I'm just going to fly off the seat of my pants for a minute, because, why not? It's been an interesting discussion, and I love all the thoughtful replies about our beloved Camino, and I know we are all going to be careful not to get near that tiresome and silly question of who/what is a true pilgrim, who/what is not. I personally champion and am touched by all who walk, I don't believe there is any need of or use in comparing those who taxi luggage from Parador to Parador and those who attempt to walk without a dime in their pocket. All come for perfect reasons, and learn what they come to learn. The Camino is there for all of us in every stage of life. It's an amazing place.
My strong language in the OP: re "hindrance?" was intentional...I am an admitted idealist, and all may flay me for that, I expect it, have no problems with that. I thought long and hard about even voicing my opinion, but as this is a forum, I figure, well, this is where we talk about camino related things. So, talk about them I am. Warning: I am going to talk about matters spiritual here.
from a reviewer writing about
Brierly's guidebooks on Amazon:
"...every time we did not take his advice for where to overnight, we regretted it; when we followed his advice, things came off fabulously."
The sentiment embedded in this response goes to the heart of why I made the original post. And there is something crucial at stake here, or I wouldn't belabor the point.
People walk the Camino for so many different reasons. However, a trend is beginning: this is what I'd like to speak to. With the huge numbers of folks walking with the
Brierly guide, there is an impact. I'm not saying it is bad or good. The original post had a question mark, did it not? I'm inviting all of us to consider something extremely important here. I'm not so arrogant to think i know jack sh#*, but I know what I feel, and here goes.
What doused my day, what made me want to speed up and lose a fellow pilgrim quicker than lightning, and what seemed aided and abetted by the sheer proliferation of the
Brierly guide, were the conversations about personal comfort achieved, the high-grading of albergues/refugios/hostals, the success of making it through another day with no upsets or disappointments, a sort of one-ups-manship of great meals found and consumed, the untrammeled, vacation-like goal that felt a bit competitive. EG: One fellow pilgrim said to me in passing: "
Brierly said (such and such) albergue was mystical, so i taxied there to make sure I got a place. But it was no big deal." I guess I think of all this as the commodification of the Camino. It bored me silly, and frustrated me when this was, time and again, the main topic of conversation.
What made my day, what made my heart sing and dance and made me want to hug and laugh and be warmly with my fellow travelers, was when they truly opened up and shared what was in their heart, when we locked step and side-stepped creature comforts entirely and talked about the divine, about our lives back home, about the
extraordinary gratitude we felt
just to be here. When we laughed at things that had gone wrong, even terribly wrong sometimes, how this led us just where we needed to be. How that gratitude and acceptance and taking things as they were, learning to have no fear, to trust in whatever you picture the divine to be, how sacred and glorious and freeing that is.
As the Amazon reader states above;
Brierly offers a kind of cocoon, a way to have thing come off predictably fabulously. How is that mystical? I am glad it has been so useful to folks. I'm very glad there have been benefits. I have no doubt he is the loveliest of people. I know if I met him, I would feel so honored. My point is that it is becoming so popular, so ubiquitous, so impactful. I wonder if it isn't changing the spiritual terrain, just a bit. Is that bad or good? I am no authority.
Many will message me again and tell me to walk my own Camino and let others walk theirs. I couldn't agree more. I must admit, though, I do love a discussion that takes us deeper.