• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Did you find peace?

kdespot

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Francés SJPP-SdC Sept-Oct 2016
Last Fall I did my first Camino from SJdPP to Santiago. Next Monday I'm going to do a presentation for an elderly group whose theme is "peace" about my journey.

In addition to the dozens of other reasons that I had a wonderful Camino, I was surprised at the unexpected peace that I felt upon returning to regular life. Six months later it's still with me and I consider it to be the most valuable gift that the Camino gave me.

Did anyone else have this experience? If so, why do you think this happens? I have my own ideas, but would love to hear other pilgrims' thoughts as I prepare to share my Camino with this special group of people.
 
Altus Poncho (ATMOSPHERIC H30)
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Camino Inspired & Tested Gear!
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!


Triple like.
I am lucky to have walked some Caminos and found , moments of peace. Bit like daily life itself. Well at least I got less aggrevated in all kind of worldly issues Hmm difficult to explain ( there was a thread years ago on this subject, cannot find it now ).
But what I wanted to say in addition to Jo Webber : I met some older people here at home who hardly left our small country but have the knowledge and the wisdom of a well travelled pilgrim. They have peace written over them. So in that aspect peace is a state of mind....oh the travels you can do in your head....
 

I can say with all certainty, that the four of us (me,wife,daughter,her hubby) came home (Camino Frances Sept-Nov 2016) and within a few days had the " Camino Blues/Depression". We were missing the daily test of life that the Camino brings to one. The only way out of this depression was for all of us to come back and do another Camino Frances this August-October 2017 with a Camino Norte' already in the plans for Spring 2018 where will meet up with some of our 2016 trekking "Camino Family" who come from different parts of the world ... a reunion of sorts. We are at peace on the Camino ....

Buen Camino to ALL !
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Yes I got the terrible blues after returning too, although I experienced wonderful peace on/off when I was there (Camino Frances) . So I, too, am back, this time on Vdlp (day 4). My understanding is that I didn't properly finish what I went for, though this is not totally clear, and so I still need to walk daily in this special environment before I can see my way to the peace of the Camino at home. We all go for different reasons, and mine is a pretty serious lude-change so it will take time. If people cannot do the walking in Spain, they can either walk where they can (breathing in on one step and out on the next and repeating slowly) or sit in a chair, shut their eyes and be taken through a guided meditation, which you could prepare, visualising one or two of the precious things such as the air on your skin, the smell of pines, the taste of olives... Even take a few Spanish snacks in to give them the idea!
 
Thanks for the link, mspath! It's a good one. And yes, Sabine, this group fits your description. I'm sure that most of them know far more about inner peace than I do. Still, I anticipate that they will want to try to understand what it is about a pilgrimage that compels it.
 
I certainly found Peace. Probably too much!

On the positive, little upsets me these days. My desire for 'stuff' is gone. I'm happy with what I have. Simple things give me pleasure. I look forward to my next Camino.....

The only downside, if it is one, is that my career and business ambitions have almost totally gone. A bit hard when you own and run the Business that provides a livelihood for many others. That is a constant source of internal conflict and is a 'work in progress'.

(Succession planning and all that stuff)

Peace? Yes...........in Spades........
 
Last edited:
Camino Inspired & Tested Gear!
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Yes, me too. Not caring for possessions, bit by bit closing down or giving up what my life was about before, my business has taken a back seat and I am attempting to find a new way of life which somehow includes as much walking as possible. So I am having to be creative in discovering new skills so that I can do this. But you are also right that this means trying to explain to colleagues and saying no to prospective new students which is contrary to all in past. On the positive side, I think there may be people out there who are happy to step into my shoes and take over the business and will probably do it better than me now that my focus is so different. Good luck!
 
Not sure if you have time but I address a lot of 'what compels someone to walk the Camino' in my blog. I have read and meditated a lot on it, but there are a lot of posts! Walking without a Donkey, on WordPress. The Spanish ones. Let me know what you think of it if you get a chance.
 
notion900 said:
I did find peace, but then I got back to London Stansted airport, and it somehow evaporated.
Click to expand...
That's London for you!
I had the same when returning from Bali / Australia and arriving at Birmingham (UK) instantly hit by all the negativity and pettiness of the people
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Camino Photo

Most read last week in this forum

Similar threads

Where do ( did ) you walk locally in 2024?
2 3 4
Replies
314
Views
13K
lovingkindness
L
  • Poll
Poll Why did you have to abandon your Camino? Anonymous
Replies
57
Views
4K
Peterexpatkiwi
M
Why did you do the camino? Help me out!
Replies
14
Views
2K
MARSKA
Menu
Log in
Register