Canadian gypsy

[rglongpre]

Hi - as is now obvious, I am a Canadian. I live on the Canadian prairies and have retired from a career of teaching and counselling. I will be doing a "long" walk with the idea of getting to SJPP on about October 1st (or just before). I will be walking solo and sending home postcards and Facebook postings to family and friends left at home. I am married, three children and six grandchildren. On a final note, I am somewhat insane to be going for this big walk at this time of my life.

Looking forward to making friends along the way and before I even leave.

Robert G. Longpré

 

[SabsP]

Hi Robert and welcome here. You will find a wealth of info on this forum.
Enjoy the preparations!! And no you are not insane at all....

 

[rglongpre]

Hi Robert and welcome here. You will find a wealth of info on this forum.
Enjoy the preparations!! And no you are not insane at all....

Good to know that I am not insane. But that said, there is insanity in all of us - not a bad kind of insanity. One steps outside of the mainstream, one is "different" and it is that difference which is calls into question sanity - at least in the opinions of others. Thanks, Sabine, for the kind welcome.

 

[skilsaw]

If you are walking to Saint Jean Pied du Port (SJPP) where are you walking from? I think there are 3 "Chemin de St. Jacques" in France that converge on SJPP.

No problems, Gypsy,
Just get 'er done!

David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[IngridF]

Hello Robert, welcome and Buen Camino. You are not the only "insane" Canuck doing this. I will be a bit ahead of you and not sure about that age thing. I think it is all between the ears!

I have been walking for about 5 weeks now in preparation almost every day very early in the morning (5 am) and the first few days, I thought I was going to have to change my mind. Now, am walking about between 10-13 km each morning easily. It is very hot and humid here in Toronto, so haven't ventured out with a pack yet, but will do so soon just to see what it feels like.

I am having tons of fun with my prep work and you will too. Just relax into it and one step at a time. Ingrid

 

[David]

Canadian prairies? The Spanish mountains might come as a bit of a shock (big stony things that jut out of the ground - you'll understand when you see them)

as for insane - well, join the club - a pilgrim by nature isn't a sane person to the rest of society ...

as for age? hhmm ... still breathing? body works sort of ok? Fine, that's the checklist done.

This is a retirement gift to yourself? Excellent - enjoy!

Buen Camino :wink:

 

[rglongpre]

If you are walking to Saint Jean Pied du Port (SJPP) where are you walking from? I think there are 3 "Chemin de St. Jacques" in France that converge on SJPP.

No problems, Gypsy,
Just get 'er done!

David, Victoria, Canada.

I am hoping to begin from Le Puy at the beginning of September and plan on two full months to accomplish the task. I might do the Paris-Chartres pilgrimage first though just to break in the gear in France before the big walk. Thanks for the comment, David.

 

[rglongpre]

Hello Robert, welcome and Buen Camino. You are not the only "insane" Canuck doing this. I will be a bit ahead of you and not sure about that age thing. I think it is all between the ears!

I have been walking for about 5 weeks now in preparation almost every day very early in the morning (5 am) and the first few days, I thought I was going to have to change my mind. Now, am walking about between 10-13 km each morning easily. It is very hot and humid here in Toronto, so haven't ventured out with a pack yet, but will do so soon just to see what it feels like.

I am having tons of fun with my prep work and you will too. Just relax into it and one step at a time. Ingrid

I have been walking both with and without backpack as part of my "training" schedule. But of course, it is more than the body that needs to be prepared. Check out my blog site: http://jungianpilgrim.wordpress.com/ for some of the other preparations. Thanks, Ingrid.

 

[rglongpre]

Canadian prairies? The Spanish mountains might come as a bit of a shock (big stony things that jut out of the ground - you'll understand when you see them)

as for insane - well, join the club - a pilgrim by nature isn't a sane person to the rest of society ...

as for age? hhmm ... still breathing? body works sort of ok? Fine, that's the checklist done.

This is a retirement gift to yourself? Excellent - enjoy!

Buen Camino :wink:

Big hills are found on the prairies and we have the Rocky Mountains just hours away for more serious "hill work." Thanks for the reply, David. I agree, sanity is the least of all concerns for someone who is a pilgrim.

 

[IngridF]

Robert, you have a beautiful blog and you write very well, it is a joy to read. I am quoting a little paragraph you will of course recognize.

"It appears that I have been on a pilgrim’s journey for a long, long time but not really aware that I was on that journey. The pilgrim’s journey begins when one takes the first step towards healing the soul, the heart."

Words that many of us can acknowledge.

I believe we are pilgrims from the day we are born. What fascinates me about this pilgrimage is the collective energy towards a collective goal. As individuals we of course have our own reasons, but collectively we add to the spiritual energy of the universe. Physically, to Santiago de Compostela in this case, spiritually to our soul and heart. Even the most sceptical of people who walk the Camino, seem to experience something of a change, so I hear and read.

Friends and family have asked me WHY? At first, I wasn't so sure... it simply was and the less I tried to think about it, the louder the call. So I am following this call, with little expectations, other than 1 foot in front of the other, giving thanks for a life of love, laughter, abundance and peace.

Buen Camino

 

[rglongpre]

the collective energy towards a collective goal. As individuals we of course have our own reasons, but collectively we add to the spiritual energy of the universe. Physically, to Santiago de Compostela in this case, spiritually to our soul and heart. Even the most sceptical of people who walk the Camino, seem to experience something of a change, so I hear and read.

Friends and family have asked me WHY? At first, I wasn't so sure... it simply was and the less I tried to think about it, the louder the call. So I am following this call, with little expectations, other than 1 foot in front of the other, giving thanks for a life of love, laughter, abundance and peace.

Buen Camino

I agree with you regarding being on a pilgrimage from the moment of birth. In Jungian psychology it is called the journey of individuation, In spiritual terms, it could be a journey or returning home to the source of our soul, back to the kingdom of heaven.

Thanks for the positive comments about my blog site.

Buen camino mi amiga