I am in Santiago de Compostela! Yesterday I was in a can do it frame of mind after barely sleeping the night before (due to too much food and alcohol the previous night). Go figure! But I was again walking with too many people and that takes away some of the peacefulness. "Do I really want to walk into Santiago like this?" I thougt to myself over and over again. So a new plan formed in my mind as I was walking lightly and painlessly along the most baeutiful wooden trails with old forest trees hanging over the trail and creating a canopy; the most amazing sights that my camera was unable to capture. "What about finishing this whole thing today, on my strongest note ever?" I thought. Once that idea had formed in my mind I could not let it go, and as I quickly covered kilometer upon kilometer the decision became clear. I was on. "Santiao, here I come!"
The walk was amazing, and I had never felt so good the entire time on the Camino. I was walking faster than any other day and feeling great. What had happened? I know I had built up strength and endurance, but this was better than I could have imagined and because it was my last day I let all worries about injuries go and it truly paid off, in more ways than one. Not only did I restore my confidence in my physical heath, but I also restored my hopes about all kinds of possibilities for me in the future, feeling a strong sense of not being alone, but having some amazing support that I cannot describe. I think this was the essensce of me coming back here to Spain, to restore my confidence in myself, my abilities and my worth, in what I deserve in life and what I can do to achieve it. Actually, "it" is not one thing, but rather a combination of things, all originating in the soul, in my connection with myself and the universal force that Christianity calls God, but that which goes by so many different names. I tend to talk about it as the Universe, but at the end of the day it does not matter. When we are aligned with our soul all forces are put into action to support us, and that is how we know that we are on the right path. I connected with this as I was walking into Santiago and I felt an immense sense of joy and peace.
I love to people watch while on the Camino and because it is summer and holidays for students and teachers there are alot of both groups on the Camino. I watch the young groups of friends and know they are on a journey of a lifetime. During the day they walk and talk and at night they get together to eat, drink and visit; with each other and with youth from all over the world. I cannot help but think of my nieces and how they would have the best time here. Who knows? The idea of the Camino either resonates with people or it doesn´t, and it is all good. Either one feels compelled to do it or not. Either decision is right.
Santiago is a beautiful historic city with a population of about 19,000 people. But in the summer time it is saturated with tourists and pilgrims and those numbers are completely blown up. It is vibrant and joyful and the pilgrims weigh heavily on the joy element of the atmosphere, sharing their excitement and happiness of arriving at the destination of their journeys. Little do we realize that the end is so short lived as we arrive only to find out that we have arrived to prepare ourselves for the beginning, as the journey has changed us in ways that we cannot understand and describe to others, yet feel deep inside as a new grounding in life. In the brochyre we get with our compostela it is described in this way:
"Begining the walk of life..In the Roman facade of the Cathedral in the square called `Platerias´, you will see a chrismon in which an alpha and omega, that represent the beginning and end, are inverted. That is to say, end and beginning. This is done to try to express that the end of the way of Saint James symbolises a new beginning, a new life that you will experience from this day onwards."
It is exciting to think that we get chances in our lives to clean up thoughts and habits, behavioural patterns that no longer serve us and go back into life refreshed both on the inside and outside. What a gift to ourselves! The youth get a chance to connect with what matters to them at an early age and thus live their lives more in alignment with their true values, rather than being driven to a great degree by social pressures and external ideas of success and value.
When I was at the pilgrims´office to get my compostela I was talking to two volunteers who diligently scanned my credential to make sure I qualified for this honoured accreditation. He noted that I had missed a portion of the meseta and I explained. Time would not allow for it all this time, though by the end I did cover over 600km in just over three weeks of walking. Not bad! This peregrino is as happy as a larkin and very proud of her accomplishments. The man continued the conversation and expressed excitement that I am from Norway. I said that I live in Canada, but he asked if they could announce me as from Norway. Of course! I am Norwegian, through and through! He went on to tell me that I come from a Christian Country. I added that I am lutheran. He waived with his arms and said, no you are a Christian. In the beginning we were all Christians, before they separated. "One of the first pilgrims to walk to Santiago is said to have walked from Norway", he told me. I was happy to hear his explanations of this rich history ond added that there is a well known pilgrim trail in Norway as well, which supposedly connects to The Way of Saint James.
