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I have to ask Doug, for the next two or three days, what 2 things couldn't you stop thinking about ??.......................In response to what I thought at the time was an overly inquisitive question along the same line, I responded with 'sex, drugs, and rock and roll'. I then couldn't stop thinking about two of the three for the next few days!
I enjoyed being an empty vessel with the start of each new day, and just allowing the each day to unfold. Along the way, I encountered many people from all over the world. I also had interactions with local people, despite my poor Spanish. Each person left an impression with me.
Each day, my "vessel" began to fill with positive experiences. From time to time, I would render assistance to someone - anyone who needed anything, without limit or qualification. Usually this was a fellow pilgrim, but on a few occasions it happened to be a local person. This just seemed to be something I fell into without effort or thought. Perhaps it was my personality or "inner nature" coming out. Perhaps I wanted to "BE" the Camino.
In any event, each encounter further filled my "vessel" with positive experiences. I saw soul-altering landscapes, buildings, and daily scenes of activity. The vessel kept filling up.
Over the days, then weeks, there began to emerge an accumulation of thought and feeling that I became consciously aware of. While earlier, I did not consider or contemplate the meaning or effect of the many interactions, views, and encounters I had along the way, after some time, the accumulated feelings began to surface. I became consciously aware of inner change. I know it sounds hokey, but it was and is real to me.
Each evening, I would reflect on that day, the things I did , saw, and experienced. I also gave some thought to what I might do differently the next day to enhance my overall experience.
The entire five weeks I walked from St. Jean to Santiago were a long course in learning, understanding (myself and others), forgiveness (again myself and others), contemplation and meditation (sometimes religious - other times mostly just emptiness - allowing the day to provide a focus). I liken it to sort of Zen-like meditative state. My "mantra" was the sounds of my boots on the path or the cadence of my rubber-tipped hiking poles.
The overall result was a thorough cleansing, a purging if you will of mind, soul and body. I arrived at Santiago understanding more and better both about me as a person and about the world, writ large. In short, I finally "got it." THAT was the seminal moment for me.
As an aside, I suffer from lifelong depression manifested as anhedonia and dysthymia. In 2006, I was diagnosed with PTSD and an anxiety disorder related to my profession. This combination of issues led to my early medical retirement at age 53. For me, walking the Camino Frances was a cathartic, life-altering, and soul healing experience. It also helped center (not cure) much of my mental issues. So, the bottom line is that I now believe that I need to do more Caminos to maintain that new balance.
And that is why I keep coming back to this forum and my extended, though largely anonymous "Camino Family." It is also why I am setting a personal goal of trying to do at least one Camino route each year for as long as my health and finances allow.
Happy New Year to all!
What a wonderful and open expression of your experiences "t2andreo, you explain them so well that I can identify with some of them. Your being an empty vessel with no expectations only to find you learnt so much about yourself and others. Forgiveness of self and others, the beauty of others, the country side and the Zen like medative state with the rythem of walking, yes! Did you know that: olvitur ambulando(Saint Augustine): It Is Solved By Walking.
I too return to an extended camino family here on the forum, and i have just through your post, been introduced to another pilgrim leaving an impression with me. Your self t2andreo .
A very Happy New Year to you too, thank you.
Thank you for your kind New Year wishes. May I extend the same to you and yours.
No, I was not aware of the statement by St. Augustine. But I am now. It does explain a lot, in a cogent and concise manner.
In a similar vein, I have seen it stated elsewhere in the forum that (and I am paraphrasing): "...it is not for nothing that the Camino is referred to as the longest psychiatrist's couch in Europe..." I suppose that is closer to the mark than not.
The take-away from this exchange is that if we empty ourselves of preconceptions, prejudices and biases, taking each new day as it comes; while starting each day being friendly, generous, flexible, and open to the experience, the "goodness" will find us... Stated another way we have all heard often," the Camino provides..."
When I noodle around with the Latin, if I try to translate "it is solved by walking," I get "solvendum est per quandam ambulando." Which is it?
I am curious, but before I have it silk-screened on a T-shirt, I would want to be absolutely sure of the translation and grammar.
When I noodle around with the Latin, if I try to translate "it is solved by walking," I get "solvendum est per quandam ambulando." Which is it?
I am curious, but before I have it silk-screened on a T-shirt, I would want to be absolutely sure of the translation and grammar.
I wish you hadn't mentioned that. I often have some incredibly irritating song in my head, but have not had that one.....yet.Sometimes deeply inspirational tunes like "76 trombones led the big parade" LOL
Pilgrimb:
Never mind. I sorted it. The original quote which might have been either St Augustine OR St. Jerome is a Latin colloquialism...not a literal statement. That explains why it translated differently when I went at it.
Here's another one for you. Your "Non potest esse de rebus dissensio gustus." is usually just "de gustibus non disputandum", although the internet seems to like including the optional "est", so also "de gustibus non est disputandum" but you rarely used to see the est written out like that in normal usage in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
EDIT BTW, Solvitur ambulando is also attributed to Diogenes, so maybe even earlier.
Like we say...touche!
Yes I have spotted your other Idea 2andreo , I have the same on my web site that's how I knew about it! Did you read mine on here ? And we are still on post Contemplating footers!!!
Try walking it in the winter - you will often be free to contemplate - when not battling the elements! Mind you, you could talk to yourself for hours on end and no one would be any the wiser as your words got whisked away by the wind! Janet
When you´re into the contemplation scene, it doesn´t matter much who or what is happening around you. When you go deep, you stay down there a while. One of the most peaceable spirits I ever met on the camino stayed with us in September 2013, during one of the most intense CF bed-race championships ever run.
He showed up late, slept in late, stayed even later to say his morning prayers, and somehow always found a place to lay his head. He was a blessing to everyone around him. The noise and stress was fierce. He just walked in peace. He chose not to play the game.
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