Needing/wanting motivation

[EL LECHERO]

To all, I've been a member of this forum for quite some time. I walked the CF in 2016 2 months after my mother died, I walked the Primitivo last April solo and now this year I will walk Le Puy from Le Puy to Conques with a fellow pilgrim I met at Bodenaya last year. Both of those walks I walked with purpose. Although for I am excited about the next walk starting March 31 I feel more non chalant or less motivated. What I mean is that I really haven't done any preparation. I have all the supplies I need save for a new pair of shoes, I know what to expect as far as the daily routine. My first camino I journaled for a year prior to leaving about motivation and purpose of my Camino. I guess I need this forum more than ever as only YOU can understand fellow pilgrims and their rationale for walking. I have 3 months before leaving and hope I can get "stoked" for my third Camino. I know this can only can come from within but perhaps an external flame can ignite the internal one....Bon Chemin

 

[woody66]

Hi El LECHERO!
My first walk was in Sept 21 i go again in 4 months May!
As of now i can't wait to go and see what unfolds on the journey!

But a really big but (literally )

For the first walk i planned for nearly two years; choosing gear, route and reading everything i could about where i was going to walk!
I got in shape lost 20kg in weight as well.(still ugly though ha!)
That was what kept me going the anticipation of what was coming.


Now I am a fat boy again with only 120 days to go.
I have all my gear (well almost still buy the odd item; usually cos I am bored and have no chocolate!)

So i kind of get the same feeling like waiting for a bus

The closer you get to walking i recon your excitement will return!
You've had two good walks don't shut the door on the third good things will happen (and probs some crappy ones to nothing you can do about them)
Your the milkman but i am sure if you let it the Camino will deliver again for you in spades.
Keep positive
All the best have a wonderful walk.
Buen Camino
Woody

 

[wayfarer]

You'll be grand, like a lot of us you will probably spend the first few days saying to yourself what the hell am I doing here but then the magic and rhythm of walking kicks in and you will love it.

 

[Bradypus]

My first camino I journaled for a year prior to leaving about motivation and purpose of my Camino.

Perhaps that work has already been done and you do not need to reinvent the wheel each time? There was a five year gap between my first learning about the Camino and my actually setting foot on to the path in France. Some of that time thinking about the possibility and mentally preparing myself and choosing the right moment. I am walking the Camino Frances right now. 30+ years and several Caminos later there was a 4 day gap between deciding to walk again this time and my arriving in SJPDP. It's not a case of familiarity breeding contempt but more a growing personal relationship which needs far less by way of deliberate demonstration.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I think you will love the Le Puy with its many differences compared to Spain. Try not to worry that you are less motivated this time in planning because once you arrive your senses will be on overload in a good way with the intriguing newness of everything you encounter; the culture, food, terrain and people.
I walked a large portion of the Via Francigena this past fall, having decided a mere 3 weeks in advance instead of my usual four months of pre-planning and it worked out very well in spite of going on short notice. Lucky you to be experiencing another new route soon!

 

[EL LECHERO]

I think you will love the Le Puy with its many differences compared to Spain. Try not to worry that you are less motivated this time in planning because once you arrive your senses will be on overload in a good way with the intriguing newness of everything you encounter; the culture, food, terrain and people.
I walked a large portion of the Via Francigena this past fall, having decided a mere 3 weeks in advance instead of my usual four months of pre-planning and it worked out very well in spite of going on short notice. Lucky you to be experiencing another new route soon!

thank you! with every reply and correspondence I am increasingly getting excited

 

[trecile]

How about walking just for the joy of walking through a new place? It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Every time the camino is different, imo. Whether it's where I'm at mentally or physically, or just the random people around, the weather, time of year, trails chosen, etc. I have never completed a camino and said, "well that was ok". Every time it's awesome for one reason or another, and the less I try to make it awesome, the more awesome it is... "The root of disappointment is expectations."

