Storyteller Matt
Storyteller Matt
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2021
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) |
---|
Sounds like there is more going on than just a camino story.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
I find the best way to 'recover' from finishing a Camino is to start planning the next. Although through this Covid period it has been somewhat difficult, given everything is so uncertain, least of all being able to return home.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Hi, It sounds like you are going through a rough time right now. It is likely that you may be experiencing more than “the blues” after your camino. To know that one is unhappy and the demands of life may be unbearable, in contrast, to your camino experience is valuable insight and requires your attention. (That may indeed be the gift of your camino which may require action on your part). My suggestion to you, @Storyteller Matt is for you to continue on this journey with a professional therapist who can accompany you as you discern new directions.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
I hear you!The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
you go again. only this time you honour those you love and leave behind. They are your springboard and are often by your side and in your heart even if not physically. I have been doing Camino since 2003 when I was only 65.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
I did that too, I literally wrote a book after my second Camino- for no-one but myself. I recorded every thing I did, saw and felt - fleshing out the Camino diary I wrote.@Storyteller Matt -
I hear you and can relate totally. Even after several Caminos, the longing to still be "there" has yet to fade even marginally.
A difference, perhaps, in our perceptions is that I came home feeling more "empty" than "lost". Time on trail allowed (encouraged?) deep self-examination. This resulted in complete dumping of a serious "library" of past thoughts, beliefs, and set perspectives. The "re-filling" phase has been slow, arduous, and often uncomfortable.
Re-engagement with the rest of the world while still maintaining some "Camino peace" was a challenge. My personal approach was/is multi-faceted.
1) I have an archive of photos readily available for when I just need a quick "fix".
2) I grabbed a notebook and started writing, day-by-day, the story of each day. No self-censoring or editing in any way. The next day, move onto the next chapter. Once the story of my Camino was complete THEN I read that story day-by-day. At this reading, there was a pad handy for making notes as some recurrent themes surfaced that warranted action.
3) I created a small unobtrusive "Camino space" to remind myself that "the Camino continues". At certain times, there might also be a scallop shell bracelet on my wrist or unobtrusive pin from the Way on my vest or jacket when the day abroad might prove to be especially challenging.
Finally, being a pilgrim does not make one better than those who have not done it. Generally preferring my own company, I intuited this rather early.
By large margin, non-pilgrims have no interest in what you walked, why you walked, or what you think you learned from the Way. If someone asks you questions about it, try to keep your answers brief and focused.
I hope that helps but feel free to PM if I have missed anything in this over-long post.
B
Maybe you're trying to jam 10lbs of flour into a 5lb bag? You weren't enlightened on the camino, just living in the present at a humanly sustainable pace - with good people around you who were doing the same thing.I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
InI find the best way to 'recover' from finishing a Camino is to start planning the next. Although through this Covid period it has been somewhat difficult, given everything is so uncertain, least of all being able to return home.
Im certain that I am always my best self on the Camino, and would be there in a flash if I could.
I have made changes in my life though that are attributable to the Camino. It hasn't changed who I am , but it has made me focus more on some things and some others I have stopped altogether.
I still think about the Camino at some point every day.
There are a few things that are hard to replicate in your normal life, having to work prevents most of us from walking 20 kms a day. And the rhythm of just walking every day IS addictive .
With the responsibilities we have for spouses, pets children etc, it is hard to step out of your normal life completely.
It took me a few years to persuade my husband to walk the Camino, fortunately now that he has, he is also addicted - that makes planning the next one a lot easier as I'm not leaving him behind.
I think that it is very easy to leave your life behind when the time zones are so different. I walked with some people who contacted their bossed or spouses during the day - which for me would have cut into my head space.
The fact that I couldn't do that I think was a bonus for me.
So I have no answers for you - but be assured many people yearn for the Camino - or yearn to be the person they are whilst on Camino.
She knows. We've been talking about it. I don't talk outside of class, and I showed her what I wrote.Well, let's hope the wife doesn't read Camino forums...
I have.Maps and Databook – Florida Trail Association
Our mission is to build, maintain, protect, and promote the Florida National Scenic Trail, and a network of hiking nature scenic trails throughout the state of Florida.floridatrail.org
You have a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail just 20 miles from your house.
Use it.
