sacred text of creation. Our world and earth community needs people more than ever who understand our interconnection, that our soul-life is coupled with the health of the soil and salmon, seasons and sea. This pilgrimage provides an immersive rites of passage experience that will invite this deep wisdom and eco-spiritual awakening. It is a journey that is soul-centric in nature, inviting a posture of profound listening to your inner-journey while you navigate the wild lands of Iona around you. This isn’t a vacation or whimsy trip; this pilgrimage journey is one that will transform you as you are invited into a deep conversation with your soul and the souls of others around you. It will call forth tears and the tender places within that are quietly requesting your attention, your perception, your wonder. This is a journey that will ultimately bring you home.

Join your guides— ecotheologian and spiritual ecologist Mary DeJong; and poet and psychotherapist Sarah Steinke—in pursuing themes related to the archetypal stages of this ancient pilgrimage practice; the recovery of the rich heritage of Celtic spirituality; remembering sacred rewilding practices as engagement with the wild text of creation; and discovering ecospirituality as a way of reading scripture anew. Through these traditions, praxis and lens, you will be invited into a restored communion with the natural world, and a remembered sense that our planet is home to the holy. You will be provided ample time to relentlessly seek and wander through the island's holy history and explore its wildest nooks and crannies while being guided to explore your own wild interior. Here you will rediscover a land of enchantment where wonder, reverence and delight are experienced in a place through the medium of your attentive presence. Here you will be inspired to return home transformed by the prayerful pace of this holy place.

This journey is for the seeker, the questioner, the yearner. It is for those with faith and those with doubts. It is for those who are ready to respond and return to, and be in relationship with, the wild and sacred source of life. While rooted in the Celtic Christian tradition, this pilgrimage is ecumenical by nature and accessible to all who are curious about the Creator; all are welcome to seek the sacred together in our shared cathedral of creation. 

Pilgrimage cost includes: lodging at the historic St. Columba Hotel; nourishing breakfast and dinner meals; unique and historical island tours and hikes; daily writing rituals, and transformational, intimate group sessions held in the power of the female circle (this is a women’s only offering). Daily rhythms are created with care and from experience.

What's Included in the Price?

Our Island Sanctuary During our pilgrimage, we’ll be staying at the St. Columba Hotel, a place of peace, hospitality, and quiet beauty nestled in the heart of Iona’s sacred landscape.

This beloved, family-run hotel overlooks the ancient Iona Abbey and gazes out across the shimmering waters of the Sound of Iona, with breathtaking views toward the hills of Mull. Surrounded by open skies, flower-filled gardens, and the whispering sea, the St. Columba offers a restful and nourishing environment to support your soul’s journey. Included in the pilgrimage price is seven nights at the St. Columba Hotel.

Comfortable and Thoughtful Rooms
All rooms are double occupancy and include a private en suite bathroom, offering gentle comfort after a day of walking, reflection, and ritual. Many rooms offer views of the sea or garden, with fresh island air and the lull of waves nearby.

Delicious, Locally Sourced Meals
The hotel is renowned for its organic garden, which supplies much of the food served. Meals are thoughtfully prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients—local seafood, cheeses, meats, and vibrant produce from the garden itself. Shared meals become sacred time, nourishing body and spirit. Provided in the pilgrimage investment is seven dinner and seven breakfast meals.

Sacred Rest, Sacred Views
Whether you’re sipping tea in the lounge, reading by the fire, or watching the sunset from the garden, the hotel invites stillness and presence. It is more than lodging—it is part of the pilgrimage, a place where the veil feels thin and the hospitality feels holy.

Unique tours that will deepen our sense of place and connection to this sacred, storied landscape. We will tour the Iona Abbey, Staffa Island, receive expert teaching on the island's geography, meet with local artisans, and discover the wildest nooks of the island! While considered a priceless value to the journey, all tours and walks are optional; however, do note that not all are ADA accessible and require a moderately active fitness level.

Rewilding Writing Sessions Daily reflection and writing sessions will be offered by poet and co-guide, Sarah Steinke. These guided reflections will move the pilgrimage from the external into the soulscape of your inner wildness. You will be invited to explore an answer to the ancient question, “Pilgrim, What ails thee?” Previous writing experience or practice is not necessary.