 

[EL LECHERO]

Every time the camino is different, imo. Whether it's where I'm at mentally or physically, or just the random people around, the weather, time of year, trails chosen, etc. I have never completed a camino and said, "well that was ok". Every time it's awesome for one reason or another, and the less I try to make it awesome, the more awesome it is... "The root of disappointment is expectations."

thank you fellow pilgrim

 

[J Willhaus]

Yes, I will be in Spain again for my 6th Camino trip this summer. It will be my husband's 7th trip. We've only ever walked one long Camino to Santiago (and honestly after 45 days, I was really over it!) Now we walk shorter segments with a purpose to get to our albergue to serve or we walk after we're done towards Santiago. It is to remind us what it felt like to be a pilgrim again and consider pilgrim hopes, needs, and dreams. You'll remember all that when you get there again. There is something kind of great about knowing already what to bring and how to pack. Other pilgrims you meet will really be glad for you and your experience even if you have not walked this particular path before. It is always awesome to be a pilgrim again

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It is always awesome to be a pilgrim again

These few words speak volumes and can usually only be understood by the "repeat offenders".

 

[Sirage]

"repeat offenders".

I understand, but... mmmm ?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I understand, but... mmmm ?

Maybe it's more an American thing to say...it was said "tongue in cheek". No worries...I meant no offense.

 

[Dani7]

Perhaps that work has already been done and you do not need to reinvent the wheel each time? There was a five year gap between my first learning about the Camino and my actually setting foot on to the path in France. Some of that time thinking about the possibility and mentally preparing myself and choosing the right moment. I am walking the Camino Frances right now. 30+ years and several Caminos later there was a 4 day gap between deciding to walk again this time and my arriving in SJPDP. It's not a case of familiarity breeding contempt but more a growing personal relationship which needs far less by way of deliberate demonstration.

Very well written and said!

 

[wayfarer]

Maybe it's more an American thing to say...it was said "tongue in cheek". No worries...I meant no offense.

"Repeat offenders" is also an Irish/English expression. Nobody, well almost nobody, was offended.

 

[Grousedoctor]

As I think about Camino #7 coming up this spring, it seems to be the small things that attract me most and calls me back to Spain…

…passing a fellow pilgrim sharing a smile and a Buen Camino…the early morning sounds of the African cuckoo… my first café con leche of the day in a neighborhood cafe/bar…marveling over a very cool sello in my passport… seeing a familiar face from earlier in my walk…a thick slice of tortilla de patatas…finding the image of Saint James in a most unexpected spot…cranes nesting on chimney tops…taking my shoes and socks off on a hot afternoon to dip in a stream…spring flowers…writing in my journal…unusual markers pointing the direction to Santiago…sharing a pilgrim’s dinner with new friends from around the world…beautiful stained glass in the tiniest of chapels along The Way…sitting with friends in an outdoor cafe talking about the day just completed…more opportunities to smile…the smell walking through a eucalyptus forest…getting lost (but only temporarily)…sharing a box of ice cream bars with fellow pilgrims…swapping stories as you walk with new acquaintances even if for only a short while…the sun just coming up with the morning chill still in the air…being welcomed by the hospitalero at an albergue…tapas and a glass of rioja…crossing a small Roman bridge out in the middle of nowhere…stopping at a cafe/bar for a much needed break…waiting for the farmer’s animals to cross the road in front of you…rubbing your feet…your first view of the cathedral in Santiago…

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Maybe it's more an American thing to say...it was said "tongue in cheek". No worries...I meant no offense.

@Camino Chrissy, although the origin of the term could be American, we do use it here (assuming @Sirage's Castlemaine is the town in Vic) but the 'no worries'...well, that's Aussie through & through!

@EL LECHERO, you said you're excited but lacking motivation; IMHO you could be mistaking lack of motivation with having experience. As you stated, you know what to expect, have the gear (minus at this point!), know how/what to pack, etc so all those elements of preparation are not present this time around hence perhaps feeling this walk lead-up is more 'routine'.

I agree with previous answers about just let it happen, no expectations, you'll be fine once you get there, etc but I'll put a different spin on it....
if you had to cancel your trip, how would you feel? If you feel relief at the prospect, that would indicate you don't really want to do it, but...if you feel a sense of loss, disappointment or regret, well, then you're more ready & motivated to go than you think you are.
Best wishes & happy trails!