One way I'm processing is my YouTube channel. I chronicled a lot on the Camino, the trials, the triumphs, the moments of joy, the meltdowns. Putting it all in an uncensored series has been good. I do videography, and I'm up to day 12. I did tell my wife that I feel a calling to shared this experience through video that almost rivals the initial calling to the Camino.I did that too, I literally wrote a book after my second Camino- for no-one but myself. I recorded every thing I did, saw and felt - fleshing out the Camino diary I wrote.
I still occasionally read through it, and can recall everything with such vividness.
I have also done presentations on the Camino to groups - but of course they want to know the practical stuff like what train do you catch, what shoes? how much do you carry. I send them to this forum for that.
These are all awesome suggestions. As I mentioned in a comment below, I've been putting all of my video footage into a YouTube series, but I'm not broadcasting or advertising it. Mostly, I just need to go through the editing process using my videography skills. The people who need to see the videos find them on their own.@Storyteller Matt -
I hear you and can relate totally. Even after several Caminos, the longing to still be "there" has yet to fade even marginally.
A difference, perhaps, in our perceptions is that I came home feeling more "empty" than "lost". Time on trail allowed (encouraged?) deep self-examination. This resulted in complete dumping of a serious "library" of past thoughts, beliefs, and set perspectives. The "re-filling" phase has been slow, arduous, and often uncomfortable.
Re-engagement with the rest of the world while still maintaining some "Camino peace" was a challenge. My personal approach was/is multi-faceted.
1) I have an archive of photos readily available for when I just need a quick "fix".
2) I grabbed a notebook and started writing, day-by-day, the story of each day. No self-censoring or editing in any way. The next day, move onto the next chapter. Once the story of my Camino was complete THEN I read that story day-by-day. At this reading, there was a pad handy for making notes as some recurrent themes surfaced that warranted action.
3) I created a small unobtrusive "Camino space" to remind myself that "the Camino continues". At certain times, there might also be a scallop shell bracelet on my wrist or unobtrusive pin from the Way on my vest or jacket when the day abroad might prove to be especially challenging.
Finally, being a pilgrim does not make one better than those who have not done it. Generally preferring my own company, I intuited this rather early.
By large margin, non-pilgrims have no interest in what you walked, why you walked, or what you think you learned from the Way. If someone asks you questions about it, try to keep your answers brief and focused.
I hope that helps but feel free to PM if I have missed anything in this over-long post.
B
Yes.If anything, I feel a bit deconstructed by the experience
Thank you, and I will take it into consideration. Although my spiritual life is not specifically Christian, I do respect the faith (having been raised in it).Matt, thanks for sharing your honest, raw feelings. Many good suggestions from our members here who have struggled after going home.
If these help at all, they are here for you (and all pilgrims) to use post-Camino. The first is our post-Camino English debriefing guide, a 1-page sheet of questions that you can go through on your own time and as different questions hit you. Continuing to think and reflect on the Camino for as long as you need is important, I think!
The second is the post-Camino retreat we put together. It's not for everyone (it primarily focuses on the spiritual aspects of the journey from a Christian worldview), but it's a resource for those who would find it helpful. We designed it to be maximally helpful a few months/ years after the Camino, but you can keep it in your hopper.
My wife said something yesterday that makes sense. I will put it in quotes but paraphrase. "You've always been lost," she said. "As long as I've known you [25 years] you've been searching for something. Maybe the Camino is telling you that you will always been lost and searching and you should just embrace that."Geez Matt, do I ever feel your pain. When I am at home I am lost and when I am on the Camino I am at peace. Go figure!! I suspect we have misplaced our inner path and our Camino experience is an invitation from life, the universe, God or whatever to search again. Maybe we will find it maybe not, I guess we are on our journey and being lost goes with the territory. There is no Google Maps for the journey of life.
Good luck to you Matt in your search.
Aidan
Matt, you already found it. Congratulations!.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
You say you feel lost.
And that you felt found on the camino.
If you felt that way on the camino, you can feel that anywhere. How to recover yourself off the camino is the deeper and harder pilgrimage.
But it's worth every step.
Happiness is an inside job. The camino is a doorway in - and a proximate cause of a kind of happiness - but it's not what ultimately causes deeper happiness.
The mind and heart do that.
They are powerful, and when we are completely present and centered, we are naturally content no matter what is happening or where we are.
