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A little more on Spiritual goals

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Thank you for sharing this; there is a lot of good contemplation in that portion of your blog. Be Careful of What You Pray For. It brings to mind the passage from my favorite book of the Bible, James, where he writes in 1:2-3:

"2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. "

God seems to treat my requests for patience and perseverance the way a fitness trainer treats someone wanting to build muscle. "So, you want stronger muscles, bud? Well, let's just add some more weights." Be careful of what you pray for. Yup. Although I want more faith and patience and perseverance, am I prepared to do the work God will use to get me there?

I know, too, that there was a lot of deliberate choosing when seeking the spiritual while on Camino. It seemed like there were many times each day that I had to decide if I were going to give in, and in many cases, back away from, the stress and irritations and anger I would be feeling in the moment, and try and focus on the hearing that small, quiet voice. And, yes, there were many times I chose to stay with what I was feeling rather than doing the harder thing rather than setting it aside. Only later I would be regretful of those failures and seek strengthening.

Which might mean getting even more of the same to deal with the next day.... at least that was how it felt, sometimes. :)
 
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Thank you with all my heart for this post. You may have not smiled all the way on the 'buen camino' but your reflections to me are those of a true pilgrim.
Having done the camino three times so far, and preparing for the fourth, I , from personal experience, so much agree on several points:

1. The intent we set is absolutely essential and no doubt fully correlated to the experience of the journey.

2. How that intent is manifested, has little to do with our expectations or plans, but everything with what is required to achieve it - and that is blatantly beyond our ego control. While this can be rather funny in retrospect (i.e. when we finally get the message) it may not be so much while we drink the required medicine.

Finally, as many regularly point out on these forums, the Camino is like everyday life in a more real and concentrated form. Perhaps, for me, that's the attraction of it. Isn't the promise of a pilgrimage to speed up our salvation, i.e. to bring us closer to God by shedding more of our attachments, expectations and desires? To Let Go, and Let God. Thank you for reminding me before I set out once again (after I told myself 9 years ago it would be my last one).
 
Thank you with all my heart for this post. You may have not smiled all the way on the 'buen camino' but your reflections to me are those of a true pilgrim.
Having done the camino three times so far, and preparing for the fourth, I , from personal experience, so much agree on several points:

1. The intent we set is absolutely essential and no doubt fully correlated to the experience of the journey.

2. How that intent is manifested, has little to do with our expectations or plans, but everything with what is required to achieve it - and that is blatantly beyond our ego control. While this can be rather funny in retrospect (i.e. when we finally get the message) it may not be so much while we drink the required medicine.

Finally, as many regularly point out on these forums, the Camino is like everyday life in a more real and concentrated form. Perhaps, for me, that's the attraction of it. Isn't the promise of a pilgrimage to speed up our salvation, i.e. to bring us closer to God by shedding more of our attachments, expectations and desires? To Let Go, and Let God. Thank you for reminding me before I set out once again (after I told myself 9 years ago it would be my last one).

Ouch!
Bristle!
Salve…
True pilgrim, please, show me your face!
Show me your hands, your feet… unzip your façade
Show me your goodness
Show me your yearning
Show me your smallness
Show me myself
 
I read with interest and a smile your first 3 blog passages. It just reinforces that every situation or life event probably has more opinions then people. As a non traditional believer in some greater power. No need to blabber my philosophy as it is all belief and as long as you don’t heap your beliefs on me, or me on you they are all valid. My basis of belief is whatever works for you. Anyway I digress.
I have a completely different take. I set no goals and just figure it is all out of my control so why fight it. One step at a time as we say. Ok, I lied I always want to finish. I know a lot of the Camino sucks. Especially for me the crowds on the CF. That’s why I walk other caminos now. I actually don’t mind Albergues because I like to walk alone and try to follow the adage less is more especially when I am talking about the crud in my brain. So the Albergues give me a chance to meet great people. I have lived in places with lots of warm and nice people that I can befriend easily. But can I do that every day and have dinner with 8 people from 9 countries? And cheap hardware store earplugs for .50 cents work great so I don’t wake myself up snoring. I know it’s painful and after 3500k of walking I still freak out and worry about the next Camino and the pain. Great advice;
Walk your own Camino I agree with you.
I choose to walk, never take taxis, I actually would rather not stay in big cities as it is a shock to my system. I can always go back and see the cities later. And of course listen to your body. I have avoided any serious injuries because that’s what I do. There’s a difference between a little twitch and a short pain in your body telling you stop you need to rest. It’s not that hard to learn. Eat when you’re hungry stop when you’re tired take a rest day when you need to. It ain’t rocket science. I don’t make reservations, I always can eat whether it’s in my pack or in a restaurant. Dirty clothes won’t kill me.
Just take a shower and don’t stink out the Albergue. Lastly the Camino does provide because it is a lot more than a road. It is the spirit or those who have walked before you and the kindness and generosity and love of the pilgrims walking by you, eating with you and sleeping next to you. That is the Camino providing. It’s all how you look at it. Even when it’s raining cats and dogs and the wind is in your face at 30mph, it the sun is beating down or the snow and mud are making you miserable. You signed up for it now learn to let it go. I don’t believe in much but I sure believe we get the crap we get on the Camino because with All the planning and all the other things you dream about it iis all what you want. The Camino never gives you that. It only gives you what you need. And what we all need isn’t always pretty. Buen Camino
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Thank you, Patrick, for sharing that. Except for the excessive rain, your experience matched mine, right from the beginning as stated in the first paragraph of your blog entry. A few years ago my wife and I were invited by our parish priest to speak at a retreat for married couples. He told us when we accepted to be on the alert, because when you do something special for God, the evil one will double or triple his attempts to discourage, dissuade, and deceive you. And that's what happened on our Camino, and that's I believe happened on yours. That's what all those rainy days, steep and rocky ascents, muddy and slippery descents, and anger were about -- he'll do anything to discourage you and tempt you into giving up your goal. But if you resist, you'll find -- no, you'll be graced with -- the strength and commitment to complete your goal.