After I left the pilgrims´ office I kept thinking about this conversation and how it relates to my journey. As a pilgrim we are not separated by our versions of faith; rather we walk together in harmony, with respect and care for one another, and with hope and good wishes for the success of everyone along the trail. What if this were possible in the "real world"? It is a simple structure where all unnecessary baggage has been stripped and we are walking through life with only the most necessary items. What would happen if we simplified life and let go of extra "baggage" in the "real world"? We would definitely look at life a little more carefully and think about what matters the most to us.
All I know is that it feels great to travel through life lightly for a month. And I crave this feeling during the rest of the year. I don´t know how this will impact my life at home, but a few ideas come to mind. Time will tell. For now I am happy to say that I have successfully finished my second Camino and I am happy to be here and to come home.
In the words of a fellow pilgrim:
"The way to Santiago is as life itself, it is as He who gives us support, it is a marvellous experience. It has no end, because when you arrive you realize that you have to keep on walking towards St. James, towards the others, towards your inner self, towards God. This will only be finished when the life that we enjoy day by day comes to an end."
For now, though, I will have fun and be joyful in this beautiful city of celebration, with its many bars and restaurants on almost every corner. I have worked hard and I am rady to drink some great local (and cheap) wine, eat some great Spanish/Galician food, discover more of this city and visit with fellow peregrinos that I have met along the way. If time permits I will go to Finisterre to see The End of the World, as they used to believe it to be. Maybe I will dip my toes into the water too. It is not too warm here right now so the idea is not very tempting. Oh, well.
For now,
NAMASTE!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
In good company.
Lucky me. Two days in a row I get on a computer. YEAH! I made it to Arzua today, 29.4 kilometres closer to Santiago. To my surprise it was a great day of walking and I had no troubles at all. So I was back to some decent speed again, which felt great. Interestingly, I have very vague memories from this walk last year and it felt like a new experience most of the day. I loved the novelty of not knowing much of the terrain. It turns out I have very good and detailed memories from my trip last year and can accurately predict many details along the way.
On this part of the Camino there are alot more pilgrims, as one only has to walk from Sarria to Santiago to get the Compostela. There are youth groups and families, groups of friends and couples walking, and the scene is not so "pure" anymore. After being able to walk peacefully for weeks it takes a bit getting used to. But it also lifts the spirit and excitement for the impending arrival in Santiago. These "new" pilgrims are easy to spot as they are light on their feet and their shoes and clothes generally are VERY clean and new. As for the rest of us peregrinos we cannot hide anywhere anymore as our gear gives us away at all times. And, not only our gear, our pains cannot be concealed easily either, as people are limping and dragging from blisters, muscle aches and tendon pains. I have actually seen quite a few people struggle with their tendons and on the walk out of Villafranca del Bierzo I met a man from Switzerland with the same tendonities as I had from last year. He too had been reduced to slow walking and was on antiinflammatories, with support wrapped aroung his right foot. I felt his pain so strongly yet I was on one of my best walks of the Camino. And I saw his incredible desire to see this journey through and walk into Santiago. Oh, could I relate to that! The closer to Santiago I get the more I see this around me. But I also see those people who are almost flying along the trail and I am in awe. I am in good shape but I totally fade in comparison. With all these different sights of people I am grateful to be part of this amazing journey that again is leaving a mark of my soul.
This morning I wanted to get away from the crowds more and got up and at it by 6:25. To my surprise I was already way behind many people and as the day replaced the morning dusk I could see the crowds ahead on the trail. Amazing! But it was a more quiet scene and the walk had a better ambiance.
On a different note; I have been thinking alot about the religious and personal focus on the camino and there is a contrast that strikes me. As pilgrims all the societal divisions are stripped away and we are all in this together, everyone being equal and sharing bread and stories on a daily basis as well as looking out for one another whether we can verbally communicate with each other or not. Then I go to a church and sit through a mass, and the hierarchical structure and rules are obvious. In the Catholic church there are so many rules to follow that I find it hard to connect with many of their philosophies. Yet, I do admire people who commit themselves to selfless service for humankind with the conviction that they are part of making this world a better place. All in all I believe they do, though we as pilgrims choose to seek answers within as much as without. Some pilgrims that are committed to work in the religious service or who are devout can come across as somewhat superior and purer in their style. I have met some of these people along the way and must watch not to judge them. The churches are quite empty most times during mass and reflect the change in times. People are not taking all their preaching verbatum anymore, but rather looking for their own truth. The church seems to be outdated in their style. Thus, many more people are taking to the Camino. In my world that is a great sign. At the end of the day we have much more wisdom and truth within ourselves and once we learn to use this connection in an honest and productive way we will better serve ourselves and this world that we live in.