So finding a way to access that contentment and joy anywhere is your task right now. Planning or walking another camino doesn't solve anything, it just perpetuates external seeking. Like chasing a rainbow, happiness is always a little farther away.
So reproducing the outer circumstances of the Camino that produce 'foundness' without cultivating inner presence at home is a tune-up, and a pleasant enough addiction, but it misses the deeper potential for accessing true peace of mind.
There are lots of ways to do that. @simply B describes his version. I do walking meditation.
Anything that keeps you experientially exploring the source of inner happiness will help develop resilience when things get bumpy.
And they do. A lot.
There's nothing wrong with that, just life being what it is.
Ultreia, peregrino.
Matt,I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Love this!Matt, you are not in the middle of a problem, but at the beginning of a solution.
... A few of the responses have been snarky, which drives home the point that the Camino doesn't necessarily make a person "better."
... perhaps the above explains....... This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done. ...
Wise man!!In
She knows. We've been talking about it. I don't talk outside of class, and I showed her what I wrote.
Thank you. Indeed ! You brought tears to my eyes ! I’m glad this was not in poem form because I would be bawlingI finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Matt. we all know, at least a portion, of what you are feeling on return from a Camino. It appears as though nothing has changed in the world which you return to. You must remember that it (they) have not experienced what you have. I feel that the Camino does not create happiness but allows us an avenue to experience the happiness in ourselves that may be buried deeply.Wise man!!
I deeply share your existential Camino-angst. May I respectfully suggest : plan another Camino.To all who have given sound advice, I thank you.
I think one of the few snarks on here tracked down my YouTube channel because I received my first negative video comment today, a scolding of sorts because I started in Pamplona and not SJPdP. I had my reasons, and I don't need to explain my Camino to anyone, but I always find it amusing when a not-so-humble pilgrim thinks he knows what's best for every other pilgrim.
I'm actually proud of myself for coming up with my response:
"Did you need a laxative to pass all that judgement?"
That is all. Things are better today. My wife and I spent the morning in our yard, working on our Zen garden, talking about things.
All is good. But it's nice to have a tribe of wise pilgrims (and a few judgemental ones—keep on trudging, my friends) who've done this deal once or twice.
Carry on...
Matt, it sounds as if you are doing much better emotionally today. I am reminded of the psalm that says, "weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning".That is all. Things are better today. My wife and I spent the morning in our yard, working on our Zen garden, talking about things.
All is good.
I did my first Camino in 2017. I was told before I did this Camino about “post Camino blues”. In fact, I met a lady at the Santiago train station the day after I finished this Camino, that I would go through a period of feeling blue - and everyone was right. I felt a lot like how you described your current state. But, it does get better. I now try a dozen one Camino each year and have actually got my wife interested to the point where she although she hasn’t done a full Camino yet but she comes out to meet me and we walk together for a week or so. We have planned one for next year and the plan is we complete this one together. So, you now have a membership in the post Camino blues club. But don’t despair - it is quite common. I will also tell you that I have gone through this “blues” stage after each Camino I’ve done. The nice thing is that the “recovery” period has become shorter and shorter. I’d be happy to let you in on how I cope through these periods if you want to DM me.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Hey, MattI finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Go back, it's the only answer but in the meantime go on YouTube and watch other people's caminos while trying to spot familiar places and immerse yourself in other people's books. Then do as I did, write your own book. It's a great way to relive your caminoI finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
15 Kilos?... whoa, that's a real load. But I digress... in admiration!Ah !, Matt, you are not in the middle of a problem, but at the beginning of a solution. The problem is for those who have not discovered anything ... they have simply walked in the sun and rain with 15 kilos on their back, with blisters and tendinitis, with a neighbor who snores and enduring unbearable hospitaleros.
Your wife is a gem, it's a rare thing to have someone in our lives that knows us better then ourselves, treasure it.My wife said something yesterday that makes sense. I will put it in quotes but paraphrase. "You've always been lost," she said. "As long as I've known you [25 years] you've been searching for something. Maybe the Camino is telling you that you will always been lost and searching and you should just embrace that."
