Camino-(in)spirations

Whisperings

2012-02-02T10:56:00.000+13:00

a gift left for pilgrims on a simple little seat on the outskirts of Moissac

"Believe in the whisperings of God to your own heart"

~ Mary MacKillop
as quoted by Bishop John Dew after his return from the Camino

It was a beautiful walk to Moissac, but quite a lot was on hard tarmac,

and my feet were feeling tender as I reached the outskirts of the city.

Imagine my joy to find a simple little seat under a tree

with a sign that said it was a rest area for pilgrims,

and someone had even left some lollies on the little table.

I sat down, took off my boots and socks- oh sweet relief-

put some tape on the 'hot spots' on my feet

ate a lolly, and was refreshed

as there were still several kms of city walking before the gîte.

I don't know who set up this simple little rest area

or left the lollies

but the love showed.
It seemed like they had listened to a whisper of God to their heart.

Reaching out

2012-02-02T10:28:00.001+13:00

crops waving in the wind between Montcuq and Lauzerte

"There are things you can't reach
but you can reach out to them
and all day long.
The wind,
the bird flying away.
The idea of God."

~ Mary Oliver

God on the journey

2012-02-01T22:19:00.000+13:00

"The feeling remains that God is on the journey too."

~Teresa of Avila

The day I walked to Los Arcos the landscapes were simply stunning, all day

but for some unexplained reason (maybe I was a little dehydrated)

in the latter part of the walk everything seemed too hard

and I had this awful feeling of being lost

that I would never find a village

that I would wander aimlessly here for hours...

But when I reached the village, there was a group of Irishmen

sitting outside a cafe who asked how I was

and for once I said the truth - that it was hard and I felt lost.

They were my angels- I sat and conversed with them

I had dinner with them and I was 'found' again.

They were all fervent Christians these Irishmen

and it seemed like God knew I needed looking after this day.

This moment

2012-02-01T21:12:00.000+13:00

spring leaves, one morning en route for Moissac

"We have only this moment,

sparkling like a star in our hand,

and melting like a snowflake."

~Sir Francis Bacon

One of the 'lessons' for me on the Camino was that you could spend time
thinking about your sore feet or other body woes
or you could just accept them, and instead notice
and be thankful
and there were always so many things to notice and be thankful for
now, in the present moment.

Sacred Ground

2011-12-04T21:35:00.003+13:00

On my very first day of walking, on the plateau above Le-Puy-en-Velay

before reaching Saint Christophe sur Dolaison

"Standing on Holy Ground

– all is Sacred and all is gift"

I was nervous on that very first climb out of Le Puy
as I had heard it was steep, and wasn't sure if my fitness would be found wanting.

I was so pleased to find all my pre-Chemin walks meant it proved to be not too daunting.

I soon found myself relaxing into the landscape of the plateau above Le Puy

filled with an immense happiness to be there

and hoping that weeks of walking in the outdoors lay ahead.

I was filled with reverence and joy.

Life just seemed like pure gift in those moments.

A journey that remains...

2011-08-06T22:36:00.001+12:00

arrow seen en route for Melide in the last days of my Camino

"....suddenly it began to really hit me...

I was days from Santiago. My epic was nearly over.

Or so I thought at the time.

Journeys like this...they stay with you, in you forever.

Rather like having a child,

you are never ever quite the same."

~Karin

On an unknown road

2011-07-27T19:58:00.000+12:00

Somewhere after Navarrenx, in the Basque country, nearing the Pyrenees

"I’d rather be stumbling along an unknown road

than safely cooped up in even the nicest cul-de-sac"

~Paul

on People for Others blog

I loved walking down this wet path, under the shelter of trees dripping with the rain. It was refreshing and enlivening. And flat and easy- which was not to be the case on the chemin later in the day!

Love changes everything

2011-07-26T16:33:00.002+12:00

Françoise and Roger on the plateau above Cahors on a very hot day

"Love,
Love changes everything:
Hands and faces,
Earth and sky,
Love,
Love changes everything:
How you live and
How you die"

~Andrew Lloyd Webber
(see the whole song YouTube)

This was a day when I had a lot of contact with Françoise and Roger, and they turned out to be guardian angels. I had met them the previous evening in the convent at Vaylats where we shared the evening meal together. After lunch this day, I ran out of water in the unexpected heat. Somehow or other it seems that we met a local who discovered we were low on water... he returned and gave my angels some water. They ran in the heat to catch up to me to share the water...cold fresh water.... Their kindness in giving me the water was every bit as restorative as the water itself.

I never saw Françoise and Roger again after this act of kindness: I would love to know how they got on, and if they reached Santiago...

How can you explain?

2011-07-25T15:08:00.001+12:00

On the plateau above Le-Puy-en-Velay - on the first day of walking

"How can you explain that you need to know that the trees are still there,

and the hills and the sky?

Anyone knows they are.

How can you say it is time your pulse responded to another rhythm,

the rhythm of the day and the season

instead of the hour and the minute?

No, you cannot explain. So you walk."

~Author unknown, from New York Times editorial, "The Walk," 25 October 1967

It was something very special, the frisson of joy that I knew as I walked into the countryside at the top of the climb out of Le Puy. All going well, I was embarking on something that would let me be a walker in the outdoors for weeks and weeks to come.
I have just returned home from a Camino gathering in Hamilton: how good it was to be with a group of people who had also walked, and who understood, who didn't need an explanation about 'why' you would do such a thing...

patience

2011-06-28T20:10:00.001+12:00

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote found on Picturing God website

a significant journey

2011-06-18T08:48:00.002+12:00

My Camino shoes, all washed and scrubbed up for the journey home
-hopefully clean enough to get through our Kiwi quarantine checks-
somewhat more battered than when they started the journey.

“Every significant journey changes us in some way.

We are hardly ever aware of this while we are in the midst of it.

We may have hints and glimpses of these changes

but it is only later, in looking back

that we gasp in amazement at what was being formed and shaped in our lives.

Only then do we recognize how a new attitude,

a stronger dedication,

and a fuller passion stretched us into the fullness of life.

Then we are able to identify the journey’s ability

to propel us into unexpected growth."

- Joyce Rupp Walk in a Relaxed Manner

Seen on Andy's Pilgrimpace blog- thanks Andy.

Small Beauty

2011-06-14T22:31:00.000+12:00

"Look closely. The beautiful may be small."

~ Immanuel Kant

A black slug on the Napoleon Route across the Pyrenees.

They seemed to live in thick black leaf detritus -under trees near the top of the pass-

that saturated my socks in black muck that took forever to rinse out!!

For Kay and Craig

2011-05-29T18:04:00.005+12:00

'climb' in the Auvergne region

on the first day out of Le-Puy-en-Velay

(This post is especially for Kay and Craig

who are both about to start walking from Le-Puy-en-Velay in the coming week.)

