A "true" pilgrim.

When I told people I was going on a pilgrimage to Spain I watched a lot of faces turn in surprise and confusion. My brother wondered if I had gone off the deep end and turned severely religious on them. Other friends looked at me with a concerned expression, wondering what in the world I was up to. The truth is, I was also wondering what I was getting myself into. The only thing I knew for sure was that I had a strong urge to do it and deep down inside I believed it was important for me and that I would grow in significant ways as a result of it. I had faith in the process though a limited language to suppport it. Now I have found some help to describe this journey. In the final words in my guide book John Brierly describes a pilgrimage with these words: "The purpose of a pilgrimage is to allow time for old belif systems and outworn 'truths' to fall away so that new and higher perspectives can arise." He goes on to explain that the extended time away from our familiar existence is a significant aspect of a pilgrimage. It allows an opportunity for the inner alchemy of spirit to start its transformational work. Both the physical body and the mind get an opportunity to sweat off excess baggage (which , by the way, I have experienced as very heavy and draining).

I have set a goal for myself to "be the change I wish to see in this world". The more work I do the more I realize how profound and daunting this task is. It has become a serious commitment and no matter how much I sometimes want to get a break from myself and my purpose, I cannot let myself off the hook. OUCH!!! On one of my last days on the camino Marit and I stopped at a private Christian albergue run by an American organization. After talking to the man who was leading the group of volunteers we were given some reading material to take with us. Later that afternoon, as I was resting at the albergue in Palas De Rei, I read through this stuff and one pamplet had a pilgrim story that made an impression on me. It descibes the challenging task of the commitment to being a "true" pilgrim;

THE TRUE PILGRIM

It has been told that in the tenth century there lived a man who gave his life to pilgrimage. He walked thousands of kilometres until finally, in his old age his legs told him "Enough!" and he retired to a monastery hidden in the mountains to get a well-deserved rest.
The old man, though never sought such, earned the reputation of being one of the wisest men, if not the wisest man in the world. As a result, many pilgrims from far and wide began to come to him in search of counsel.
It is told that one day a young pilgrim arrived at that monastery. Despite his youth, he had completed the majority of the known pilgrimages. He approached the elder and asked him, "Master, what must I do to become a true pilgrim?" The weathered man looked him in the eye and felt compassion for him. "Son, if you truly want to be an authentic pilgrim, return home to your family, your neighbours, your friends and enemies and listen to them, serve them, forgive them and love them. In that way you will become a true pilgrim"
They say that the young man dropped his gaze, turned and left that place without saying a word, deeply saddened because while he would have been perfectly able to hike thousands of kilometres more with a heavy load on his shoulders, he was incapable of carrying out the task that the wise old man had entrusted him.

(Story inspired in the encounter of Jesus with the young rich man)

The interesting experience for me after the camino was to discover what alchemies had taken place within me. While I was on the camino I did not know that these changes were taking place. It was not until I encountered various challenges in my day to day life that I noticed the change. I did not experience these situations in the same way as before. I had shifted within and become stronger in myself. Also, I've become more focused and determined in moving forward in my life. I'm becoming more conscious in how I create my life and I am excited about all the opportunities I have to play with. As Helen Keller says: "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

The camino helped me connect with my own inner strength and I am eternally grateful for that. I know that the job of becoming a true pilgrim is lifelong. I do not expect perfection, but I do work on the qualities that a true pilgrim displays. And as long as I'm willing to be a good student and give it my best, then that is good enough!!! As I continue to grow and become a light of love in this world, rather than a shadow of fear, then I am on the right path. We are all here to connect with the light that is within and true happiness cannot be found without it. This is my journey...and it is lifelong.