Thanks for these links. I have tagged them all (and this thread) with "mental challenge." That tag collects a variety of threads related to the mental challenges that people struggle with before during and after their Caminos.Here are some old post-camino-blues-links that I have in my notes:
I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Your life sounds like the polar opposite of mine.Haven't read all the replies but just wanted to tell you how deeply this resonates with me. My life's dream was to travel the world, which I never expected to actually have the opportunity to do. When a combination of privilege and thoughtful decisions enabled me to globetrot for most of my twenties, I was a bit at a loss when I realized I'd fulfilled my life's ambition with likely 3/4 of that life yet to live.
This may not help in your situation, but I've decided to view everything else as a bonus. Since I already achieved my dream over a decade ago, I now focus on two things: enjoying this bonus time and trying to make the world a bit better so that others get to achieve their dreams too.
Hi MattI finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
... but when I pray I sense that God (as I understand it) wants me ignorant and curious... in other words, always seeking.
sounds like you have post-trail depression - something which is common unfortunately because there is nothing more freeing that being out in the world with our only possessions on our back - try going on some local trails near you and involve your wife/family/friends so she/they can see and feel how you felt when you were on your camino.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in ,,,,,
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Rex,15 Kilos?... whoa, that's a real load. But I digress... in admiration!
It's not done when you get home. Earlier today a friend recommended Alexander J. Shaia's Returning from Camino, which discusses returning home from a pilgrimage. Let me know what you think.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
amen.You say you feel lost.
And that you felt found on the camino.
If you felt that way on the camino, you can feel that anywhere. How to recover yourself off the camino is the deeper and harder pilgrimage.
But it's worth every step.
Happiness is an inside job. The camino is a doorway in - and a proximate cause of a kind of happiness - but it's not what ultimately causes deeper happiness.
The mind and heart do that.
They are powerful, and when we are completely present and centered, we are naturally content no matter what is happening or where we are.
So finding a way to access that contentment and joy anywhere is your task right now. Planning or walking another camino doesn't solve anything, it just perpetuates external seeking. Like chasing a rainbow, happiness is always a little farther away.
So reproducing the outer circumstances of the Camino that produce 'foundness' without cultivating inner presence at home is a tune-up, and a pleasant enough addiction, but it misses the deeper potential for accessing true peace of mind.
There are lots of ways to do that. @simply B describes his version. I do walking meditation.
Anything that keeps you experientially exploring the source of inner happiness will help develop resilience when things get bumpy.
And they do. A lot.
There's nothing wrong with that, just life being what it is.
Ultreia, peregrino.
I don't believe the Camino is an instant fix for people. We can't demand a response from it. If given time you may gain a perspective. Don't force it. Continue on your journey.... buen CaminoI finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
I understand that you are finding it difficult to return to your pre-Camino life, whatever this was, as it's a feeling that many on this forum will have experienced, but I am troubled by your aversion to the company of 'non-pilgrims'. The small acts of kindness, sympathy and generosity that I've encountered on the Camino have been replicated innumerable times by those amongst whom I live and work, almost all of whom have never set foot on the road to Santiago. There is much to learn from and to value in those who have followed a different path in life.Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims.
I don't mean to trivialize what we learn and experience, walking the camino. But just saying that it isn't "real life."
That says something about how far our culture has drifted from what is actually normal. We have a deep natural connection and kinship with other people - and we all inhabit an ephemeral and uncertain world. Regardless of nationality or culture we share far more than what separates us. The Camino allows this to be on the surface.it can certainly be strange and confusing to realize that a way, far away in a foreign country, where you sleep in a different place every night, can feel like finally coming home, and that people you've never met before and who might not even speak the same language,
Impeccable!! It is a pleasure to read something so well reasoned and structured, with which I also agree.Sorry, long post, but I keep coming back to this:
That says something about how far our culture has drifted from what is actually normal. We have a deep natural connection and kinship with other people - and we all inhabit an ephemeral and uncertain world. Regardless of nationality or culture we share far more than what separates us. The Camino allows this to be on the surface.
At home (wherever that is) there's so much in the way. Collective conventions (that we are all born into but may not agree with). Economic status. Cultural values that seem to prioritize wealth and fame over everything that matters. The treadmill of needing to be endlessly productive - or be 'someone.' The list goes on.
All our conventions are made-up. Every convention - from nation-states, to laws, what we value, money, fashion, how one 'should' live, and what makes a useful life.
