Camino – Day #8

This day I met a person who played an important role in my continuing journey. We met on the bench which served as a resting place in the small town of Granon. She asked me if I am walking alone and my answer has led us to laughter despite great tiredness. “No, there are three of us.” She looked around and was a little bit confused cause there was no one else. My explanation followed: “Me, myself and I” ?.

At the end of our Camino walking, we realized that we both are too serious human beings and we need to relax and laugh more often. Because hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors. Laughter heals all wounds, and that’s one thing that everybody shares. No matter what you’re going through, it makes you release tension of your problems. If love is the treasure, laughter is the key.

Thought: Feelings aroused by the touch of someone’s hand, the sound of music, the smell of a flower, a beautiful sunset, a work of art, love, laughter, hope and faith – all work on both the unconscious and the conscious aspects of the self, and they have physiological consequences as well.

 

@ Azofra – Viloria de Rioja

Camino – Day #7

The last hour of walking I realized that I completely lost my sense of time and space I have in normal life. So far my journey lasted 7 days, I walked 200 km but it felt like I never lived differently. Routine of everyday physical effort and recent pain completely stopped wild thoughts and internal dramas and helped me to stop overanalyzing things. It’s been liberating because my mind had no more control and dominance over my emotional, physical and spiritual body. I attribute that to a feeling that there is something bigger than myself.

As I did vital steps towards cleaning up my mental landscape, it was time to reward myself with my own room and a private bathroom with a bath. This day there was no snoring from the bunk beds and waiting for a free shower. Believe me, this is a luxury that you can hardly imagine, so joy and gratitude over my decision cannot be described.

 

Thought: The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.

 

@ Viana – Azofra

Camino – Day #6

After a few hours of walking the pain was too strong. I felt like thousands knives were pounding my heels and I almost gave up. I sat on a stone, frustrated and desperate and just didn’t know what to do. I tried to find a place inside me where there’s joy, because the joy would burn out the pain. Without success.
Fortunately there is always a solution on Camino, I just didn’t get used to that fact then. In my case one sweet Spanish girl who was walking with me that day said magic words: “Try to walk in your teva shoes”. OMG, I did not even think about that option. After all, I really gave up … not my walking but my suffering 🙂

I had all day to think about the meaning of pain. Pain is so personal. It really belongs only to the one feeling it. Thankfully, pain is never permanent and it can be vitalising; it gives intensity in the place of vagueness and emptiness. Pain nourishes your courage. We cannot be more sensitive to pleasure without being more sensitive to pain.

Thought: There is a saying in Tibetan: tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength. No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.

 

@ Villamayor de Monjardín – Viana

Camino – Day #5

In nine hours of walking almost without pain I was thinking about the power of trying because I want to be okay with failing, about being quiet because only then you can perceive intuition, about giving in because it gives the opportunity to develop trust, about joy because I know sorrow, about faith because I almost lost mine, about generosity because somethimes I battle selfishness.

I slept in albergue run by Dutch ecumencial group who left me speachless. These volunteers are incredible human beings as they spend their vacation helping pilgrims on their way with selfless love, and this is fulfillment of their soul.

Each evening there is Jesus meditation and despite my apology that I am not religious, they convinced me that it had nothing to do with religion. It really was not and I had time for going deeper into the thought that I am pretty selfish person. At the end I understand that sometimes you need to be selfish so you can become selfless. My day finished with gratitude because I was thankful – for all of it.

Thought: There is a difference between being self-interested and being selfish. Investing in yourself is probably the hardest but the most selfless thing you could do in the long run. Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness. Listen to it carefully.

 

@ Puente La Reina – Villamayor de Monjardín

Camino – Day #4

Life is an adventure in forgiveness.
Because of yesterday’s frivolity, I suffered this day. Left knee reminded me of yesterday’s exaggeration, so I barely perceived Pamplona and other towns with their beauties. Despite everything, there were intermediate tiny little things, like fields of sunflowers who reminded me that it makes no sense to accuse yourself, cause there is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.

Thought: When you forgive, you in no way change the past – but you sure do change the future. Forgiveness is the final form of love.

 

@ Arre – Puente La Reina

Camino – Day #3

As I opened my eyes early in the morning I felt energetic, optimistic and frisky. And couldn’t wait to start walking, with a headlight, because it was still dark outside. My mind slowly calmed down so I finally could enjoy walking through small villages, forests, farm fields and meadows.
Freedom and playfulness were markings of that day and I completely forgot about time and space. In the late afternoon I was aware that I already walked 39 km and it’s time to stop. A week later I realized that early morning adrenaline can be extremely obnoxious.

Thought: In nature and life there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences.

 

@ Roncesvalles – Arre