Daily Circle Sessions facilitated by Mary DeJong where together we will explore the archetypal themes of pilgrimage through the Heroine's Journey; rediscover the rich heritage of Celtic spirituality; recover wisdom and a flourishing imagination through eco-spirituality; and remember our belonging through rewilding prayers, practices, rites and rituals. These sessions will be held in various places the teal-tinted north beach; St. Oran's chapel; and other powerful places throughout the island. Ceremony and sacred space will be held and engaged together daily to engage the the work of the holy descent that is requisite within the pilgrimage journey.

Personal Time will be held and honored every day, ensuring that your soul can be nourished by silence and the sacred presence of the sea.

Guided Hikes will be offered on most days to assist in getting you off the common trails and to some of the most stunning coves and beaches on the island.

Reflections and resources to guide your pilgrimage planning and integration both before you leave home and upon your return. Upon securing your spot with your nonrefundable deposit, you will communications that provide in-depth information on how best to travel to Iona as well as thoughtful writings and resources on the various stages of the pilgrimage journey.

DESCRIPTIONS & INTENTIONS

It will be your personal responsibility to acquire airfare to Scotland (flying into Glasgow or Edinburgh); book ground transportation (train to Oban; ferry to Craignure; bus through Mull; ferry to Iona); and book overnight lodging in Oban the night prior to the start of our program on July 3rd. We will expect you on the early afternoon ferry to Iona where your luggage will be collected by the kind folks at St. Columba’s Hotel and transported to the hotel. Our feet will carry us the rest of the way.

Unique and Soulful Tours & Adventures

The Waymarkers Iona Pilgrimage aims to create unique space for you to engage Iona's wild and enchanting elements through its rich history as a place of worship, residence of ancient and contemporary creativity, and its particular location within the Hebedrian Isles. Over the course of our week together, not only do we seek after the Holy within the walls of the Iona Abbey, but we expand our search amongst the ancient stones guided by a resident expert of Iona geology; we take to the sea to feel the enormity of the swells and to experience the awe and wonder of Staffa Island and its resident puffins; we experience the sacred and storied landscape through a deeply meaningful island pilgrimage; and meet with local artists whose ancestry and heritage link them deeply and directly to the creative pulse that thrums within this place. Time is set apart each day for personal solitude with one full day devoted to silence and contemplation. Together these excursions and the lessons from this sacred land weave together a wonderful tapestry of the themes of Celtic spirituality, pilgrimage, ecospirituality and sacred rewilding we engage together on this pilgrimage to become a journey of sacred eco-awakening. 

Rewilding Writing Sessions

As a way to integrate the pilgrimage journey into the whole self, the Waymarkers Iona Pilgrimage offers Rewilding Writing Sessions with poet, psychotherapist, and spiritual companion Sarah Steinke. These daily sessions are not traditional writing workshops—they are soulful rituals of return. Rewilding Writing invites us to move inward, tracing the journey from the external path of pilgrimage into the wild interior of the soul.

Through daily writing prompts, embodied reflections, and poetic inquiry, we will give voice to what stirs within. This is writing as elemental practice, as prayer, as presence. With the land as our companion and the wind as witness, we’ll respond to the ancient question asked of pilgrims through the ages:
“What ails thee?” We’ll also explore composing our own Celtic encircling prayers and blessings, stitching words into rituals that encircle not only our days, but our very beings. These offerings will help knit the pilgrimage into our bones—blessing our thresholds, our griefs, and our joy.

No writing experience is required—just a pen, a notebook, and a willingness to listen to the deep voice within. These gentle, restorative sessions are spacious, grounding, and filled with wonder. 

Praise for the Iona Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage Fee & Registration Requirements

Waymarkers Iona Pilgrimage
July 3-10, 2026

Regular Rate $4350.00 per person
Early Bird Rate $4150.00 per person
*Early Bird Rate applies to confirmed registrations before December 31, 2025.