 

[kelleymac]

There are some serious hills in between Le Puy-en-Velay and Conques. It's really crazy how many hills you go up and then down and then up and then down and then up and then... you get the idea. I remember once I just stopped half way up a hill, I was a week or so into walking and my legs just hurt. Odd, I wasn't out of breath, my legs were just done. The first 4 days or so I was out of breath all the time. -- So, get your pack Peregin, put it on at home when you vacuum, walk to the store, carry every thing back in the pack! Get yourself ready to trot up those hills (and back down).

I walked the first time after my mother died too.

 

[Robo]

To all, I've been a member of this forum for quite some time. I walked the CF in 2016 2 months after my mother died, I walked the Primitivo last April solo and now this year I will walk Le Puy from Le Puy to Conques with a fellow pilgrim I met at Bodenaya last year. Both of those walks I walked with purpose. Although for I am excited about the next walk starting March 31 I feel more non chalant or less motivated. What I mean is that I really haven't done any preparation. I have all the supplies I need save for a new pair of shoes, I know what to expect as far as the daily routine. My first camino I journaled for a year prior to leaving about motivation and purpose of my Camino. I guess I need this forum more than ever as only YOU can understand fellow pilgrims and their rationale for walking. I have 3 months before leaving and hope I can get "stoked" for my third Camino. I know this can only can come from within but perhaps an external flame can ignite the internal one....Bon Chemin

@EL LECHERO

Ignore them.
Just skip it.
If you are not feeling drawn to it, why bother?

Just think of all that drama getting your gear ready, getting yourself ready. Trying to organise travel. It just goes on and on.

And for what?

1. That feeling of elation, as you start out on the first day.
2. Spending all day, everyday, in amazing landscapes.
3. Sensing your strength and stamina increasing with each passing day.
4. Being 'away from it all' what ever that is for you.
5. Meeting incredible fellow Pilgrims along the way.
6. Marvelling at the towns and cities you pass through.
7. Sitting on a hilltop taking in the landscape with tears of joy in your eyes.
8. Realising what draws you back to the Camino, and smiling.
9. Tasting new foods and drinks along the way.
10. The emotional renewal and re-energising experience of it all.
11. etc etc etc

Nah. Just skip it.

Who needs all that hassle?

 

[jungleboy]

How about walking just for the joy of walking through a new place? It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

This is where I am. By the time you're on camino #6 or #7 or whatever it is (even #3), it's probably not going to be some life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime, deeply spiritual experience anymore. It's travel by foot, with the extra sense of gratitude and perspective that comes from pilgrimage. These days, I'm motivated by the discovery/adventure aspect more than anything else.

 

[Elena peregrina]

As I think about Camino #7 coming up this spring, it seems to be the small things that attract me most and calls me back to Spain…

…passing a fellow pilgrim sharing a smile and a Buen Camino…the early morning sounds of the African cuckoo… my first café con leche of the day in a neighborhood cafe/bar…marveling over a very cool sello in my passport… seeing a familiar face from earlier in my walk…a thick slice of tortilla de patatas…finding the image of Saint James in a most unexpected spot…cranes nesting on chimney tops…taking my shoes and socks off on a hot afternoon to dip in a stream…spring flowers…writing in my journal…unusual markers pointing the direction to Santiago…sharing a pilgrim’s dinner with new friends from around the world…beautiful stained glass in the tiniest of chapels along The Way…sitting with friends in an outdoor cafe talking about the day just completed…more opportunities to smile…the smell walking through a eucalyptus forest…getting lost (but only temporarily)…sharing a box of ice cream bars with fellow pilgrims…swapping stories as you walk with new acquaintances even if for only a short while…the sun just coming up with the morning chill still in the air…being welcomed by the hospitalero at an albergue…tapas and a glass of rioja…crossing a small Roman bridge out in the middle of nowhere…stopping at a cafe/bar for a much needed break…waiting for the farmer’s animals to cross the road in front of you…rubbing your feet…your first view of the cathedral in Santiago…

Absolutely yes - to everything that you have said. So beautiful. Sitting here in Sydney your words are so evocative of every Camino I have walked …. I long to be back. Thank you

 

[natefaith]

It's travel by foot, with the extra sense of gratitude and perspective that comes from the pilgrimage aspect.