Most of all that - the cultural game we've been playing all our lives - comes to a crashing stop on the camino. And we can just be.
That we've been playing a game without questioning it can be an unsettling insight.
And to try go back to exactly the way we saw it before isn't possible. You can't unsee what you know to be true.
So now what?
Well. . .
Keep the outer framework of life as before, while now knowing what is important and what is just 'the game' - and not taking the game so seriously? One option.
Make radical changes so we can live as much as possible in harmony with our deepest values?
Another option.
Both are good.
Which we choose depends on our relationships, responsibilities, and practical limitations.
But fighting what is causes gratuitous suffering. That others around us continue to blindly play the game can be a cause for compassion, rather than disapointment or aversion. Turn the difficulty inside out, and it becomes a boundless source of kindness.
VNwalking!You say you feel lost.
And that you felt found on the camino.
If you felt that way on the camino, you can feel that anywhere. How to recover yourself off the camino is the deeper and harder pilgrimage.
But it's worth every step.
Happiness is an inside job. The camino is a doorway in - and a proximate cause of a kind of happiness - but it's not what ultimately causes deeper happiness.
The mind and heart do that.
They are powerful, and when we are completely present and centered, we are naturally content no matter what is happening or where we are.
So finding a way to access that contentment and joy anywhere is your task right now. Planning or walking another camino doesn't solve anything, it just perpetuates external seeking. Like chasing a rainbow, happiness is always a little farther away.
So reproducing the outer circumstances of the Camino that produce 'foundness' without cultivating inner presence at home is a tune-up, and a pleasant enough addiction, but it misses the deeper potential for accessing true peace of mind.
There are lots of ways to do that. @simply B describes his version. I do walking meditation.
Anything that keeps you experientially exploring the source of inner happiness will help develop resilience when things get bumpy.
And they do. A lot.
There's nothing wrong with that, just life being what it is.
Ultreia, peregrino.
Matt I’m sending a huge hug! Such vulnerability… I think it’s important since you adore your spouse so much to turn your attention to the two of you. Such good advice here, maybe a gratitude journal, or even something outside of a concentration on the videos of your camino. A concentration of life at home and the marriage…only since you shared how much your adore her and your reaction once home.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Great post. I cannot add to it, only sing along.Sorry, long post, but I keep coming back to this:
That says something about how far our culture has drifted from what is actually normal. We have a deep natural connection and kinship with other people - and we all inhabit an ephemeral and uncertain world. Regardless of nationality or culture we share far more than what separates us. The Camino allows this to be on the surface.
At home (wherever that is) there's so much in the way. Collective conventions (that we are all born into but may not agree with). Economic status. Cultural values that seem to prioritize wealth and fame over everything that matters. The treadmill of needing to be endlessly productive - or be 'someone.' The list goes on.
All our conventions are made-up. Every convention - from nation-states, to laws, what we value, money, fashion, how one 'should' live, and what makes a useful life.
Most of all that - the cultural game we've been playing all our lives - comes to a crashing stop on the camino. And we can just be.
That we've been playing a game without questioning it can be an unsettling insight.
And to try go back to exactly the way we saw it before isn't possible. You can't unsee what you know to be true.
So now what?
Well. . .
Keep the outer framework of life as before, while now knowing what is important and what is just 'the game' - and not taking the game so seriously? One option.
Make radical changes so we can live as much as possible in harmony with our deepest values?
Another option.
Both are good.
Which we choose depends on our relationships, responsibilities, and practical limitations.
But fighting what is causes gratuitous suffering. That others around us continue to blindly play the game can be a cause for compassion, rather than disapointment or aversion. Turn the difficulty inside out, and it becomes a boundless source of kindness.
One of the best things about Camino is the opportunity to get away/take a break from the incessant navel-gazing and whining about first-world problems so common among our countrymen/women, especially those who vomit their every thought out into the void known as social media for consumption by mostly total strangers.
Ever perused the Twitterverse?WOW! This quote. Just... freaking... WOW!
People are nomadic by nature, its in our DNA, and even though we have "settled" its still there. That, I believe, is why so many people feel at home on the Camino including those who walk it for neither religious or spiritual reasons and keep coming back.