"Watch your way then, as a cautious traveler

and don't be gazing at that mountain

or river in the distance

and saying, "How shall I ever get over them?"

but keep to the present little inch that is before you

and accomplish that

in the little moment that belongs to it.

The mountain and the river can only be passed

in the same way

and when you come to them

you will come to the light and strength

that belong to them."

~Kelty

Found on the sidebar of Mary Pott's blog 'Landing on my Feet'

in honour of her daughter who died of cancer aged 18

2011-04-07T17:29:00.002+12:00

Church belltower in Galicia, on one of the last days of the walk to Santiago

"There are thoughts which are prayers.

There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body,

the soul is on its knees."

~Victor Hugo

seen on Kelle Hampton's blog

Seeing a church tower in the sunlight always brought me joy

and made me think of all those who in centuries gone by

had walked to Santiago.

...a moment of communion
thinking of the ever-flowing river of pilgrims...

Shining

2011-03-31T09:32:00.001+13:00

my shadow on the descent from O'Cebreiro to the green of Galicia

"Shine through me and be in me

so that every soul I come in contact with

may feel your presence in my spirit."

~Blessed John Henry Newman

quote found on Becky Eldredge's blog

Glorious Dawn

2011-03-24T21:13:00.001+13:00

the landscape just past Astorga, early one morning following a thunderstorm

“Let the splendour of your glory dawn in our hearts.”

~Liturgy of the Hours

Quote from Picturing God Blog

Everyday miracles

2011-03-22T18:31:00.001+13:00

A few of the many wildflowers seen beside the path en route for Rabanal del Camino

“Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.”

~John O’Donohue

h/t: quote seen on the Picturing God blog.

Courage

2011-03-04T06:57:00.004+13:00

Spring appearing on the descent from the Aubrac Plateau

"Courage doesn't always roar.

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice

at the end of the day saying,

"I will try again tomorrow."

~Mary Anne Radmacher

Occasionally there were 'hard days' on the Camino.

One such day was the first day of crossing the Aubrac Plateau when I got so wet and cold.
It wasn't the wet and cold that was so hard, it was the fact I was walking alone in those conditions,
and knew there was a chance of becoming hypothermic, alone.

So the next morning, I had to 'make myself' walk on....
I had to take my own courage by the scruff of the neck
and walk on for the second day of the Aubrac crossing.

And at the end of the day as I descended from the Plateau to a lower altitude,

even though I felt exhausted

there was the joy of seeing the world around me

change into early spring...

With respect

2011-02-25T21:32:00.001+13:00

cross seen in countryside on first day's walk out from Le-Puy-en-Velay

"Can I see another's woe, and not be in sorrow too?

Can I see another's grief, and not seek for kind relief "

~William Blake

With sadness, thinking of those who died in the Christchurch earthquake

February 2011

Instruct ourselves... in joy...

2011-02-12T15:15:00.005+13:00

en route for Aumont-Aubrac

"It is what I was born for -

to look, to listen,

to lose myself

inside this soft world -

to instruct myself

over and over

in joy

and acclamation.

Nor am I talking

about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,

the very extravagant -

but of the ordinary,

the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations."

~Mary Oliver

from the poem, 'Mindful'

It seemed like quite a long day from Les Faux to Aumont-Aubrac,
and when I checked my e-mail for the first time since leaving Paris
there was some sad, hard news about a family at home.

But even though it seemed like a bit of a dull, even difficult day,
the sun still came out
to leave the shadow of this tree on the ground
a quiet bit of joy to notice.

Looking

2011-02-07T09:55:00.003+13:00

trees with spring leaves, seen when approaching Figeac

"I look; morning to night I am never done with looking.

Looking I mean not just standing around, but standing around

as though with your arms open.

And thinking: maybe something will come, some

shining coil of wind,

or a few leaves from any old tree-

they are all in this too."

~Mary Oliver

in the poem 'Where Does the Temple Begin, Where Does It End?'

One of the lasting legacies of the Camino for me has been this looking:-

looking and noticing details in the world outdoors around me.

Sacred Ground

2011-02-06T20:27:00.003+13:00

nearing the Orisson gite on a flatter section of the climb over the Pyrenees

'Any place is sacred ground,

for it can become a place of encounter with the Divine Presence.'

"These words from Br. David Steindl-Rast, appeared on the 'Word for the Day' on the gratefulness.org website on New Year's Day this year. Wonderful words for the beginning of the year, they reminded me that I can stand on sacred ground and meet God anywhere.
When I am aware of God's presence, I am not only filled with gratitude, but I learn to treat others with reverence and respect."

~John Dew Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand

who walked the Camino Frances in 2010

Simplicity, Patience, Compassion

2011-02-05T15:49:00.003+13:00

Woman who had walked from Brittany, relaxing in Ostabat,

"I have just three things to teach:

simplicity, patience, compassion.

These three are your greatest treasures.

Simple in actions and in thoughts,

you return to the source of being.

Patient with both friends and enemies,

you accord with the way things are.

Compassionate toward yourself,

you reconcile all beings in the world."

(Tao Te Ching, Chapter 67)

This French woman who I met in Ostabat was persevering despite great pain in her feet.
I never saw her again after SJPP where I took an extra rest day. I hope she made it to Santiago, either on this walk or at a later time. She had walked pretty much alone until Bordeaux when she had met a pair of women walking, one of whom was seriously sight-impaired.
The three walked together, helping each other. They were an inspiration.

Solitary Walking

2011-02-04T08:25:00.003+13:00

arrow someone has made in stone at a crossroads in routes

heading for Astorga on the beautiful, less-peopled 'countryside' option from Hospital de Orbigo

"How many of us are completely at ease with our own thoughts,
comfortably at home in our own minds and bodies?
I know I'm not always in this ideal state.
Far from it.
So solitary walking gives me the chance to explore a little
the murky depths of my own mind,
to clear some weeds from the muddy pool of my unconscious,
to sort out my ideas and beliefs,
to shine a little light into my soul,
to reflect on God and the nature of life, death and the universe.
And, with luck, to meet up with some interesting people,
and enjoy a few beers with them along the Way..."

~Robert

on his Solitary Walker blog

Robert has many reflections on walking you might want to check out,

as well as accounts of the varied walking journeys he has made.

Flowers of the Camino

2011-01-31T18:42:00.000+13:00

Flowers seen beside the path nearing San Martin del Camino,

after a long hot day's walk, mostly near highway, out of Leon.

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”

—Henri Matisse

Quote found on 'Picturing God' website

On my last night in Santiago I had a very special conversation

with a Frenchman I had met a few times along the Camino.

He had always struck me as a prayerful, reflective man, full of wisdom,

who thought a lot about others.

(I was surprised though to find him on the altar of the Cathedral in Santiago as a deacon!)

In our last conversation

he told me that I was 'une fleur du camino'

-a flower of the Camino.

But he also gently said that a flower sometimes has to die to make a seed.

His words and his love have always remained within me.

