Within the six months since I boarded my flight dwelling from Spain to the US, my thoughts has swirled with reflections on my expertise strolling the Camino de Santiago. After I first arrived dwelling, I questioned if the 500-mile, 33-day pilgrimage would immediate a serious epiphany or spur an enormous life change after I returned to my life in Los Angeles, California.
Would I lace up my sneakers and go for a protracted stroll each morning? Would I keep in contact with fellow pilgrims I met in France and Spain? Or would I return to my life and act like nothing had ever occurred?
Since returning, I’ve answered these questions and gained additional perception into the teachings the journey has meant for me and for a lot of others who’ve walked the Camino de Santiago.
What’s The Camino de Santiago?
Earlier than we begin, let’s discuss just a little about The Camino de Santiago. Also referred to as the Manner of St. James, it’s a community of pilgrimage routes resulting in the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Nice within the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.
This historic pilgrimage, which dates again to the Center Ages, attracts hundreds of pilgrims from around the globe every year. Historically undertaken for non secular causes, trendy pilgrims additionally stroll the Camino for non secular development, journey, and cultural exploration. The routes fluctuate in size and problem, with the preferred being the Camino Francés, which begins in St. Jean Pied de Port in France and spans roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers).
Jen Pellerito shares right here classes realized by strolling this historic route, and now that we’ve learn it, we’re extra decided to sort out this unimaginable pilgrimage in 2025! In case you are planning your Camino de Santiago hike, learn Jen’s submit about The place to Keep on the Camino de Santiago
Time strikes slower once you’re strolling
Once you stroll the Camino, you possibly can cowl a distance of 5 to twenty miles per day, which takes wherever from 5 to eight hours. It’s a stark distinction to routine life at dwelling, the place we are able to drive, fly, or prepare our means round.
Once you stroll, you journey at a slower tempo. The results of actually transferring slower contributed to a way of getting extra time on my palms.
I felt like I may see the passage of time. I seen the the solar fell at totally different occasions of day, how the climate patterns modified, and the way the flowers bloomed as the times handed.
I realized that nothing ever stays the identical. My each day routine continued to repeat itself, but every part on the planet continued to evolve, even via seemingly mundane moments.
You’ll by no means have a look at your toes the identical means once more
On the Camino, my toes took a beating. It wasn’t simply blisters that grew to become a difficulty — it was the impression of strolling on arduous surfaces, particularly when going downhill. Learn extra tricks to Staying Protected and Wholesome on a Mountaineering Journey
I noticed my toes swell like they’d by no means swollen earlier than. I noticed my toes bleed from blisters that risked an infection. And finally, I noticed my toes heal.
I spent hours worrying, speaking, and, sure—complaining—about my toes. For the primary time, I realized how one can look after them.
I utilized Vaseline on my toes and heels a number of occasions a day and realized about the perfect kind of cloth to maintain them cool and as dry as potential in high-heat situations (it’s wool, by the way in which)!
I bandaged my toes, prayed for them, and thanked them after they finally grew to become stronger.
Your toes can take you a lot locations, however provided that you care for them alongside the way in which.
Group and connection
5 days into strolling, I used to be sitting in my Airbnb host’s sweltering kitchen, sweating bullets. My toes had been full of blisters, and my host was going to pop them for me. I used to be terrified. Try The right way to Pack a Journey First Help Package
Admittedly, I’ve by no means handled blisters a lot in my lifetime. I knew nothing of how one can look after them, deal with them, or stop an infection. Particularly in a state of affairs the place I wished to maintain on strolling – with no time to relaxation.
My host, who had been a nurse in her dwelling nation, spoke no English and little or no Spanish. She used a translation app on her cellphone to assist us talk in bite-sized phrases, one line at a time.
My head swam, queasy. Would this go terribly unsuitable?
Lastly, after what felt like an hour going backwards and forwards via her translation app, she popped my first blister. Then the following. It harm rather a lot lower than I imagined.
I’d simply met her moments earlier than, and she or he was caring for me in my most ugly second. It introduced in an entire new degree of vulnerability and humility.
Strolling the Camino will present you that we’re all on this, collectively.
The Camino supplies
It’s not nearly foot care. Sharing meals, drugs, language, and, merely, the corporate of others creates a community of care. On the Camino, assist isn’t simply obtainable; it’s given.
Individuals are able to look out for one another, proving that even once you’re strolling alone, you’re by no means really alone.
This spirit of camaraderie and help is what makes the Camino such a singular and particular expertise. Whether or not you’re a seasoned pilgrim or a first-timer, you’ll discover that there’s at all times somebody keen to help or share a form phrase.