Mendi Walker was a HUGE gift to this forum, the others I sadly don’t know but have no doubt they were too! Thank you for recognizing Mendi Walker who was/ is a pilgrims pilgrim!There should be a list of former Forum members who contributed their personal experiences and sage advice for years and years. They shared their catharsis from newbies to seasoned veterans, I suspect that what you will become. There is a poignant entablature over the entrance of cemetery somehwere along the Camino that says loosely translated "I am what you will become." Some Forum members I miss who no longer share their stories are: Falcon 269, Tom Lee and Mendi Walk.
Very true. I walked with Mendi Walker and his wife for a bit on the Ingles in 2014. Wonderful people.Mendi Walker was a HUGE gift to this forum, the others I sadly don’t know but have no doubt they were too! Thank you for recognizing Mendi Walker who was/ is a pilgrims pilgrim!
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
You are not lost. You have just had a glimpse of another world through a new open door. Just keep on keeping on. CU on the Meseta, a wonderful place to collect yourself.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Where did Mendi Walker go?Mendi Walker was a HUGE gift to this forum, the others I sadly don’t know but have no doubt they were too! Thank you for recognizing Mendi Walker who was/ is a pilgrims pilgrim!
Good point about vulnerability. You walk to exhaustion - and sometimes pain - out in the weather; going from hot, to cold, wet, or dark. Sometimes basics like food and accomodations aren't even a sure thing. You meet people briefly from far away, and for some reason this opens us up to be more real and vulnerable, to listen and share, without the guards we often set up at home with friends, co-workers, etc.Matt I’m sending a huge hug! Such vulnerability… I think it’s important since you adore your spouse so much to turn your attention to the two of you. Such good advice here, maybe a gratitude journal, or even something outside of a concentration on the videos of your camino. A concentration of life at home and the marriage…only since you shared how much your adore her and your reaction once home.
I’m not certain if we met the Camino, when I read your post the comforting thoughts of walking a few minutes together appeared to me. If you were that gentleman I thought you referenced a recent loss, death, of someone near… and if that’s the case maybe that has some play into your loss. Statistically I doubt it was you, but did wonder as he too referenced videos.
Peace to you fellow pilgrim!
Yes, it is a real pilgrimage path. But most of us are visitors, with many resources, who fly in, rely on ATMs and expected accomodations. If we had no bank accounts, no guide books, little protective clothing, fear of crime, insecurity about accomodations or food, it would be a very different experience and I am guessing that most of us would not miss it when we got home.The camino is a very real pilgrimage path, passing through a real country. It leads through real towns and villages, inhabited by real people who live and work along the way. It's walked by real human beings from all over the world, who bring their very real emotions, hopes, dreams, problems, flaws and fears with them. It's a place where people tend to allow themselves to be maybe more real than back at home in their everyday lives, to let the masks slip off, to be open and vulnerable.
In my opinion it doesn't get much more real than that.
For some people the camino is actually a life changing experience, leading to very real consequences and changes in their everyday life.
The Camino is certainly an odd place and probably very different from most people's daily lives back at home, but that doesn't make it less real. Just very rare, which is maybe one reason why so many people tend to come back and walk again, and again, and again...
I don't really see how having access to ressources makes it less real. We have all kinds of ressources in our everyday lives, too, including clothing, bank accounts, ATMs and accommodation. Maybe our definitions are just a bit differentYes, it is a real pilgrimage path. But most of us are visitors, with many resources, who fly in, rely on ATMs and expected accomodations. If we had no bank accounts, no guide books, little protective clothing, fear of crime, insecurity about accomodations or food, it would be a very different experience and I am guessing that most of us would not miss it when we got home.
I get what you're saying. I'm thinking of what it was like when I was serving in the Peace Corps in Jamaica. I had a low income, no transportation, phone, or even hot water in my cottage. Basically you could say I was living just like the locals. However the fact that I would be going HOME made my experience radically different from the people who didn't have that choice or opportunity. While traveling, too, it is easier to romanticize the somewhat choreographed reality of the places we visit.I don't really see how having access to ressources makes it less real. We have all kinds of ressources in our everyday lives, too, including clothing, bank accounts, ATMs and accommodation. Maybe our definitions are just a bit different
If we Camino pilgrims were all as you described above, we would most likely be referred to as refugees and seeking a new home.Yes, it is a real pilgrimage path. But most of us are visitors, with many resources, who fly in, rely on ATMs and expected accomodations. If we had no bank accounts, no guide books, little protective clothing, fear of crime, insecurity about accomodations or food, it would be a very different experience and I am guessing that most of us would not miss it when we got home.