A Long Walk

2011-01-31T09:35:00.000+13:00

Countryside near Saugues on the Le Puy route

"What on earth has happened to me
in these 5 years since my first Camino?

Then I simply decided to go for a long walk

but of course I discovered as we all do
that as well as the physical act of walking

which is deeply meditative,

the simplicity of the way of life,

the friendship of strangers

and the beauty of the countryside

are actually a powerful spiritual brew."

~Johnnie Walker

Pilgrimage and Church

2011-01-31T09:24:00.000+13:00

Church in the village of Gaillac, as seen soon after leaving Cajarc

"Above all I suppose the experience opens my mind to God

in ways which Church never does.

Increasingly I’ve become bothered again by aspects of Church:

by the lack of caring, the focus on power,

the marginalisation of women inevitable in a male dominated organisation

and the pompous self regard of many leaders.

Now I find these feelings fading and taking on a new perspective.

When I rage about it I want to take them all, Pope included, on pilgrimage.

I realise I can only take myself."

~Johnnie Walker

Feeling with the Heart

2010-12-22T18:22:00.002+13:00

On the plateau above Le Puy on the first morning's walk

“The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen, nor touched,

but are felt in the heart.”

~Helen Keller

Mist in the hills surrounding O'Cebreiro

2010-12-18T21:59:00.001+13:00

Mist seen in valleys below on the descent from O'Cebreiro

"What’s it like to be back? We can’t seem to stop walking, and on one of our impromptu hikes, Lisa observed: “I thought it would be somehow more . . . spiritual.”

I thought it would be more spiritual, too. Originally, we’d planned to walk the questions posed in John’s gospel, pondering one question each day. There are some great ones, worthy of weighty consideration: “What are you looking for?” “Do you want to be made well?” “Do you also want to go away?” And Pilate’s hauntingly cynical: “What is truth?”

On the Camino, however, the questions that consumed us were quite different: “Was that the alarm?” “Should I be paying attention to this pain?” “Can we stop for a café con leche?” “Are we there yet?”

So much for John’s questions.

But I could tell you the phases of the moon along the trek, when the first light comes, how the sun glints off the lantern of the cathedral of Santiago. I could describe magical forests in Galicia and how the morning mists create islands of the hills surrounding O’Cebreiro"....

"This is not the spirituality we anticipated; it’s the spirituality we got."

~ Martha E. Stortz

from "Pilgrimage"

an article in Santa Clara Magazine

Summer 2010

Let your God look upon you

2010-12-16T20:50:00.001+13:00

Between Pech Ibert and Cajarc

"Be silent.

Be still.

Wait before your God.

Say nothing.

Ask nothing.

Be still.

Let your God look upon you.

That is all."

~Edwina Gateley

H/T Concord Pastor

"Thursday's child has far to go!"

2010-12-13T21:24:00.002+13:00

Distance to Santiago on sign on outskirts of Le-Puy-en-Velay

"Only those who will risk going too far

can possibly find out how far they can go."

-- T.S. Eliot

Incidentally, there was another sign

not too many metres away from this one

that gave another, even longer, distance estimate.

It is probably as well I never noticed it at the time!!

And yes, I am a 'Thursday's child'
-prophetic that saying!

Rain on a spiderweb

2010-12-03T21:06:00.001+13:00

seen soon after leaving Domaine des Mathieux, the day after heavy rain had fallen

"I am sure it is a great mistake always to know

enough to go in when it rains.

One may keep snug and dry by such knowledge,

but one misses a world of loveliness."

~Adeline Knapp

Whisperings of grasses

2010-11-29T18:53:00.002+13:00

Rural countryside, en route for Lauzerte

"What I know in my bones

is that I forgot to take time to remember what I know.

The world is holy. We are holy.
All life is holy.

Daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves,
the whisperings of grasses,

the shimmering of leaves,"

~ Terry Tempest Williams

Landscape

2010-11-25T22:41:00.000+13:00

Landscape after Estella

"It is a pity indeed to travel and not get this essential sense of landscape values.

You do not need a sixth sense for it.

It is there if you just close your eyes and breathe softly through your nose;

you will hear the whispered message, for all landscapes ask the same question in the same whisper.

'I am watching you -- are you watching yourself in me?'

Most travelers hurry too much...

the great thing is to try and travel with the eyes of the spirit wide open,

and not too much factual information.

To tune in, without reverence, idly --

but with real inward attention.

It is to be had for the feeling...

you can extract the essence of a place once you know how.

If you just get as still as a needle, you'll be there."

~Lawrence Durrell (Spirit of Place: Letters and Essays on Travel)

The dreamers

2010-11-23T20:50:00.001+13:00

Two Italian women having dinner in Triacastela

-two of the many wonderful dreamers I met along the way...

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer.

Always remember, you have within you

the strength, the patience, and the passion

to reach for the stars to change the world."

~Harriet Tubman

The direction of your dreams

2010-11-23T20:43:00.000+13:00

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you have imagined."

~Henry David Thoreau

Cruz de Ferro

2010-11-23T18:27:00.002+13:00

Cruz de Ferro in the mist, on the mountains above Foncebadon

"The mountain remains unmoved

at seeming defeat by the mist."

- Rabindranath Tagore

Some people prepare very well for their encounter with the Cruz de Ferro

carrying stones all along the way that they will place there

in atonement for their sins or for the intentions of others.

And for some, this is a significant place where they leave behind past guilts,

and drop their burdens on the stone pile below the cross.

But I wasn't among them.

Religiously, I was quite unmoved.

It was the mist that moved me

to both delight and annoyance

-it was so gloriously thick but there was no view!

Early Morning

2010-11-16T19:27:00.003+13:00

In the countryside after Astorga- walking early-
with the remnants of a thunderstorm still in the air

"I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time."

~Emily Dickinson

On warmer days in France and Spain

I always preferred to start walking in the morning cool.

To walk as the world awoke to a new day

was always a time of real joy for me

deep quiet joy.

And this particular morning I walked with my Quebec friends.

It had been an unbearably hot night,

until in the early hours, a loud thunderstorm began.

We were glad to escape early,

though nervous lest the storm return while we were in the open.

We were all excited, after so many days of 'flat' walking

to be heading for the mountains again,

towards Rabanal del Camino... Foncebadon..... Cruz de Ferro...

places of mysterious names,

all in the higher land that we couldn't wait to climb.

Changing Seasons

2010-11-16T17:41:00.002+13:00

Leaving Montbonnet on Day 2 of the Chemin, with mid-April snow on the ground

"Each moment of the year has its own beauty

....a picture which was never before

and shall never be seen again."

~Emerson

Another h/t to George for the quote.

One of the greatest joys I found in the whole walk from Le Puy to Santiago

was the way I passed through the changing seasons as I walked.

