Unpacking Camino lessons
I was hiking the Bruce Trail and was quickly reminded of my days on the Camino de Santiago. Scallop shells and yellow arrows were simply replaced by painted white trail blazes on the trees. If you go more than 20 meters without seeing one, you’re off track. I welcomed the familiar Camino feeling as I walked the familiar landscape of the Niagara Escarpment. Follow the markers, breath in nature, one step after another.
My Camino experiences merge in many ways with life at home.
I may have unloaded my backpack but the gifts offered up on this ancient pilgrimage need not end on the trail. Whether it’s walking in nature, or stuck in traffic, these are learnings I can surely draw on at home.
Simplicity: I loved the pilgrim routine: get up, walk, find food and water. I appreciated the simple pleasures. Plus no thinking about what to wear. I was compelled to get rid of some clothes when I returned!
Self-sufficiency: It’s satisfying to get from one place to another by foot, carrying all you need on your back. So satisfying.
Surrendering: Few possessions, few responsibilities, few plans meant a greater focus on the present. It was easier for me to be open to how a day would unfold. To accept where I was at any given moment.
Serendipity: I delighted in serendipitous moments, or “Camino magic”. Like unexpectedly finding a friend at a café, someone showing up as I was thinking of them, or a tune on the radio that matched my mood.
Noticing and listening: A walking pace is a slow pace. Slowing down allowed me to pay greater attention to my surroundings. To notice signs or small details on the trail, and to listen, to nature and to the people I met. Ample time as I walked allowed me to ponder these observations and interactions.
The beauty of human connection: This is a special part of the Camino. There was an openness to conversations. The joy of a shared journey. Supporting one other through challenges.
Taking the first step: I didn’t know if I could walk 20-25 km everyday or carry my backpack or sleep in Albergues, but I am certainly glad I tried. Pushing outside my comfort zone can bring rewards.
Listening to my body: Exercise day after day in the outdoors felt great, I felt stronger as the days progressed, but I needed to listen to my body. To go at my own pace; walking too fast or too slow strains the body. Knowing when to push on and when to stop can make all the difference, like ending the day before a steep climb. Starting refreshed in the morning meant I could enjoy the ascent and the views.
Letting go: “I suspect we all have something to let go of,” a pilgrim said to me a few kilometres before the Cruz de Ferro. Another pilgrim shared with me a phone call he made while on the Camino to forgive someone back home for an old dispute. They both felt lighter. It’s good to let go, shed resentment, anger or pain, but it isn’t easy. I appreciated the Cruz de Ferro ritual of leaving a ‘burden’ behind to initiate this reflection.
Trust: I gained trust in myself. Trust in “the Camino provides”. Trust that things would work out.
Alone but not really alone: This was always my response if someone asked me if I was walking alone. There’s a real sense of community walking the Camino. Support, companionship or directions were never far away. When I had food poisoning, a pilgrim nurse came to my aid; when I had blistered feet, someone gave me bandages and advice; when I nearly missed a marker, a fellow pilgrim hollered out to redirect me; when I went for dinner, I had someone to break bread with.
Gratitude: Every step of the way. I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to walk the Camino, the people I met, my comfortable shoes, the beauty of the walk, caring hosts, food provided, meals shared, a bed at the end of each day, arriving in Santiago de Compostela, and so much more.
4 Comments
Carol sanders
Thanks for sharing. I am impressed with your courage.
Andrea_bruce
Thanks Carol
Linda Ploen
Andrea – I LOVE your observations. Simple, very wise advice. xx
Andrea_bruce
Thanks Linda