The Fine Print

You reserve your spot on the 2026 Waymarkers Iona Pilrgrimage by registering with your $500 non-refundable/non-transferable deposit. By registering before December 31, 2025, you will secure the Early Bird rate of $4,150.00 with payment balance be due by March 1, 2025. If you register with your $500 nonrefundable deposit after December 31, 2025, you will secure the Regular registration rate of $4,350.00 and you will owe the payment balance by April 1, 2025. Trip balances will be paid by CHECK and sent by post to Waymarkers, LLC | 2809 S. Alaska Place | Seattle, Washington (US) | 98108. If you choose to pay electronically you will be expected to cover the additional 3% electronic processing fees.

When you register for the Waymarkers Iona Pilgrimage, you are committing to the following requirements:

• You are a minimum age of 18 years.

• You will need a passport to travel to Scotland. U.S. citizens will need to procure an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).  EU citizens can enter visa-free.  You are responsible for checking with your local Scottish embassy for requirements.

• You are committing to abide by the World Health Organization and local Scottish authorities recommendations for how to travel safely and well as we emerge from the Covid pandemic. This may include mask wearing, physical distancing, hand washing, and vaccines.

• While there is one taxi on the island of Iona, walking is our primary mode of transportation. We will be walking to/from the Iona Hostel for most of our excursions and experiences. This pilgrimage will also require some hiking and walking over rough and muddy ground.  You will need to be able to walk 3-4 miles comfortably over very uneven terrain and be able to climb stairs and over things. The day of the Iona Island Pilgrimage will require being able to walk eight miles over the course of the day. The Green Shed and much of our programming is not ADA accessible due to the nature of the island.

• While there is intentional programming and effort to ensure that everyone has independent time and reflective solitude, much of this journey is taken within the company of others. Please be ready to graciously share sleeping quarters, meals, and one another's hearts and stories. 

• This journey invites a profound presencing and self-awareness, both of which are invited into growth as we engage the pilgrimage circuit. Your registration indicates that you are of sound mind and body, able to engage in both physical activity and soulful circle times that support the collective of our group experience.

Your Guides

Mary DeJong

Influenced by the lives of Celtic saints, the mythic journey, and the emerging field of ecopyschology, Mary facilitates retreats and pilgrimages in the Pacific Northwest and in Iona, Scotland, that strengthen the unique and mystical interconnection of participants, the sacred, and the natural world. She has studied and practiced within the Celtic Christian spiritual tradition, her own maternal line heritage, for over twenty five years. Mary is a graduated scholar of the School of Celtic Consciousness, a learning program founded and taught by John Philip Newell. She has been leading groups to Iona, Scotland since 2004, delighting in the pilgrimage process of recovering the sacred within, and throughout the cosmos and creation.

With a Masters in Theology & Culture and a focus in eco-theology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology; post-graduate certificates in Ecology & Religion from Yale University; and Ecopsychology and Advanced Applied Mythology from Pacifica Graduate Institute; and intensive trainings with Animas Valley Institute, Mary competently guides conversations and connections towards a renewed communion with the natural world. Her theories around a Theology of Place have found practice through her own restoration work within a local neighborhood wood, where she regularly leads community restoration events and hosts groups desiring to make faithful interconnections with the greater community of life. 

Sarah Steinke

Wonder resides in places of quickening, those moments where new life is first felt, and where words often fall short. And wonder, for Sarah, is what compels her to stay and listen. And then to enter more fully, senses alert. As a somatic psychotherapist, yoga instructor and poet, she finds these are all practices of quickening. She believes the longer we tolerate this place beyond words, the more deft we become to movement, the more able we are at traversing the terrain of the soul—allowing what needs to drop to the ground to drop, and allowing shape to what needs to take shape. 

Sarah’s teaching has had the benefit of much practice—over twenty years of writing and editing experience, and ten years of yoga practice. She is a RYT 200 certified yoga instructor who received her MFA in poetry from UW, and Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. She currently teaches yoga classes in a local studio in Silverdale and corporate sessions in Seattle. Sarah also has a private practice in Bremerton, Washington. Her work has appeared in the Laurel Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Crab Creek Review, the Other Journal, the Southern California Review, and elsewhere. Her chapbook, Words Could Not Make It More True, was published in 2014 by Finishing Line Press. Find out more about Sarah HERE.

The Pilgrimage Process

Departure | Severance | Return

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