For me, it was walking the last 180 miles with plantar fasciitis -- every step felt like a steel ball bearing under my heel. But I knew why it was happening, and placed my trust in the One who called me to that journey to give me strength. By the intercession of two Camino angels we met along the way and the prayers of a special community of friends back home, I received the healing grace I needed to make it to Santiago. In the end, there was one more attempt to ruin our joy of completion of this celebration of God's many graces in our lives when our backpacks were stolen in Santiago. But rather than despair, we called on another special Camino angel, who with a couple of his associates, searched for, found, and shipped those backpacks and the irreplaceable treasures they contained back to us on the other side of the ocean. How can I not believe?

In the long run, your Camino experience and mine, and that of anyone who undertakes a journey of commitment to something bigger than ourselves, is not about me or you, but in sharing these experiences we give hope and meaning to those others who may be tempted to give up when the going gets tough. Never forget who's in charge.
 
Ouch!
Bristle!
Salve…
True pilgrim, please, show me your face!
Show me your hands, your feet… unzip your façade
Show me your goodness
Show me your yearning
Show me your smallness
Show me myself

I really appreciate where your sentiment is coming from, kirkie. I'd appreciate any feedback on what I am writing below. Sometimes it helps to have other viewpoints help clarify missteps in thought.

When I read that post I saw that she had qualified her thought with the words "to me". In my view, that made what she wrote not a general statement of fact as it applies to all, but a personal statement of how she thought the term 'pilgrim' applied to herself. In that regard, I didn't feel there was much of an issue. I, too, feel the same way :)

In other words, my internal values, thoughts and feelings have a specific definition of what a pilgrim is, and it is what leads me to approach Camino de Santiago in a manner which is meaningful and has purpose in my life. That said, I do not waste time trying to impose my definition on anyone else. Such would not only be pointless, but would be apart from the spirit of inclusiveness which seems a value which the forum embraces.

By the same token, it seems fair that personal statements, sans impositions of such on the whole, must also be a part of that inclusive spirit. Would any less be more of a 'hive mind' which would, itself, be imposing a required standard for personal thoughts and feelings?

If someone posted that they felt that for them to be a pilgrim on Camino, they needed to paint their body purple and juggle twinkies from SJPdP to SdC, how many of us would think that strange? Would we respond by challenging their notion of a pilgrim?

Thanks for bearing with me; this topic is always a metaphysical Twilight Zone-ish kind of topic to me :)
 
There is something cooking in my brain on this topic, but I am hesitant to post yet, if I ever do, because of the dangers inherent in posting without foreseeing any possible hurt or criticism. So this morning, I was not really surprised to find a comment in a reflection site I use every day, where Thomas Merton is quoted. The Camino of life certainly does provide!
I will attach the reference to it, for those whose belief system is open to the God Merton believed in. If this reference is not allowed according to forum rules, sorry but the post will disappear!
http://goodnews.ie/calendar.php
 
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There is something cooking in my brain on this topic, but I am hesitant to post yet, if I ever do, because of the dangers inherent in posting without foreseeing any possible hurt or criticism. So this morning, I was not really surprised to find a comment in a reflection site I use every day, where Thomas Merton is quoted. The Camino of life certainly does provide!
I will attach the reference to it, for those whose belief system is open to the God Merton believed in. If this reference is not allowed according to forum rules, sorry but the post will disappear!
http://goodnews.ie/calendar.php

Hi @kirkie thanks for the link but I don't know how to access the reference you mentioned. I don't do facebook so could this be the barrier?
 

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