BUEN CAMINO!
" Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. ´Be still´, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands."
-Linda Hogan.
On this part of the Camino there are alot more pilgrims, as one only has to walk from Sarria to Santiago to get the Compostela. There are youth groups and families, groups of friends and couples walking, and the scene is not so "pure" anymore. After being able to walk peacefully for weeks it takes a bit getting used to. But it also lifts the spirit and excitement for the impending arrival in Santiago. These "new" pilgrims are easy to spot as they are light on their feet and their shoes and clothes generally are VERY clean and new. As for the rest of us peregrinos we cannot hide anywhere anymore as our gear gives us away at all times. And, not only our gear, our pains cannot be concealed easily either, as people are limping and dragging from blisters, muscle aches and tendon pains. I have actually seen quite a few people struggle with their tendons and on the walk out of Villafranca del Bierzo I met a man from Switzerland with the same tendonities as I had from last year. He too had been reduced to slow walking and was on antiinflammatories, with support wrapped aroung his right foot. I felt his pain so strongly yet I was on one of my best walks of the Camino. And I saw his incredible desire to see this journey through and walk into Santiago. Oh, could I relate to that! The closer to Santiago I get the more I see this around me. But I also see those people who are almost flying along the trail and I am in awe. I am in good shape but I totally fade in comparison. With all these different sights of people I am grateful to be part of this amazing journey that again is leaving a mark of my soul.
This morning I wanted to get away from the crowds more and got up and at it by 6:25. To my surprise I was already way behind many people and as the day replaced the morning dusk I could see the crowds ahead on the trail. Amazing! But it was a more quiet scene and the walk had a better ambiance.
On a different note; I have been thinking alot about the religious and personal focus on the camino and there is a contrast that strikes me. As pilgrims all the societal divisions are stripped away and we are all in this together, everyone being equal and sharing bread and stories on a daily basis as well as looking out for one another whether we can verbally communicate with each other or not. Then I go to a church and sit through a mass, and the hierarchical structure and rules are obvious. In the Catholic church there are so many rules to follow that I find it hard to connect with many of their philosophies. Yet, I do admire people who commit themselves to selfless service for humankind with the conviction that they are part of making this world a better place. All in all I believe they do, though we as pilgrims choose to seek answers within as much as without. Some pilgrims that are committed to work in the religious service or who are devout can come across as somewhat superior and purer in their style. I have met some of these people along the way and must watch not to judge them. The churches are quite empty most times during mass and reflect the change in times. People are not taking all their preaching verbatum anymore, but rather looking for their own truth. The church seems to be outdated in their style. Thus, many more people are taking to the Camino. In my world that is a great sign. At the end of the day we have much more wisdom and truth within ourselves and once we learn to use this connection in an honest and productive way we will better serve ourselves and this world that we live in.
BUEN CAMINO!
" Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. ´Be still´, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands."
-Linda Hogan.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Long days of walking!
Finally, back on a computer. It has been hard to find these machines. Anyway, many kilometres later, here I am in Palais de Rei,69.2 kilometres away from Santiago. I have had a heavy week of walking since the last entry, when I was in Foncebadon.
The next day I walked to Ponferrada, 28.6km. After that I have done 22.8, 34, 28.6, 36.2 (yesterday) and finally today 26.1km. I feel pretty good, but I am tired and my foot is starting to communicate more loudly. I hope and wish thatI can manage it well for the last three days and have a good walk into Santiago on Wednesday. I am hopeful.
Yet I have mixed feelings. Again! It is such an amazing thing to be here and have this physically challenging experience along with the inner journey that takes me to places I am not sure I truly understand yet. It is like the Belgian guy I met in Ponferrada said; "The Camino is the only journey I can be on and not feel home sick". It is rich and new every day and I feel the greatness of the experience more and more intensely the closer to the end I get. Thus, my mixed emotions, beacuse I miss my boys and my friends I cannot wait to see them all again.
The day I left Foncebadon I walked to Cruz de Ferro, which is where pilgrims take a moment and leave a token of what we want to let go of in our lives behind. Most pilgrims leave rocks, thus the amazing little hill to climb up to the cross. Some people leave personal items, photos, clothing etc. What striked me was an overwhelming feeling of being part of something so big, of so many people coming there to heal, grow and move forward with their lives.