As you make your means alongside the path, you’ll encounter folks from all walks of life, every with their very own story to inform. Some are looking for non secular enlightenment, whereas others are merely in search of a brand new journey.
However it doesn’t matter what brings you to the Camino, everybody shares a standard bond of kindness and compassion.
All of us stroll the identical Camino
After I assume again to my time on the Camino, I keep in mind the times after I walked slower than many different pilgrims, even these many years older than me. However after I lastly neared the final stretch towards Santiago, I discovered my stride, I grew to become stronger, and I walked a lot quicker than I had earlier than.
Sure, some folks nonetheless walked quicker than me—or twice so far as I did in a single day—however lastly, after weeks of strolling, the primary eight miles of the day grew to become a breeze, when it had as soon as been brutally not possible.
This expertise taught me that life is just not a race. All of us progress at our personal pace, and there’s no worth in evaluating our paths to these of others. The Camino, very similar to life, is a private journey for every particular person.
Studying to maneuver in sync with others, somewhat than in competitors, has introduced me peace and helped me settle for my present stage in life (my thirties) extra gracefully. It has additionally allowed me to understand my very own milestones with out measuring them up towards others’ successes.
A very powerful factor is, we’re all united by one widespread objective — to succeed in Santiago.
Reaching a objective takes time
I’ll admit it. I’m a perfectionist. After I fail, I fail arduous. I develop into so defeated that I by no means need to strive one thing once more.
Strolling the Camino confirmed me that objectives are achieved via 1,000,000 milestones alongside the way in which.
In the future at a time, I moved additional towards my objective of reaching Santiago de Compostela. I didn’t give up when it received arduous. I didn’t hand over when it felt like I’d already failed.
Sure, I rested after I wanted to. I took the bus on the times after I fell sick, and my toes couldn’t deal with the ache any longer.
However that’s not quitting.
The journey hammered dwelling the concept that perfection isn’t the objective. Progress is the objective.
Every step moved me ahead. Huge objectives get achieved via small wins.
Actual power isn’t about how far you possibly can stroll in in the future. It’s about your persistence and flexibility, regardless of the variety of miles.
You be taught to hearken to your physique
I took the bus after I actually needed to. I didn’t stroll each single mile of the Camino Frances, and it dissatisfied me on the time. However now, I understand that realizing your physique’s limits is an indication of power.
Recognizing when to push and when to pause is a type of knowledge.
On the Camino, I realized how one can tune into what my physique was telling me. The occasional lengthy stretch of silence whereas strolling alone additionally helped me hearken to my ideas extra rigorously.
Balancing ambition with self-care continues to be a problem for me. In on a regular basis life, it’s straightforward to miss our limits to fulfill our personal or others’ expectations. On the Camino, I realized to worth self-awareness and the braveness it takes to honor my wants.
Grief occurs each time anybody leaves us
On the Camino, you would possibly serendipitously find yourself strolling with the identical group of individuals. Pilgrims name this your “Camino household.” Some folks stroll your complete means with the identical group, whereas others, for one motive or one other, find yourself separating.
As I walked, I discovered myself weaving out and in of various teams, shortly clicking with of us I’d simply met. However when the Camino broke into two sections, and my pals selected a unique path, I needed to say goodbye. Saying goodbye to those newfound pals was powerful, like a mini heartbreak.
I questioned if our paths would ever cross once more. To me, it felt not in contrast to the grief I’ve felt when somebody near me has handed away. These moments on the Camino had been stark reminders of how swiftly connections can kind and the way painfully they’ll half, echoing the bittersweet actuality of the numerous relationships we’ve all through our lives.
However extra importantly, the separation served as a reminder to dwell within the current. I grew to understand the corporate of these I used to be with, within the second. Grief is a pure a part of the human expertise.
I realized to cherish moments of connection, even when they had been fleeting, and make peace with the inevitability of change and loss.
Embracing the Journey Forward
Pondering again on my month strolling the Camino de Santiago, the explanations for my journey have develop into a lot clearer.
It’s like trying over your shoulder once you’re mountain climbing. Once you’re strolling, you’re immersed within the mountains, and also you solely see rocks and filth. Miles later, the complete view of these mountains turns into clear.
On the time, I couldn’t grasp the complete impression it might have on me. Now, trying again, I can admire the importance of the teachings realized.
Distance helps you perceive the immensity of what you’ve gone via.
And so, the stroll continues, one step at a time.