Have you had a sense of the Holy on your camino

[rector]

As this is a fairly sensitive bunch I ask the question where was the place which gave you the sense of the Holy? what ever that may mean to you

 

[Tincatinker]

... where was the place which gave you the sense of the Holy? what ever that may mean to you

Vilar de Donas. The risen Christ, still at that moment a hurt and still bewildered man. I wept for that little bit of him in all of us.

 

[rector]

Where, if anywhere, on the camino have felt a sense of the Holy, what ever that may mean to you, or that deep sense of unworldly peace?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Some answers here:

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/mass-and-communion-on-the-camino.3715/#post-193038

 

[alexwalker]

rector,
you have asked the same question in the thread Falcon linked to above. This is called double posting, and not normally appropriate in any forum.

I should also mention that trying to get personal spiritual confessions in a public forum is not neccessarily a good thing. However, after dinner and over a glass or two of wine in an albergue, it can be a very good, private thing to share in a small group. IMHO.

 

[indyinmaine]

As this is a fairly sensitive bunch I ask the question where was the place which gave you the sense of the Holy? what ever that may mean to you

By miles and miles, O Cebreiro. I arrived there on a cold and windy afternoon and sat in the church for almost an hour.

 

[Metropolly]

Where, if anywhere, on the camino have felt a sense of the Holy, what ever that may mean to you, or that deep sense of unworldly peace?

In the crypt in the basilica at Vezelay. Quite unexpected, as I really wasn't feeling particularly spiritual after five weeks traipsing through the mud of northern France. There seemed to be in there a sense of welcome and rest and warmth and peace

 

[marjm007]

I don't think rector was looking for personal spiritual confessions. I am too am interested in knowing if many find this a spiritual journey. I have heard for some it is but for many it isn't. I will be disappointed if it is not for me.

 

[alexwalker]

I don't think rector was looking for personal spiritual confessions. I am too am interested in knowing if many find this a spiritual journey. I have heard for some it is but for many it isn't. I will be disappointed if it is not for me.

Hmmm. I advice that you do a search in the search box at the top of this forum. You will find a lot. Start with a search for "spiritual" and "journey" separately or together (without the quotes), and read what you get. Then try different words to your likings.

But it is not advisable to deliver your inner believes and thoughts in a public forum. Those thoughts are for you and those you really want to share them with, not the world, as a public forum really is.

(Personal remarks have been deleted by moderator)

 

[simply B]

rector -

I am genuinely attempting to be helpful though it may not seem so.

The place that you seek has no guideposts, nor "bold" arrows on the Camino and no "X marks the spot". It does not exist at any one place(s).

It lies, rather, at the intersection of an open heart, still and receptive mind plus all your life experience up to the point that the experience that you seek happens. Things as subtle (and perceived unimportant) as the angle of the sunlight, historical setting, and current precipitation are outside of you but - - they may matter.

The tradition of the Tao informs us that "When the student is ready, the master appears."

The Christian Master tells us that "Seek and you shall find." (though there is some exegetical debate as to whether "seek" means "actively search" or just "be open to".) Perhaps try to compromise between the two sources of advice.

I am no mystic but, I would counsel that you do not go "looking for it". If you are meant to find it, it will find you first....when you least expect it. That was my experience and that of others with whom I met and discussed the topic (ala alexwalker's proposal ). There are no guarantees, however.

However, after dinner and over a glass or two of wine in an albergue, it can be a very good, private thing to share in a small group. IMHO.

Perhaps you have heard of Wendell Berry, an American farmer/philosopher/poet/essayist. My opinion is that he has it pretty much right - - I have to paraphrase owing to lack of time to research a perfect citation. He said something to the effect that "there is no such thing as an unholy place unless we have made it so".

Buen Camino,

B

 

[Leaningforward]

Rector,

Thank you for your question. I sense in it no absence of humbleness, nothing screaming that you have lessons to learn along the Way.

Perhaps I am not offended by your question because millions of pilgrims have walked various paths to Santiago for many hundreds of years, for spiritual or religious reasons -- to some extent I imagine seeking unworldly peace.

