Images of Spirituality – Wolfgang Hörer

Wolfgang Hörer, since 1998, has worked for several years as a photographer, graphic designer, and web designer for the Way of St. James project in Switzerland. For several years, he has been on professional leave for health reasons and has dedicated himself to the subject of "Spirituality on the Way of St. James," in particular. His images, which were primarily taken in the Bernese Oberland between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, are available to the working groups of the Jakobsweg.ch association, the umbrella organization for the Way of St. James of the transnational project "European Way of St. James." They may be freely used in pilgrimage, church, and cultural projects with the reference: Image: Wolfgang Hörer, Switzerland.

Self-portrait of a visually oriented pilgrim - Wolfgang Hörer Graphic Designer/Photographer

On the way in spiritual natural spaces with sensory perception

Observing nature and the environment with concentrated eyes and perceiving their underlying dimensions has been a passion for decades, which I have tried to translate into interesting, aesthetic visual worlds using brushes and paints, cameras, computers, and as a graphic designer and photographer.
As a visual designer, it is always a challenge for me to transform the specific characteristics of motifs from nature, landscapes, architecture, etc. into impressive image compositions by utilizing lighting, colors, shapes, and perspectives. As an avid hiker following in the footsteps of the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela, I have experienced a fascinating variety of impressive landscapes, natural phenomena, and cultural-historical treasures in Switzerland since 1998 – pedestrians often experience more and discover the essential. The many changing atmospheric images and their sensory dimensions also sensitized my inner emotional and spiritual worlds as a pilgrim and nature lover. They opened the door to deeper, spiritual perceptions of the environment and nature. Being able to attentively perceive the wonderful dimensions of creation with all of my senses is a valuable enrichment to my life. In the meditative encounter with the quiet "little things" along the way, I often recognize surprising associations, symbols, and allegories that I can apply to my life's developments, threshold situations, and perspectives. Limited by my now reduced freedom of movement, I was able to discover diverse and impressive hidden aspects in the "small worlds of images" behind the larger scenes and fundamentally expand my spiritual horizons – I needed a "slowdown" for this.
The world of meaning on the Way of St. James is not tied to a particular landscape or place; it can be found everywhere. Whether beneath stones, on trees, in buildings, in water, in clouds, or in moody light, profound spiritual signs and secrets often lie hidden behind them. Intensive engagement with these elements can also illuminate a hiker's inner values, energies, and abilities through natural and cultural spaces.
My goal on the Way of St. James is to immerse myself in these magnificent dimensions of creation along the way. The sensory and spiritual exploration of these subtle imagery allows me to reevaluate inner realms of the soul and creatively activate resources. The goal is the inner path of experience and expansion, with new perspectives for orientation and creativity.

Wolfgang Hörer
Interlaken, July 2011