Yes! A pilgrim recently said she loved “doing life at a human pace” on the Camino and that stuck with me. So often we’re careening about in our daily lives, and the Camino helps us get down to our original, natural pace - traveling only as far as our feet can take us in one day. It’s nice to get back to that once in a while.

@EL LECHERO and everyone else who is/ will be walking again soon: enjoy and Buen Camino.

 

[David Tallan]

I read that you are excited and that you lack motivation. That you have done several previous Caminos and that they were done with purpose.

It seems to me that, from your previous Caminos you have some idea of what the experience can offer, and that it can continue to offer it. You can think back to your previous Caminos and remember the joys and benefits you experienced and that brings you excitement. But there is a concern that you may not be going into this Camino with the same sense of purpose as previous ones, and that is reflected as a lack of motivation, despite the excitement. I will just put out there that perhaps the purpose will reveal itself on the Camino. Or perhaps the Camino can be experienced for its own sake.

I would focus more on what brings you the excitement and let the purpose take care of itself.

 

[EL LECHERO]

@EL LECHERO

Ignore them.
Just skip it.
If you are not feeling drawn to it, why bother?

Just think of all that drama getting your gear ready, getting yourself ready. Trying to organise travel. It just goes on and on.

And for what?

1. That feeling of elation, as you start out on the first day.
2. Spending all day, everyday, in amazing landscapes.
3. Sensing your strength and stamina increasing with each passing day.
4. Being 'away from it all' what ever that is for you.
5. Meeting incredible fellow Pilgrims along the way.
6. Marvelling at the towns and cities you pass through.
7. Sitting on a hilltop taking in the landscape with tears of joy in your eyes.
8. Realising what draws you back to the Camino, and smiling.
9. Tasting new foods and drinks along the way.
10. The emotional renewal and re-energising experience of it all.
11. etc etc etc

Nah. Just skip it.

Who needs all that hassle?

I like number 8 the best. Merci, Gracias, and thanks!

 

[Damien Reynolds]

cranes nesting on chimney tops

I swear they are storkes. Like the ones who carry babies. I love to watch the pair dance when reunited.

 

[trecile]

I swear they are storkes. Like the ones who carry babies. I love to watch the pair dance when reunited.

Yes, they are storks. Here are some that I saw on the Portuguese Camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I loved hearing the nervous sounding clatter of their beaks. These are from the Fishermans Trail on the coast of southwest Portugal.

 

[C clearly]

Perhaps that work has already been done and you do not need to reinvent the wheel each time?

I agree with this. I don't have the same degree of nervous trepidation and uncertainly about my next camino, as I did for the first few. But I am happy to be in this more relaxed state. There can be joy in the familiar. From experience, I expect that I will enjoy my next Camino a lot, but if I don't, then so be it.

 

[jungleboy]

I loved hearing the nervous sounding clatter of their beaks. These are from the Fishermans Trail on the coast of southwest Portugal.
View attachment 139027View attachment 139028

Possibly same spot and same stork!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Possibly same spot and same stork!

View attachment 139039

Wow, Jungleboy, that's a great shot! You must have a good zoom lens or possibly you swam out to get so close.

 

[JabbaPapa]

My first camino I journaled for a year prior to leaving about motivation and purpose of my Camino.

So just let go of it then.

If you try and make it anything like your first, you'll lose the purpose of the second.

If you do need to write, then listen rather than talk, and let yourself write after the fact instead of trying to predetermine your purpose.

 

[JenniferA105]

I’m certainly NOT experienced because I haven’t even walked my first Camino yet! We are still planning! However, I think you have a great opportunity to be truly open to what the pilgrimage brings you! How exciting to go with the intention of seeing what is next? Maybe it’s your learning. Maybe you’re to teach/help someone. Maybe your just “To Be” and enjoy what each day brings. To walk with learning to be open to each day offers seems wonderful!

Buen Camino! I can’t wait to hear about your journey!

 

[nycwalking]

How about walking just for the joy of walking through a new place? It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

Ditto.

Buen camino.

 

[David Tallan]

How about walking just for the joy of walking through a new place? It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

Or the joy of returning to a place you really enjoyed....