These first few days out of Le-Puy-en-Velay, mid-April

were bitterly cold at times

and twice, there was even snow- a novelty for a Kiwi lowland North Islander!

green tree and blue sky

2010-11-15T22:07:00.003+13:00

En route for La Romieu

"I thank you God for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of the trees,

and for the blue dream of sky

and for everything which is natural,

which is infinite, which is yes."

~e.e. cummings

H/T to George for quote

"Real Maturity" and Cats

2010-11-13T08:58:00.005+13:00

Real Cat seen in Auvillar

"Sometimes when I get up in the morning, I feel very peculiar.

I feel like I've just got to bite a cat!

I feel like if I don't bite a cat before sundown, I'll go crazy!

But then I just take a deep breath and forget about it.

That's what is known as real maturity."

~Charles Schultz on prudence and temperance (as Snoopy in Peanuts)

H/T to Ironic Catholic for this quote

I think that walking the Camino brings out some 'real maturity'

- when the going gets tough sometimes, you just gotta keep going-

Plus the Camino often has you rolling in laughter uncontrollably

with your Camino mates

-in a way that's not easily understood by anyone who hasn't walked the Camino-

So this humour from Snoopy belongs here rather well....

One of the sculptured cats of La Romieu - a town well worth the detour- don't miss it folks!

A doorway

2010-11-05T09:16:00.003+13:00

A door in a ruined wall- in the Auvergne- on the first day out of Le-Puy-en-Velay

"God enters by a private door into every individual."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

an archway- a beginning

2010-11-05T09:02:00.005+13:00

The archway that looks down on the beginning of the Chemin-

the path away from the Cathedral in Le-Puy-en-Velay

"It is for us to pray

not for tasks equal to our powers,

but for powers equal to our tasks,

to go forward with a great desire

forever beating at the door of our hearts

as we travel toward our distant goal."

~Helen Keller

"Everyone" who leaves from Le Puy takes a photo of this archway

-you see almost identical photos in everyone's collections!

It marks a significant point- the start-

an exhilarating place,

where so much is hoped for

and so much lies unknown in the future.

Showing Love

2010-10-30T20:40:00.004+13:00

With friends met on the Camino, in Santiago near the Cathedral

"The only thing we really have to work at in this life

is how to manifest love."

~George Harrison

In this photo are three friends- two from Quebec and one from France.
Met on the Camino, they are jewels in my heart forever.

H/T to Mighty Ambivalent Catholic blog for quote, in a thought-provoking post

reverence

2010-10-23T22:01:00.004+13:00

Approaching Gite DuBarry, near Lelin-Lapujolle

"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked,

in which you can walk with love and reverence."

~ Henry David Thoreau

On this beautiful path....

2010-10-14T21:45:00.001+13:00

en route between Cirauqui and Estella

"The mind can go in a thousand directions,

but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace.

With each step, the wind blows.

With each step, a flower blooms."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

I loved the beauty in these early days walking in Spain,

with fields so unexpectedly green and 'spring-like'

and medieval villages and bridges

that reminded you that you walked in historic steps.

Medieval pilgrims, ancient Romans and even those from times lost in pre-history

have also walked here.

Cathedral- Le-Puy-en-Velay

2010-10-09T10:11:00.002+13:00

Cathedral, Le-Puy-en-Velay

a Marian shrine for centuries

Hail Mary, full of grace

The Lord is with you

Blessed are you among women

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Pray for us sinners, now

and at the hour of our death.

Amen

Le-Puy-en-Velay was the jewel of a place I started walking from,

nestled in the hidden Auvergne,

in an old volcanic crater, with two rock 'needles' reaching for the sky.

Before I left home, Fr Chris Skinner told me of its significance in the history of his Marist order.

And though I am long estranged from church

I still sense some of the mystery

that Mary looks out for me like a mother

and I know that I walked all the way to Santiago

under the protection of the blessing given by the Bishop in the Cathedral of Le Puy.

Deo gratias

Hillary Quote

2010-10-03T07:34:00.002+13:00

My Quebec friends eating lunch near the high point on the Route Napoleon over the Pyrenees.

“It’s not the mountain we conquer,

but ourselves.”

~Sir Edmund Hillary

We had looked at the altitude charts for weeks,

fearing the day we had to ascend the pass over the Pyrenees.

In the event, we found it was 'not so hard'.

The weather was kind the day we crossed

not too hot or cold, and just a little cloudy near the top.

And we found that our weeks of walking in France had prepared our bodies well.

The crossing- which we split into two with a night in Orisson-

became an event of great joy!

Mindful- by Mary Oliver

2010-09-26T22:48:00.007+13:00

The first day on the Meseta- lush and green and beautiful

not at all what I had been expecting!

'Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help

but grow wise
with such teachings
as these -
the untrimmable light

of the world,
the ocean’s shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?'

~from 'Mindful'

by Mary Oliver

Woyaya- We will get there

2010-09-21T17:07:00.001+12:00

Home-made sign seen soon after Arzacq-Arraziguet

"We will get there
Heaven knows how we will get there
We know we will
It will be hard we know
And the road will be muddy and rough
But we'll get there
Heaven knows how we will get there
We know we will."

~Osibisa

Along the way at times, especially in France,

you would see home-made

signs, or seats, or shelters, or food/drink stops

for pilgrims.

Always, it was great for morale,

a sign that others were thinking of you, encouraging you along the Chemin.

Always, a little 'thank you' prayer went up...

Pilgrims on a journey

2010-09-11T20:15:00.003+12:00

Ultreia Gîte, Moissac:- Hosts: Rom and Aideen

"We are pilgrims on a journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load

I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh I'll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through"

~from "the servant song"

by Richard Gillard

Rom and Aideen have moved from their homeland of Ireland

to serve the needs of pilgrims on the route to Compostela.

This gîte is their home

where they offer warm hospitality

and genuine care for pilgrims.

I count them as friends, and hope to return to visit them one day.

There are several moving verses in this song,
but I chose the one about laughter and tears
as they are two things I think most pilgrims come to know well....

Peace- in the present moment

2010-09-07T12:10:00.002+12:00

seen soon after leaving St Côme d'Olt

while walking along a peaceful road near the River Lot

"Peace is present right here and now,

in ourselves and in everything we do and see.

Every breath we take, every step we take,

can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity.

The question is whether or not we are in touch with it.

We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

"Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life"

Compassion

2010-09-06T20:58:00.005+12:00

sign on the door of Red Cross Clinic for pilgrims, Estella

"Compassion is a verb."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Estella is reached within a few days walk after leaving Roncesvalles,

and for some who started, perhaps too quickly,

there has been time for bodies and feet to lay complaints about the treatment meted out.

Some 'veteran' pilgrims also have bodies that are in need of some tenderness

with the Pyrenees safely crossed behind them.

I know two people who visited this Red Cross Clinic

run by volunteers for pilgrims.

They -one 'newbie' and one 'veteran'- found it a haven of kindness,

with soft music, and tender, gentle care,

a safe place for tears.

