DLJ
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2018
Just thinking - any suggestions?
Simplicity – On the Camino you live day to day without many of the things that you earlier thought were indispensable. While minimal, all the essentials are carried in your backpack; Simplicity is a constant, including the night’s accommodations, and many of the meals. The lesson of simplicity is shown in the lifestyle of the locals, be they Spanish, French, or Portuguese while they have cars, cell phones, computers, etc., they are content with what they have, and not stressing out for something faster, bigger, or better. A job, a home, family and friends, a slower pace; they see no need for the trauma of more, more, more.
Equality – Rich, poor, or somewhere in between, all are equal in the Alberque. On the Camino, whether a Member of Parliament; on the Board of Directors; a Janitor; Saint or Sinner, it makes no difference. They all walk, rain or shine, hot or cold, hills and dales, sprains and blisters; all with the same title – Pilgrim. From different countries, different cultures and beliefs, but all accepted on equal terms as Pilgrims.
Empathy – If for any reason you stop along the day’s route, the next Pilgrim to come along will stop and inquire if you are in need of help. If so, that Pilgrim will go out of his way to resolve your problem. If you appear to be uncertain of directions, a passing local will quickly get you back on course, frequently walking part way with you to be sure you don’t miss a turn. The story of the Good Samaritan is re-enacted continually by Pilgrim and local alike along the Camino.
Gratitude & Respect – During periods of solitude along the Camino gives one time to become one with the natural scene. Walking is a slow mode of travel, so we have time to note details that otherwise would be totally unseen, the flowers, bird calls, smells, cloud formations, makeup of the trail, and on and on. Walking on Roman roads, some 2,000 years old; and passing centuries old Castles that took centuries to build, and it all comes together in our mind as a long chain from Creation to all we are and have today. It is an experience that can make us aware of how much we have to be grateful for, both the works of God and of man, and the need to appreciate and respect both.
Introspection –The Meseta is an area of many miles of flat, straight path with little distraction, here is the opportunity to meet with self, that inner-person, an opportunity to find answers from within. We all have personal issues of one kind or another, careers, family, medical, financial, religion, but in this age of 24/7 connection there is little private time. Quiet and Time, the two things that present society disallows, are highly prized on the Camino. Time to think of ourselves, to review our values and beliefs, to consider our options in answer to our problems. This quiet time has been proven to have mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. The perfect time and place for meditation and reflection, and contemplation.
Hey! You set-off with a backpack and, you overcame all the challenges, and walked, completing the 500 mile Camino to Santiago de Compostela. You can’t help but feel great about your accomplishment. Ultreia!
Simplicity – On the Camino you live day to day without many of the things that you earlier thought were indispensable. While minimal, all the essentials are carried in your backpack; Simplicity is a constant, including the night’s accommodations, and many of the meals. The lesson of simplicity is shown in the lifestyle of the locals, be they Spanish, French, or Portuguese while they have cars, cell phones, computers, etc., they are content with what they have, and not stressing out for something faster, bigger, or better. A job, a home, family and friends, a slower pace; they see no need for the trauma of more, more, more.
Equality – Rich, poor, or somewhere in between, all are equal in the Alberque. On the Camino, whether a Member of Parliament; on the Board of Directors; a Janitor; Saint or Sinner, it makes no difference. They all walk, rain or shine, hot or cold, hills and dales, sprains and blisters; all with the same title – Pilgrim. From different countries, different cultures and beliefs, but all accepted on equal terms as Pilgrims.
Empathy – If for any reason you stop along the day’s route, the next Pilgrim to come along will stop and inquire if you are in need of help. If so, that Pilgrim will go out of his way to resolve your problem. If you appear to be uncertain of directions, a passing local will quickly get you back on course, frequently walking part way with you to be sure you don’t miss a turn. The story of the Good Samaritan is re-enacted continually by Pilgrim and local alike along the Camino.
Gratitude & Respect – During periods of solitude along the Camino gives one time to become one with the natural scene. Walking is a slow mode of travel, so we have time to note details that otherwise would be totally unseen, the flowers, bird calls, smells, cloud formations, makeup of the trail, and on and on. Walking on Roman roads, some 2,000 years old; and passing centuries old Castles that took centuries to build, and it all comes together in our mind as a long chain from Creation to all we are and have today. It is an experience that can make us aware of how much we have to be grateful for, both the works of God and of man, and the need to appreciate and respect both.
Introspection –The Meseta is an area of many miles of flat, straight path with little distraction, here is the opportunity to meet with self, that inner-person, an opportunity to find answers from within. We all have personal issues of one kind or another, careers, family, medical, financial, religion, but in this age of 24/7 connection there is little private time. Quiet and Time, the two things that present society disallows, are highly prized on the Camino. Time to think of ourselves, to review our values and beliefs, to consider our options in answer to our problems. This quiet time has been proven to have mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. The perfect time and place for meditation and reflection, and contemplation.
Hey! You set-off with a backpack and, you overcame all the challenges, and walked, completing the 500 mile Camino to Santiago de Compostela. You can’t help but feel great about your accomplishment. Ultreia!