Today, people walk or bike the various paths for other reasons, too, and, of course, all people who do (and who have read even a little about the Camino de Santiago) understand the spiritual and religious history and reason d'être for the paths to Santiago.

The place I most experienced unworldly peace on my recent camino was the pavilion albergue before Palas de Rei, where I met students, professors, and parents from a catholic school in Portugal -- in what was the clearest expression of faith and love for one another that I had witnessed on the Camino Frances.

Thank you again for your question. It provided me an opportunity to reflect on my camino the way millions of pilgrims have done in the past.

 

[Kitsambler]

I certainly felt the protection of a Guardian Angel several times. A pick-pocketed wallet was immediately discovered and returned. Medical care was provided when I needed it - out in the middle of nowhere. And others.

 

[homa_bird]

thanks for asking the question, Rector. I feel like it's the only real question. Made me thoughtful.

“The entire fabric of the universe serves but one purpose…: the realization of God.” Meher Baba

I refer to the above quote, because I think all parts of the Camino are, or have the potential to be, sacred, holy, divine, whatever you take those words to mean.

Seeing the Divine in all things, trivial and large, is the goal. It's why I walked, on camino, or down the street now. Towards the Divine, always.

From a gorgeous sunset on top of O Cebriero to the endless commercial factories outside of Burgos, the trick, the point, is to see God everywhere. While on Camino, I sometimes found that holy place you speak of within the relationships I formed, or in a passing conversation, or contemplating a mistake I made in judging another unfairly: feeling that sharp humility and remorse.

Now that I'm home from the camino, the journey hasn't stopped at all, the "walking" towards (and in) the yearning for God has just grown more pervasive, more constant. I'm so grateful for this.

Good luck!

 

[mspath]

I have always felt a "deep sense of unworldly peace" at the church, Santa Maria de Eunate, located at the western end of the Camino Argonese near where it joins the Camino Frances at Puente La Reina.

This small circular church set within an octagonal cloister was built by unknown craftsmen one thousand years ago. Nestled in a natural bowl the ocher stones blend with rolling nearby fields now planted with corn and fennel. Protected within the dim interior one senses the eternal peace of paradise.

During earlier caminos on several memorable nights I was graciously sheltered in the adjacent albergue (unfortunately no longer open). Other pilgrims and I shared warm hospitality and after supper assisted in a simple candlelit prayer service within the mystic church giving thanks for our caminos, our lives and our loves. Later as we each fell asleep we pilgrims remarked on our luck and pleasure in sharing such precious moments.

May such perfection continue for another thousand years.

Margaret Meredith

 

[Tia Valeria]

Specifically on the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo there is a strong sense of the spiritual, so much so that you can feel if you stray or where it has diverted from the 'old' route. A little less so on the Camino Inglés as perhaps more of the route is more recent. IMHO it is the effect of the prayers of the thousands of pilgrims over the centuries making the presence of God felt more closely - like a church that is much prayed in. The sense of the presence of God is also strongest where there are the old Capillas de Animas - many still in use - as well as the many little churches along the Way.
I cannot speak for the Francés apart from the stretch after Palas de Rei, but it seems less 'spiritual' than the others to me.

 

[Susannafromsweden]

I have moved a few posts about this topic from this thread:Mass and Communion on the Camino
to this one, so we have them all in the same thread.
Susanna/Mod

 

[grayland]

Several of the latest posts have been deleted.

Please restrict posts to the original question in the OP.

The thread can remain open if restraint is used.

Thank you

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There are those in this forum who are equally passionate about just the experience of the Camino.

That makes a lot of sense to me, since the Forum is about the Camino.

 

[indyinmaine]

That makes a lot of sense to me, since the Forum is about the Camino.

I second that!

 

[Metropolly]

Specifically on the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo there is a strong sense of the spiritual, so much so that you can feel if you stray or where it has diverted from the 'old' route.

Better than GPS!

 

[ivar]

It seems like this thread is no longer providing any useful information for future pilgrims. I will close it so we can get back on track..