But also, people come as a token of gratitude, and thus using the Camino to give thanks. A man from Austria, who has lost his vocal cord is walking from Geneva to Santiago after he beat his throat cancer. He was easy to spot as he was always in black and dark, very tanned after all this time walking, and he could only whisper when he talked. I think it takes about three months for that entire journey. This man stood out too because he would have a drink everywhere he stopped, or at least all the times I saw him at a bar. A congnac with his morning coffee was one of his ways to enjoy his life. A stark contrast to most health conscious peregrinos, who focused on their fluid intake and nutrition for the walk.
Anyway, as I stood at the cross and held the rock in my hand, ready to leave another burden behind I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. I have my health, a loving family, friends, freedom and truly a great life to come back to. I committed to let go my fears; of the future and what I may or may not not be able to create. Instead I replaced that fear with hope, faith and love, with love being the greatest of them all. As fear and love are mutually excluse, fear cannot enter where love resides. I have a bracelet that has the charms of hope faith and love on it and after walking down from the cross I put it on, reminding myself of my commitment. I know it is not possible never to feel fear again, but I will not let fear drive me and hold me back. That is my commitment to myself! As I walked on I was joyful and literally skipped along the path. If the terrain had not been so uneven and narrow I would have danced! Talk about contrast from one year ago, when I was freezing cold and barely able to walk in the pouring rain, which led to me stopping in El Acebo and taking a taxi onward. Thus, this year I truly felt the liberation of my past in more ways than one.
This weekś walk was new to me until I reached Sarria yesterday. And yesterday I got the heavy rain, on my longest day of walking on the Camino this year. I was tired and my body was weary from the start so I knew it was going to be a long day. I had stopped in Samos the night before as I wanted to see the monastery, but also because my guide book said it was a beautiful path along the river. And it was! With the rain and the long day I had to dig a little deeper to find that smile and uplifting spirit. By the time I got to Sarria, some 12 kilometres into the walk I was beat! And hungry!!! So I found a bar and ordered an omelette. This one was great, beacuse it was simple, hot and with no potatoes in it. That did the trick and by the time I was walking again it felt like I was starting fresh, actually much better than earlier in the morning. With almost 23km more to go it was to just bear down and WALK! One step after another until the rhytmn again took over and my mind was free. But the rain was unpredictable so I had countless stops to regroup and either put on my raingear, which I had added a garbage bag to, or taking layers off, sweating under the unbreathing plastic. My rain jacket did not do the full trick when the rain was pouring, so the back up plan was implemented. A French biker that had stopped for shelter with me at one point joked and looked at my outfit. "Bambino", he said laughing and pointing at my stomach, which had my pouch under my jacket, lifted up by the belt of my back pack. He was right, I looked like I was six moths pregnant! I laughed and joked with him. It was a funny sight and I was just happy that this "pregnancy" was very short lived!
After 11 hours on the go I finally arrived in Portomarin, tired, damp and hungry. As a result my body shared its exhaustion with me last night as I could feel my legs throbbing. Yet, this is the funny thing about the Camino; this morning I felt way better than yesterday. Go figure! What some good nurturing and sleep can do.With the Torte de Santiago to finish the day I was happy. It is an almond cake that I just love and this was my first chance to eat it on the Camino.
Today, 26.1 kilometres did not seem like a big deal. And here I am in Palais de Rei, three days days from Santiago. WOW!
I have so many more fun stories to share and hope to get more time to write. I don´t know what the future holds but I can only say that I am learning how important it is to seize the moments and opportunities as they come because we never know what the future holds. Someone wise said that his soul is more important than his career. Food for thought... The camino is a place to go deeper and connect more with our soul. It does its work beautifully whether we are aware of it or not. Maybe this is why people are drawn here. I do not know!
There are a couple of quotes in my guide book that reflect these last few days.
"If you want the rainbow, youe got to put up with the rain."
-Dolly Parton
"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise man grows it under his feet."
-J.R. Oppenheimer
The next day I walked to Ponferrada, 28.6km. After that I have done 22.8, 34, 28.6, 36.2 (yesterday) and finally today 26.1km. I feel pretty good, but I am tired and my foot is starting to communicate more loudly. I hope and wish thatI can manage it well for the last three days and have a good walk into Santiago on Wednesday. I am hopeful.
Yet I have mixed feelings. Again! It is such an amazing thing to be here and have this physically challenging experience along with the inner journey that takes me to places I am not sure I truly understand yet. It is like the Belgian guy I met in Ponferrada said; "The Camino is the only journey I can be on and not feel home sick". It is rich and new every day and I feel the greatness of the experience more and more intensely the closer to the end I get. Thus, my mixed emotions, beacuse I miss my boys and my friends I cannot wait to see them all again.