People who show compassion

are treasures in this world.

Lead me to your holy mountain

2010-09-03T20:46:00.003+12:00

on the Route Napoleon, heading towards the pass over the Pyrenees

Send out your light and your truth,
Let these be my guide,
to lead me to your holy mountain
and to the place where you live.
Then I shall go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy,
I shall rejoice.

Ps 43: 3-4

Walk

2010-08-25T13:02:00.002+12:00

pilgrim approaching Castrojeriz

"Walk
Pilgrim of the world

Walk
Thy steps thy words
The road, thy song
the fatigue, thy prayer
And thy silence, finally thy speech.

Walk
thou art born for the way
That of pilgrimage
That other way leading to thyself
and thy quest

Walk
Already, God walks with thee."

~quoted by 'dutchpilgrim' on the Santiago Forum'

an extract of parts from a longer poem he was given at Navarrenx in France

The Road

2010-08-24T07:48:00.001+12:00

on the Meseta

early one morning

The Road

Here is the road: the light

comes and goes then returns again.

Be gentle with your fellow travelers

as they move through the world of stone and stars

whirling with you yet every one alone.

The road waits.

Do not ask questions but when it invites you

to dance at daybreak, say yes.

Each step is the journey; a single note the song.

~ Arlene Gay Levine ~

found in a post on the Camino Forum

by Nandy 61

Be Mindful

2010-08-15T09:19:00.007+12:00

two French men walking between Aroue and Ostabat,

getting closer to the Pyrenees

"Be mindful of the sound of your feet upon the road,

Be mindful of the warmth of the sun,

Be mindful of the smell of the earth after the rain,

Keep in mind the wonder of it all.

There’s a dance our bodies long to dance,

There’s a song our voices long to sing,

There’s a dream our planet’s dreaming of,

Sing and dance her dream upon the earth."

~from the song 'Be Mindful'

by Chris Skinner SM

Compostela

2010-08-15T08:34:00.014+12:00

"When I got upstairs to the office I asked if they had seen the queue.

“Tell us” Eva said and when I did she blessed herself.

“Headbangers” all, I thought fondly. Me included.

Why else would we stand and wait for a stamp and a certificate

which to many is just a piece of paper?

The answer is of course that it marks the end of a significant journey.

A personal pilgrimage which has taken time and effort."

~from Johnnie Walker's blog posting,

about his experience in the Pilgrim Office

When I finally stood in the square in front of the Cathedral in Santiago

I knew I had achieved something that was both

-very simple- a succession of day walks, mostly not too hard, and also

-amazing- a feat of endurance and perseverance that had taken me nearly three months.

I wasn't really sure whether I should ask for the Compostela, or the non-religious certificate,
but I knew I would treasure the piece of paper I was given at the Pilgrim Office!

Addendum: 25 August

Rebekah has just reported a tragic death on her blog, where a Frenchwoman died in an accident on the journey home, after finishing her pilgrimage and receiving her Compostela. Those at the Pilgrim's Office immediately arranged a memorial Mass to pray for her. It adds a whole new layer of 'special-ness' to the meaning of the Compostela.

'...my friends at the pilgrim office in Santiago de Compostela got to work. They looked up the pilgrim credentials, they hustled over to the cathedral office, and the Monolithic Catholic Institution everyone rails against worked like a well-oiled machine to celebrate a beautiful memorial Mass for "la peregrina Frances."'

Discovery

2010-08-11T19:58:00.002+12:00

"All walking is discovery.

On foot we take the time to see things whole."

~ Hal Borland

My friends from Quebec walking in Galicia,

in the last few days before we arrived in Santiago.

Coming down from the mountaintop....

2010-08-07T21:17:00.001+12:00

on the descent from O'Cebreiro to Triacastela

"No one lives on the top of the mountain.
It’s fine to go there occasionally
—for inspiration, for new perspectives.
But you have to come down. Life is lived in the valleys.
That’s where the farms and gardens and orchards are,
and where the plowing and the work is done.
That’s where you apply the visions
you may have glimpsed from the peaks."

~Arthur Gordon

Irish Blessing

2010-08-06T11:45:00.003+12:00

four lovely ladies from St Etienne who looked after the foreigner at dinner in Saugues

seen here donning all their layers against the cold near Chanaleilles

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rain fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

"Que les chemins s 'ouvrent pour t 'accueillir,
Que le vent souffle toujours dans ton dos,
Que le soleil brille modérément sur ton visage,
Que la pluie tombe fine sur tes champs,
Et, en attenant notre prochaine rencontre,
Que Dieu te garde dans la paume de Sa main."

~An Irish Blessing

French translation as seen at Eunate in Spain

and posted to Camino Forum

living in the moment

2010-07-26T19:15:00.010+12:00

Rebekah and Paddy's bodega, Moratinos

on the Meseta

"I´m making a concerted effort to really see the world that´s moving around me,

to train my mind to not spend all my time thinking
about what happened yesterday or ten years ago or last week,

or what I hope will or will not happen tomorrow or next month or when I´m 64.
All I have is now. And I want to live here."

~Rebekah, resident in Moratinos

Blog: Big fun in a tiny pueblo

Rainbow at Orisson

2010-07-25T17:14:00.004+12:00

part way up the pass over the Pyrenees

a magnificent rainbow draped the evening skies

“What you are in love with,

what seizes your imagination

will affect everything.

It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings,

what you will do with your evenings,

how you spend your weekends,

what you read, who you know,

what breaks your heart,

and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love,

and it will decide everything.”

~Pedro Arrupe S.J.

The evening spent at Orisson, part-way up the Napoleon Route over the Pyrenees,
was one of the most precious times on the whole Chemin for me.
The view was magnificent, out across the 'layers' of hills and mountains.
Then a rainbow came, and was draped right across the sky and the mountains.
(This photo of just a portion of it gives merely a hint of the glory.)

These outdoor glories, the small ones and the large ones,
are treasures in my heart
and noticing them
has seeped within
as a reason for my being.

Early Morning

2010-07-12T13:17:00.001+12:00

leaving El Burgo Ranero early one morning

with my friends from Quebec

"An early-morning walk

is a blessing for the whole day. "

~Henry David Thoreau

Prayer

2010-07-12T12:04:00.001+12:00

In the countryside near Limogne-en-Quercy

"Prayer is like a secret garden

made up of silence

and rest and inwardness.

But there are a thousand and one doors

into the garden

and we all have to find our own........."

~Jean Vanier

from ' Jean Vanier: Essential Writings'

selected by Carolyn Whitney-Brown

What makes you come alive?

2010-07-12T08:42:00.002+12:00

On top of O'Cebreiro

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs.
Ask yourself what makes you come alive,
and then go do that.
Because what the world needs
is people who have come alive."
~Howard Thurman

Walking on the earth

2010-07-11T22:00:00.007+12:00

German couple walking to Orisson in the Pyrenees

"People usually consider walking

on water or in thin air a miracle.
But I think the real miracle

is not to walk either on water or in thin air,

but to walk on earth.

