The Art of Pilgrimage by Phil Cousineau unfolds the stages of a sacred journey — the longing, the call, departure, the pilgrim's way, the labyrinth, arrival, and bringing back the boon. Cousineau presents imaginative exercises designed to draw out the inner pilgrim in all of us.

The Art of Travel by Alain Bolton shares honest and ambivalent feelings about travel, despite the fact that it is the world's largest industry. He observes that our mindset — even more than our destination — helps determine the degree of pleasure we derive from a journey.

Driving to Nirvana by Clarice Bryan brings Buddhist teachings about interdependence alive by reminding us that cooperation and a sense of unity with others on the road is better — and safer — than feelings of competition and aggression.

Faith on the Road edited by Sean O'Reilly and Company offers theological reflections on travel; a rounded look at travel experiences, tourism, and migration; and journeys beyond religious tourism, such as short-term mission trips. Behind all these forms lies a spiritual vision of them as acts of justice.

The Global Soul by Pico Iyer opens our eyes to the anxieties and opportunities in our borderless world. In this dazzling collection of essays, the British-born American writes about Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Toronto, Atlanta, London, and rural Japan.

I'll Ask You Three Times, Are You Ok?, a set of essays by Naomi Shihab Nye, takes us on many a remembered taxi ride with her, accompanied by her characteristic verve, humor, intrinsic kindness, and vivid perception.

Mindful Travelling by Sarah Samuel ponders the joys and challenges of both inward and outward journeys, embracing our own experience, and being in awe of the world around us. The author describes how to cope with a world full of paradoxes and make the most of the pleasure of coming home.

The Norton Book of Travel edited by Paul Fussel collects some of the best travel writing from the past 2,000 years, from authors who possess "acute senses, powerful curiosity, physical and intellectual stamina, and a lively historical, political, and social imagination."

Pilgrim: A Spirituality of Travel by Leonard Biallas models ways to travel as a chance to experience the unexpected, to broaden cultural horizons, to imagine and wonder, to ask questions to gain new revelations, to find the past, to have direct experience of the present moment, to change perspective on ourselves, and to illuminate and rediscover our own culture.

Pilgrimage by Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, part of Skylight Paths' series "The Art of Spiritual Living," is a top-drawer, eclectic, and creative meditation on what the author describes as "a life-changing journey" that can be a search for meaning, peace, or freedom.

The Road Within, edited by James, Sean, and Tim O'Reilly, shows that travel is often linked to transformation, bringing us into a close encounter with our deepest fears and yearnings. Essays about the odysseys of Huston Smith, Andrew Harvey, Paul William Roberts, and Rabbi David A. Cooper are especially poignant.

The Spiritual Gifts of Travel edited by James O'Reilly and Sean O'Reilly gathers superb essays from spiritual seekers on the road to flesh out five topics: Ignition, Healing, Mystery, Consciousness, and Encounter.

A Taste for Travel edited by John Julius Norwich playfully arranges essays about travel according to aspects like Departures, First Impressions, Hardships, Customs of the Country, First Impressions, and Euphoria.

Traveling Graces by Agnes Cunningham includes prayers for take-off, first flight, in the cockpit, flight attendants, companions in flight, flight commuter, morning shuttle, and carry-on-luggage. Each of these is accompanied by a short poetic prayer and a Scriptural passage.

The Way of the Traveler by Joseph Dispenza emphasizes the mythological elements of travel as an epic adventure. Dispenza also provides a series of journal prompts to make the most out of this journey. This opens us to the mysteries of the unknown and calls forth our courage and creativity.

The World by Jan Norris enchants us with a poet's flair for the right phrase, a painter's eye for detail, a critic's wit, and a novelist's appreciation for idiosyncrasy in people and places. This extraordinary collection of her travels covers 50 years, with chapters divided by four decades.