The day I left Foncebadon I walked to Cruz de Ferro, which is where pilgrims take a moment and leave a token of what we want to let go of in our lives behind. Most pilgrims leave rocks, thus the amazing little hill to climb up to the cross. Some people leave personal items, photos, clothing etc. What striked me was an overwhelming feeling of being part of something so big, of so many people coming there to heal, grow and move forward with their lives.
But also, people come as a token of gratitude, and thus using the Camino to give thanks. A man from Austria, who has lost his vocal cord is walking from Geneva to Santiago after he beat his throat cancer. He was easy to spot as he was always in black and dark, very tanned after all this time walking, and he could only whisper when he talked. I think it takes about three months for that entire journey. This man stood out too because he would have a drink everywhere he stopped, or at least all the times I saw him at a bar. A congnac with his morning coffee was one of his ways to enjoy his life. A stark contrast to most health conscious peregrinos, who focused on their fluid intake and nutrition for the walk.
Anyway, as I stood at the cross and held the rock in my hand, ready to leave another burden behind I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. I have my health, a loving family, friends, freedom and truly a great life to come back to. I committed to let go my fears; of the future and what I may or may not not be able to create. Instead I replaced that fear with hope, faith and love, with love being the greatest of them all. As fear and love are mutually excluse, fear cannot enter where love resides. I have a bracelet that has the charms of hope faith and love on it and after walking down from the cross I put it on, reminding myself of my commitment. I know it is not possible never to feel fear again, but I will not let fear drive me and hold me back. That is my commitment to myself! As I walked on I was joyful and literally skipped along the path. If the terrain had not been so uneven and narrow I would have danced! Talk about contrast from one year ago, when I was freezing cold and barely able to walk in the pouring rain, which led to me stopping in El Acebo and taking a taxi onward. Thus, this year I truly felt the liberation of my past in more ways than one.
This weekś walk was new to me until I reached Sarria yesterday. And yesterday I got the heavy rain, on my longest day of walking on the Camino this year. I was tired and my body was weary from the start so I knew it was going to be a long day. I had stopped in Samos the night before as I wanted to see the monastery, but also because my guide book said it was a beautiful path along the river. And it was! With the rain and the long day I had to dig a little deeper to find that smile and uplifting spirit. By the time I got to Sarria, some 12 kilometres into the walk I was beat! And hungry!!! So I found a bar and ordered an omelette. This one was great, beacuse it was simple, hot and with no potatoes in it. That did the trick and by the time I was walking again it felt like I was starting fresh, actually much better than earlier in the morning. With almost 23km more to go it was to just bear down and WALK! One step after another until the rhytmn again took over and my mind was free. But the rain was unpredictable so I had countless stops to regroup and either put on my raingear, which I had added a garbage bag to, or taking layers off, sweating under the unbreathing plastic. My rain jacket did not do the full trick when the rain was pouring, so the back up plan was implemented. A French biker that had stopped for shelter with me at one point joked and looked at my outfit. "Bambino", he said laughing and pointing at my stomach, which had my pouch under my jacket, lifted up by the belt of my back pack. He was right, I looked like I was six moths pregnant! I laughed and joked with him. It was a funny sight and I was just happy that this "pregnancy" was very short lived!
After 11 hours on the go I finally arrived in Portomarin, tired, damp and hungry. As a result my body shared its exhaustion with me last night as I could feel my legs throbbing. Yet, this is the funny thing about the Camino; this morning I felt way better than yesterday. Go figure! What some good nurturing and sleep can do.With the Torte de Santiago to finish the day I was happy. It is an almond cake that I just love and this was my first chance to eat it on the Camino.
Today, 26.1 kilometres did not seem like a big deal. And here I am in Palais de Rei, three days days from Santiago. WOW!
I have so many more fun stories to share and hope to get more time to write. I don´t know what the future holds but I can only say that I am learning how important it is to seize the moments and opportunities as they come because we never know what the future holds. Someone wise said that his soul is more important than his career. Food for thought... The camino is a place to go deeper and connect more with our soul. It does its work beautifully whether we are aware of it or not. Maybe this is why people are drawn here. I do not know!
There are a couple of quotes in my guide book that reflect these last few days.
"If you want the rainbow, youe got to put up with the rain."
-Dolly Parton
"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise man grows it under his feet."
-J.R. Oppenheimer
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