While walking the Camino, I received many gestures of kindness, and witnessed many gestures of kindness. Some deeds of kindness seemed small at the time; however, they had important consequences. On the second night, I got to meet a young Canadian. At 6’4” and 240 pounds, he had quite a goal. He wanted to walk …
71. Conversations Along the Camino
Listening and talking are daily components of the Camino. The conversations may include lengthy life-stories, or the conversations may comprise only two sentences passing along information. The conversations may last only a minute or they may be extended over one or two weeks as individuals meet and re-meet each other along the Way. I never …
70. The Spanish World along the Camino
No matter what one thinks, nobody can walk the Camino without depending upon the Spanish people and world along the Camino. As I walked the approximately 790 kilometers from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, I saw and talked with dozens of Spanish individuals. At times, I simply observed their world; at …
69. “He’ll Regret It” and “I Need to Find Myself”- Romance and Romanticism on the Camino
“He’ll Regret It” and “I Need to Find Myself” are words that I heard on the Camino. “He’ll Regret It” captures the occasions of romance on the Camino. “I Need to Find Myself” refers to the romanticism I encountered. During my month on the Camino, I heard both stories about romance and stories exhibiting a …
68. Feet and Faces on the Camino
Walking 500 miles on the Camino takes me back to basics. After the first day, I became especially aware of what moves me from place to place- my feet. Being constantly surrounded by others, I also noticed the great variety of bodies moving along that Camino. Since I probably have good peasant ancestors, my feet …
67. Did St. Francis Sleep Here?
Being a peregrino on the Camino, I am surrounded by history. For example, since I was ignorant of some features of St. Francis’s life, I did not realize that he might have traveled the Camino in the early 1200’s. On the one hand, it is possible that this legend is a later fabrication because none …
66. Graffiti and Street Art Along the Camino
Centuries ago along Spain’s Camino, there were physical reminders of the Christian perspectives. A peregrino would walk past churches and cathedrals, stone crucifixes marking crossroads or town squares, past nuns, monks, priests, and knights of the Order of Santiago. All of these visual reminders reinforced Christian religious perspectives that motivated the peregrino and that provided …
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65. “Always Go Forward” or “Go Back:” Common Sense on the Camino
I know that sometimes the temperature might be in the 90’s. I know that there are albergues which have bunkbeds for 160 peregrinos, but only in two or three rooms. I know that the next albergue, or even the next hostel, pension, or hotel, might be 6 miles. I can usually find sufficient information; however, …
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64. “A Gift to Be Simple” on the Camino
In our hall at home is a framed print with the Shaker words “A Gift to Be Simple.” “Tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free, tis the gift to come down to where we ought to be.” Like many others, I am struck by the ideal set forth in this …
63. Using the Image of St. James
While walking the Camino across northern Spain, I became conscious of three powerful images of St James: St. James the Apostle, St. James the Peregrino, and St. James the Moorslayer. Apart from any actual historical identity and significance, people through the ages have obviously used the figure of St. James for various purposes. St. James …
Journeys: Explorations in Body, Mind, and Spirit 