Every day we are engaged in a miracle
which we don't even recognize:

a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves,

the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes.
All is a miracle."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Beauty

2010-07-09T15:47:00.006+12:00

The village of Hontanas,

on the Meseta, mid-June 2008

"Beauty consoled and strengthened me

during the countless times my legs and feet hurt from walking

and my shoulders pained from carrying my backpack.....

...... The natural splendor around me gave me hope

when my hungry soul longed for a touch of enthusiasm.

Always the many forms of beauty on the Camino

reached out to me,

asking nothing more than that I embrace their gifts."

~Joyce Rupp

in 'Walk in a Relaxed Manner:

Life Lessons from the Camino'

Awe and Wonder

2010-07-07T16:59:00.001+12:00

The lushness of spring, in the countryside after Lauzerte

"The elemental spirituality is awe and wonder and delight before the creation.

The mountains, the birds, the flowers, the children

reach out and touch us with wonder and with joy.

We sense a wonderful Creator.

We respond with thankfulness,

sometimes reverence,

engaging with the holy."

~From "We Well People"

a book about Celtic Spirituality

by a New Zealand author, John Hunt

Peace on the road

2010-07-07T16:55:00.004+12:00

On the road to Los Arcos

"I'm not sure where I'm going.

Can't you give me a sign?

What's that? Peace? Why, yes, Lord.

This road is full of peace. It hangs in the air.

It's everywhere. You mean that's it?

Peace is the sign I'm on the right road?"

~in "Psalms for the Road"

by Joy Cowley

a New Zealand writer

Actually, the afternoon of the day I walked to Los Arcos,

the road on which this beautiful photo was taken,

turned out to be a 'hard day'.

For no apparent reason I felt despondent

as if I was 'lost' on the winding road

that held no signs of any village or farmhouse,

as if I would never arrive to sanctuary that afternoon.

Maybe part of the reason was simply that I was dehydrated.

But when I arrived, I was 'nurtured'

by a wonderful group of Irishmen who shared dinner with me,

and a gentle massage therapist who worked wonders on my legs and ankles.

I felt despondent, and some simple kindnesses worked wonders.

Thanks to my angels.

Thanks always

2010-07-06T12:40:00.007+12:00

'Climbing' to Rabanal del Camino

"Blessed are you, pilgrim,
when you have no words to give thanks
for all the wonders in every nook of the camino."

~From Saint Anthony's Messenger, Aug 7, 2002
quoted by sil on Camino de Santiago Forum

you are precious to my eyes

2010-07-06T12:30:00.002+12:00

Cloister at Los Arcos

"....Vanier learned to befriend weakness not just in others but in himself.
'Let's stop running away from ourselves and from the deepest parts of our beings,'
he encouraged people on retreat.
'Let us simply stop and start listening to our own hearts.
There we will touch a lot of pain.
We will possibly touch a lot of anger.
We will possibly touch a lot of loneliness and anguish.
Then we will hear something deeper.
We will hear the voice of Jesus;
we will hear the voice of God.
'I love you. You are precious to my eyes and I love you.' "

~ From America Magazine: Jean Vanier's Gift for Living
By Carolyn Whitney-Brown, December 22, 2008

Walking from Le Puy, for the first three weeks I mostly walked alone,
lots of time to think and reflect.
I cannot now be sure, whether it was during those weeks or later on,
but the phrase "you are precious to my eyes and I love you"
took hold of me several times, very deeply
and there was a certainty about it.
I am a very lapsed Catholic,
but at those times I knew, completely, I was enveloped in Love.

Ave Maria

2010-07-06T12:22:00.005+12:00

Statue of the Virgin (12th century)
Iglesia de Santa María la Real, O'Cebreiro

"Ave Maria gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus"

"Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee
blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."

The end of the Camino

2010-07-05T18:43:00.005+12:00

0.00 km marker near the lighthouse at Finisterre

"Blessed are you, pilgrim,
because you have discovered
that the true camino begins at its end."

~From Saint Anthony's Messenger, Aug 7, 2002
quoted by sil on Camino de Santiago Forum

I know that when I had finished walking
it felt like I had learned so many important lessons
about simplicity and calm, and taking time to listen,
and rhythms of the feet, and noticing the little things......
that my life would change when I returned home.

But back home, back at work,
life was so busy it was hard to hold onto that hope
and for a while I felt down, as if nothing had changed.

But then I realised, that peace and calm did reside within
that I had new priorities
I was no longer just fodder for the rat-race
and slowly slowly
this new simplicity
has been sending its roots deeper
into the soil of my being.

I want to add to the beauty....

2010-07-03T16:11:00.014+12:00

Dandelion seen one morning, after leaving Miradoux

"We come with beautiful secrets

We come with purposes written on hearts

written on our souls

We come to every new morning

with possibilities only we can hold

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces,

Calling out the best of who we are

I want to add to the beauty

to tell a better story...."

~From a blog by Kelle Hampton

called "Enjoying the Small Things".

Kelle has two small girls, Lainey and Nella.

Her baby, Nella, is just a few months old

and was born with Down Syndrome.

Kelle is a photographer who takes exquisite photos of her life
and especially of her girls.

Pilgrimage in the tougher times

2010-07-03T15:34:00.001+12:00

Pilgrim leaving Rieutort d'Aubrac
on a morning that promises difficult weather conditions, like the day before.

"Brendan who was leading the Novena said,
“If you don’t feel like doing this,
if you are angry, if you have problems, if your faith is weak…
you are especially welcome…
come on the journey with us and let us support you through these nine days together.”

In that moment I realised that last year that’s what my Caminos
including the nine day journey in Clapham
had done for me.
I’ve learned that pilgrimage is not just for the good times in life,
it can also be about sustaining us
through the times of great difficulty."

~From Johnnie Walker's post
'Pilgrimage is not just for the good times'

Plant a garden of life

2010-06-27T11:19:00.001+12:00

seen in the mist on a descent from Cruz de Ferro
another of the person-made hearts
someone was making ahead of us on the Camino Frances

"Though your heart is in exile
Plant a garden of life where you stand
Seek the welfare of all those around you
And your welfare will lay in your hand."

~ from "If you seek me"
a song by David Kauffman

"What about the God bit?"

2010-06-26T20:10:00.006+12:00

Three Camino friends from Halifax, in the parish albergue at Granon

"Whilst the Camino to Santiago is essentially a Catholic pilgrimage
to the shrine said to contain the bones of one of the apostles
another thing I discovered is that there is no right or wrong way to travel the Camino to Santiago.
It isn’t just for holy people, or those who go to Church or people of faith.
It is for everyone.
But is it a spiritual experience? “What about the God bit?”

