Snowy woods are magical. Yes, it's cold. You have to dress for it. And it's worth the extra effort, because...the stillness. You can hear yourself think! (Or, not. Sometimes not thinking is the point.) American poet Robert Frost must have known this when he wrote "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." (See him recite … Continue reading Woods on a Snowy Evening
It's called a pilgrimage for a reason. One month ago today, we started to walk El Camino in Spain. Yesterday, I shared my reflections with friends at church. Every pilgrim has their story. This is mine. This slide show (in PDF form) is meant for those of you who look under things, those who have … Continue reading “The Way:” A Spiritual Perspective
What happens when you reach the end of the earth? Do you fall off? Back in the day when people thought the world was flat, they must have wondered. Us? We stood on the rocks and felt the wind whip our hair. The day after arriving on foot in Santiago de Compostela (after walking 80 … Continue reading The End of the Earth?
Medieval walls. Church bells. Saint's bones. Pilgrims bearing backpacks. Tourists bearing purses. Shops - and more shops - selling mementos. All this greets you when you arrive in this small city in Galicia, Spain. But when you arrive as a pilgrim and make your way to the cathedral, your only thought is, "I made it!" Lots … Continue reading This Is It: Santiago de Compostela
And, we're done. Our inaugural El Camino walk -- 114km (71 miles) over 8 days on the route called Camino Ingles -- ended today where they all end, at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Adding detours and wrong turns, we walked about 80 miles. Our last eight brought more wind and rain, and an unexpected … Continue reading El Camino – Day 8 (Siguero to Santiago de Compostela)
Less than 10 miles left on our inaugural El Camino walk, and every day brings something new. That's how it should be. Today, it was wind during our 9.5-mile walk. And getting (sorta) lost. And our first Portugese pilgrims. Our penultimate walking day, in photos and captions below. Before leaving last night's sumptuous lodgings (compared … Continue reading El Camino – Day 7 (Outiero to Siguero)
And today, we got rain. I suppose you can't call yourself a true pilgrim of El Camino until you do. In spite of this, the nearly 10 miles felt like less ... probably because it was mostly flat. And because the rain didn't last all day. Pilgrims from Belgium and the U.K. joined us briefly. … Continue reading El Camino – Day 6 (Bruma to Outeiro)
Today, we climbed. At least 800 feet of elevation over nine miles. Rain threatened, and spit. My right foot complained. And yet, a good day. Psychologist and Buddhist meditation teacher Tara Brach uses a mindfulness technique called RAIN -- recognize, acknowledge, investigate, nurture. I learned years ago that just recognizing a discomfort, whether emotional or physical, … Continue reading El Camino – Day 5 (Presedo to Bruma)
More than 40 miles so far on Camino Ingles, counting about nine today, and feeling good. We're definitely ready to stop when we stop, but worries about knees and hips have abated and we are thoroughly enjoying the views. This morning in Galicia Province was gorgeous. The afternoon got a bit tedious in the midday sun … Continue reading El Camino – Day 4 (Betanzos to Presedo)
And on Day 3, tears. Not from pain, but release from it. Not the physical kind, but the emotional kind. And it was good. El Camino doing its work, as they say. Some physical discomfort, too, on this longest daily walk so far, but that was expected; 13 miles on Camino Ingles today, with lots of … Continue reading El Camino – Day 3 (Pontedeume to Betanzos)
For Many Moons 