In spring of 2018 I made the decision to walk to the city of Santiago, in Spain, to follow on the steps of so many pilgrims before me. The idea had been in the back of my mind for a long time, waiting for the right moment, and suddenly all the stars aligned to make it possible. I have hiked on four of the five continents (Antarctica is a tiny bit too cold for me) but I had never walked 1500km in a two month journey. It sounded like a very, very long way. I felt both curiosity and excitement about my decision. Excitement is a mixture of both joy and fear; and is not always the most comfortable of states. The 'grown up' part of me was definitely afraid of what I was committing to. The 'little girl' was jumping wit happiness.
John O'Donohue wrote:
"At its heart, the journey of each life is a pilgrimage through unforeseen sacred places that enlarge and enrich the soul".
Beautiful words, and apt for my pilgrimage to Santiago. This turned out to be a rich and powerful experience with prolonged rippling effects into my life. I would like to share some of the wisdom (I like to think of them as such) I gained from this trip. In future posts, I will go into more depth about the benefits of integrating coaching and walking.
Part 1
1. The discomfort of the unknown
There are many things that are unknown when you embark on a long pilgrimage. On a practical level, would I find a comfortable bed to rest my tired being every evening, especially my tired feet? Would I physically and mentally be able to walk this mythical path that many thousands of pilgrims had trodden before me since the 9th century? No pressure, right? Would I get some fresh inspirations on how to keep living my life in a meaningful way? I like to ask big questions!
I've learned that it is very uncomfortable for me to stay with the unknown when there is no work or people around me to distract me, and I think this is familiar to a great many people. However, the unknown can be a great source of creativity. For something new to emerge, we need to be able to first allow the ‘not knowing’. Easy on paper, but absolutely not easy in real life. On the way to Santiago I learned, albeit slowly, to trust that ‘the Camino provides’.
Or, in other words, to trust that life provides.
2. Flying eternity
Walking, I have found, has the quality of slowing down time. It took me two months to walk from Le Puy-en-Velais in France to Santiago in Spain. The same journey would have taken me two days by car or two hours by plane. In our fast paced world, we are not used to choosing the slowest route to our goals. But it is by slowing down, I think, that we have more time to see what's going on around us, to be touched by beauty and moved by nature, to meet and appreciate others and to sense and feel what is going on inside of us. Walking day after day became a meditative practice for me. At the same time, the routine of - getting up early, walking, eating, sleeping - had a profoundly calming effect. At the beginning it felt like the experience would never end. Then, after a while, the notion of time itself became diluted as I began to fully take part in moment-to-moment life. And, suddenly, I had almost reached my destination.
The Camino invites us to slow down in order to sense, experience, enjoy and participate in life fully.
3. You're never alone
Many pilgrims decide to go on the pilgrimage on their own, as was the case for me. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with myself, away from a busy life. It is a chance to see how much you rely on yourself or on others. A chance to listen internally to what you need in each moment and how you are able to fulfill this need or manage the frustration. You can take decisions without having to consider the opinions of others, liberating but also scary. I learned on the Camino though, that there is always someone there for you: to walk with, to share your story with, to drink a coffee with. The Camino can be a very social experience, if you want it to be.
More than anything else, I learned there is always help when you dare to ask for it!