Over the last few days as I’ve thought about that question
and how to answer people who ask it,
I’ve been drawn to notes on my real experiences of pilgrimage.
They describe for me real encounters
with kindness, love, tolerance, respect, understanding.
Maybe they are the "God bit”?"

~From the blog: Camino to Santiago de Compostela
by Johnnie Walker

walking becomes the praying

2010-06-23T17:54:00.009+12:00

on the alternative track through the countryside,
from Hospital de Orbigo, en route for Astorga

"On the Camino in Spain,
I gradually discovered that the walking becomes the praying.

In putting one foot in front of another,
in the tiredness, in the blisters,
in the being at one
with myself, the landscape and God,
in the mind quietening,
in all this,
walking, pilgrimage itself, became prayer."

~ From Andy's Pilgrimpace Blog
'a short walk from Swanwick'

I concur with Andy's words
about walking.
There is something mysterious about the rhythm of the feet
meeting the earth for kilometres and days,
enduring,
that can place the soul in a place of prayer.

If God is the Song

2010-06-22T20:39:00.003+12:00

French family walking amongst the fields and wildflowers above Bessuejouls

"If God is the song and we are the singers

We are filled with the fullness of God

If God is the song and we are the singers

When we sing we are one with God"

~ From "If God is the Song"

by Fr Chris Skinner SM on the CD "Serenity"

I carried a little 'packet' of songs and poems and readings

to inspire me along the way.

In the early days, one of my favourite songs was

"If God is the Song" by Chris Skinner,

truly a song of joy.

But- one day in my very first week-

I had the words for this song in the pocket of my shorts

to reach easily, so I could sing as I walked along

and- it rained- drenching rain.

In coping with the rain and cold,

I never thought about the pieces of paper in my shorts pocket.....

So the words for this song, became irretrievably soggy....

By the way, 'next time'

I intend to sing more freely

without checking first that nobody can hear me...

I will not be so timid!!!

Whispers of a Conversation

2010-06-22T07:58:00.009+12:00

Rochegude: chapel dedicated to St James

"You can be a traveller on your own, but not, I think, a pilgrim.
Pilgrimage connects you to something bigger than yourself.
Pilgrimage connects you to longings that come from deep places
and that cannot easily be explained.

Even the solitary pilgrim is on a shared quest,
overhearing some whispers of a conversation
that has been going on for years.

interior of chapel, Rochegude

Pilgrims don’t always have a clear idea
of what they’re doing or why they’re doing it,
but they keep going,
exchanging nods on the way."

~from Jim Forest’s The Road to Emmaus
found on Andy's PilgrimPace Blog

Miracles every day.....

2010-06-21T11:31:00.001+12:00

Leaving Montbonnet on Day 2, with snow lying all around.

"There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is."

~Albert Einstein

It would be true to say I was 'afraid' when I stepped out alone into the snowy landscape
on just my second morning of walking.
But along with the anxiety, I knew such excitement, such gladness.
How could it be that I was so lucky to be here,
in the morning silence,
immersed in the secrets of the outdoors,
with just a slither of morning sun creeping out across the snowy fields.
It was an Hallelujah moment!

A sudden moment of Grace

2010-06-21T11:21:00.005+12:00

On top of the first hill on the Meseta

"I was truly alive and all was grace.
That Amazing Grace
where a single moment of blindness
turns to sight once again. "

~From 'Googling God' blog.

I climbed onto the Meseta with my two friends from Quebec.
We weren't sure what to expect.
So much is written about this place, that I think I truly feared it.

And maybe in the searing heat of summer it truly is deservedly feared.

But our first experience was of a green magic.
We climbed a hill onto the Meseta proper,
and suddenly this landscape stretched out before us,
as far as the eye could see, just green crops and sky.
Nothing else.
Almost in unison, for the three of us,
you could hear an audible sound,
as it took our breath quite away.

Simplicity

2010-06-20T17:00:00.001+12:00

Heading for Camping Pech Ibert

"I’m now aware that what draws me back to pilgrimage time after time
is the simplicity of the pilgrim’s life.
We get up each day, pack the same few things into the same rucksack
and set off following a well waymarked path.
We have time to think, to pray, to reflect.
Our needs are simply food and a bed."

~Johnnie Walker
on `The Simple Life'

My first few weeks out of Le Puy were at times lonely
but they were precious days indeed
as I had time to reflect on my life.

My feet kept walking on the land, finding their rhythm
and as the kilometres stretched out ahead
there was no hiding from some conversations
with God or myself
about things past and present.

Simplicity #2

2010-06-20T16:59:00.001+12:00

Resting at a picnic spot before the climb up to Auvillar

I am a little short-sighted,
and quite often don't recognise people 'out of context' down the street.
But I was always able to recognise my Camino friends:
we each had so few changes of clothes,
it was easy to tell their colours and styles
from far away!

Glowing...

2010-06-20T16:57:00.001+12:00

En route between Astorga and Rabanal del Camino

"Glowing...
this is the thing about pictures of people on the Camino.
This light within...
As if the Camino washed the soul and cleared the eyes."

~Claire Bangasser
in a comment on Johnnie Walker's blog

When I was traveling in France in 2006 I stayed in a hostel in Cahors.
There I met a Frenchwoman who had been walking three weeks
along the Le Puy route.
Her face glowed with a radiant joy.
Speaking to her was what first gave me the idea
of walking the Chemin myself....

Sacred Space Within

2010-06-20T16:50:00.001+12:00

Stained glass window in the chapel of Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe, Le Puy

"Many of us are not aware of the sacred space within us,
the place where we can reflect and contemplate,
the space from which wonderment can flow
as we look at the mountains, the sky......

....This place, which is the deepest in us all,
is the place of our very personhood,
the place of inner peace where God dwells
and where we receive the light of life
and the murmurings of the Spirit of God.
It is the place in which we make life choices
and from which flows our love for others."

~Jean Vanier
- quoted in "Essential Writings" (Carolyn Whitney-Brown) pg 157-8

Sing to the Mountains

2010-06-20T11:29:00.001+12:00

"Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea.

Raise your voices, lift your hearts.

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let all the earth rejoice."

~Bob Dufford SJ

It was such a special day crossing the pass over the Pyrenees
from France into Spain.
We had looked at the steepness of the altitude charts for weeks beforehand
with trepidation in our hearts (!)
but in the event found we were well prepared after weeks of walking.

I took it slowly, and reveled in the views.
How fortunate to get such perfect walking weather
-not too hot, and mostly clear views- no rain in sight!
There was joy in my heart as I climbed.....

We say thanks

2010-06-20T11:20:00.002+12:00

Spider web in Galicia along the Camino of St James, June 2008

"If the only prayer that we ever said

If the only prayer we said was thanks
That would be enough that would be enough
If the only prayer we said was thanks."

From the song "We say thanks"
by Fr Chris Skinner SM
on the CD Awesome God

The first few days walking when I started from Le-Puy-en-Velay
seemed surprisingly easy.
Though my feet did grow tender, I got no blisters,
and my 'training' back at home meant
I wasn't suffering from any sore muscles etc.

But then the weather changed.
It was a hard cold day on the first day crossing the Aubrac Plateau
and my feet became sodden.
Thus began a series of days with drenched feet that led to some blisters
and the soles of my feet became so tender I wanted to scream!!!

But somehow, in the midst of all the sore feet
I had a 'revelation' one day.
One of the 'pieces of paper' I was carrying to inspire me
held the words of the song "We say thanks" by Chris Skinner SM.

And one day I "knew"
that I could spend hours each day thinking about how sore my feet were,
or I could forget the soreness of my feet
and make sure I noticed the glory in the landscapes I was passing through,
and be thankful.

My feet never seemed to hurt so badly again
and that lesson of 'thanks'
was one of the most important ones of my whole Camino.

Who I was born to be

2010-06-20T11:15:00.001+12:00

Bridge over a stream near Espeyrac in France

"Though I may not
Know the answers
I can finally say I am free
And if the questions
Led me here, then
I am who I was born to be"

~sung by Susan Boyle
from "I dreamed a dream"

dawdlers and daydreamers

2010-06-20T10:39:00.001+12:00

"Purists abound on the Camino:
people who believe one should always go on the traditional track,
people who object to luggage-carrying services,
people who think rest days and short days are defeatist.
If you’re a purist, you’re on the wrong blog.

I’m a dawdler, a daydreamer, a mucker-about. An impurist."

~ From "Slow Camino"
a wonderful, developing blog about one Australian man's pilgrimage
from Le Puy to Pamplona

It is interesting to hear those planning a second Camino
who often plan, second-time around,
to travel more slowly....
take more time to appreciate the landscape, the flowers, the historical remnants...
take time to sit quietly in more places...

Manawatu River in autumn

2010-06-12T10:34:00.004+12:00

"I stare and stare.

It seems I was called for this:

To glorify things just because they are."

~Czesław Miłosz

Inspiration for this post came from a quote and Meseta photo on "The Alchemy of Pilgrimage" blog.

This isn't a Camino photo- rather it is one from my home town.
But I guess this photo shows the 'legacy' I have brought home from the Camino:
I continue to want to 'notice' the beauty around me
and celebrate it.

You will turn and stand with them

2010-06-12T08:25:00.001+12:00

Pilgrim monument in Villares de Orbigo

"The time will come
When someone else who in need
Will turn and run
Afraid to face what lies ahead for them
And you will turn and stand with them
And you'll have found your strength within
Your treasure in a field"

From the song "Treasure in a Field"
By Fr Chris Skinner SM
on his CD "Awesome God"

Shortly after I took this early morning photo,
I happened to have a quiet meeting in a cafe
with a young woman who was rather desperate over her life.
Somehow I seemed to find 'strength within'
from hard times in my own youth
and I hope I spoke quiet words that perhaps helped her.
I still think of her.

Pilgrim life as it is lived.....

2010-06-12T08:24:00.010+12:00

Lunch break with other pilgrims at Saint Felix, en route to Figeac

Some gems from Nell's Camino Frances blog:

"Also met up with the Swedish church group who started in Samos.... They told us that we were the subject of their group discussion yesterday and that we are their 'Camino Heros'.....So just in case you want to know the criteria to become a subject for discussion for Swedish Lutheran church groups in the future its because:

- we told them yesterday that it hasn't really got easier for us but that
we've just got more used to 'stopping the bitching and getting on with it';

-that no matter how long or short the distance the last 4 km of the day always kills us;

-that we haven't had a 'Camino crisis' but that we felt OK about that;

- that one of our strongest memories would be of laughing every day....

-after 800km and five weeks we had the less than shattering realisation that,
if given the time and opportunity to appreciate them,
everyone turns out to be pretty much OK, even the bloody cyclists!"

Read the whole extract from Nell's blog here, and prepare to laugh!!! And I sooooo agree about the last 4km of the day- it's a universal rule- get used to the idea if you plan to walk the Camino- and it is especially pertinent if you can 'see' the endpoint!

A doorway into thanks

2010-06-12T08:23:00.002+12:00

"this isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks,

and a silence in which another voice may speak."

from "Praying" - a poem by Mary Oliver

Maybe if anything 'sums up' the Camino for me
this phrase from Mary Oliver
~about thanks and silence~
does...

Be still for the presence -v2

2010-06-12T07:18:00.005+12:00

"Be still, for the glory of the Lord,
Is shining all around.

He burns with holy fire,
With splendour He is crowned.

How awesome is the sight,
Our radiant King of light!

Be still, for the glory of the Lord,

Is shining all around."

"Be still for the presence of the Lord"
recorded by Fr Chris Skinner on CD "Truly Blessed"

There were so many precious moments on the Camino
that quite took my breath away,
and left me in the Stillness-

~ sunrise over O'Cebreiro
~ a rainbow over the mountains at Orisson
~ spiderwebs covered in raindrops or dewdrops
~ fields of green dotted with red poppies stretching out ahead of me
~ a realisation of the courage someone showed, walking in pain

It was a 'truly blessed' time.

Golden Moments

2010-06-12T07:17:00.006+12:00

"Another day has passed......

Have I recognised the gold these hours possessed?

Have I been caressed by the beauty there expressed?"

From the song "Morning Song/ Evening Song"
on the new album by Chris Skinner SM, "A Place at the table"

Again, this is a post with photos from closer to home,
but the desire to be 'noticing' details
is a gift I brought home from the Camino

Step by step....

2010-06-12T07:16:00.002+12:00

With my Quebec friends- first day on the Meseta

"......concentrate on only the next step; and keep walking.

Think about what is working well

- not about your aches and pains.

Don't think about the total number of kilometres you are walking.

Only think about what you are walking today.

Right now.

Step by step, hill by hill, rest stop by rest stop

- that's how you accomplish your goal."

Lynne, from Santiago Forum

I carried these words of Lynne's with me -and on some of the hard early days

when the rain was heavy and the tracks were like streams

and my feet were tender

I repeated these words to myself, and they got me through!

(until finally, thankfulness took hold...)

To Pay Attention

2010-06-12T07:15:00.004+12:00

"To pay attention,

this is our endless and proper work."

~Mary Oliver

That small voice....

2010-06-11T23:50:00.003+12:00

First morning- on the plateau above Le-Puy-en-Velay

"Trust that still, small voice that says
'This might work and I'll try it."

~Diane Mariechild

That first morning when I left Le Puy, I was so tentative.
It seemed almost an impossibility that I should walk all the way to Santiago.
But after I had reached the top of the old crater basin that held the town,
and walked out into the calm of the countryside
I had an incredible feeling of calm and joy.
I knew I was doing 'the right thing'.
I wasn't sure whether I would make it 'all the way'
but I already knew a deep peace.