I might be mistaken (it certainly wouldn't be the first time!) but I think there might be some confusion between "real" and "realistic" in this thread in the discussion.Yes, it is a real pilgrimage path. But most of us are visitors, with many resources, who fly in, rely on ATMs and expected accomodations. If we had no bank accounts, no guide books, little protective clothing, fear of crime, insecurity about accomodations or food, it would be a very different experience and I am guessing that most of us would not miss it when we got home.
Not presuming to speak on behalf of @JillGat - but I took this commonplace expression to mean 'your usual life' - and, for the vast majority of us, the Camino isn't our 'usual life'. So perhaps the 'discussion' about whether a Camino is 'real life' or not is just semantics. The experience is real, and I don' think anyone is suggesting otherwise.But just saying that it isn't "real life."
You may well be right about what God wants of you. The only advice I would add to all of the thoughtful posts you have received is just to be patient. God (as I call the Higher Power) plays a long game. It has frustrated me many times when I've wanted an answer, guidance, wisdom on my timetable. Let go. It will come on its own.My wife said something yesterday that makes sense. I will put it in quotes but paraphrase. "You've always been lost," she said. "As long as I've known you [25 years] you've been searching for something. Maybe the Camino is telling you that you will always been lost and searching and you should just embrace that."
Which kind of makes sense, because when people question me about my faith, I say my religion is ignorance. I'm not sure what the Higher Power is (and the use of the term might clue some of you in to a huge piece of my spiritual life), but when I pray I sense that God (as I understand it) wants me ignorant and curious... in other words, always seeking.
I walked the Camino Frances in 2009 from St Jean to Santiago. I was unsettled when I returned home to the UK. When I went on a walk along part of Hadrian's Wall a few weeks later with friends, I was haunted by the ghosts of the Camino. I kept hoping, expecting, to see my Camino friends when I turned a corner or breasted a hill. There would be Inga or Markus or Nico coming towards me with a happy smile in greeting. It took a while to get over that and it helped that I was still in touch with them. It is often said that walking the Camino is actually the start of a longer Camino in life. I think that is true and I think that is where you are. The first step is awareness of the situation, which you seem to have. I suggest that you embrace your memories of the Camino and use those feelings and the experience to embrace your blessings and to rekindle the excitement of the next step in your life, the next turn of the corner and all the different paths that you can take. Sorry that this sounds a bit trite but I do believe that you've actually started the first step of your continuing Camino. Stay well, stay in touch and always know that we are hear to listen and to give you sympathy and support.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Sounds like you found your answer on the Camino, you just haven’t acted on it. Happiness is possible but you have to change how you live today. Often simpler is better. Just my thoughts. I started the Camino looking for a new direction; As I had been retired for a year. By the end I realized that the direction I was on was ok with me. I didn’t need to look for something more complex or deeper. Turns out my purpose in life is to live.I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
You are right that it only really sinks in after it’s over, though for me, it sinks in the right way. I think the reason for the delayed reaction is because normally, if you do a long one day hike, you can go to bed that night and let the day’s activities replay themselves like a movie, but when you walk every day, you are being filled constantly with so many impressions that they get stored somewhere in you, and you just aren’t able to let the film unfold the same way as after a day or two stroll. But then, when the weeks-long walk is over - and sometimes there’s even a month or two delay - those impressions start unfolding and it is really fantastic!I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
(Just to note, I have some personal credentials, which I won't bother mentioning, that might lead a person to think I understand a little about what it takes to "do life" successfully.)I finished the Camino Frances in October 2021. It was a calling I had to fulfill, ever since I dipped my toe in the Camino in 2018 (where I started in Sarria and made a fool of myself). This time, I completed... the best thing I have ever done.
Now I am home. This is where everyone says the real Camino begins. So many stories I've heard about people finding answers on the Camino, coming to great realizations about their life.
The only realization I have upon coming home is that I am lost, that I have always been lost, and that the only place where I felt "found" was on the Camino... "found" for the first time in my life.
Now I am home, and I am lost again. I'm not peaceful. I'm not happy. I don't feel enlightened. I hate the company of non-pilgrims. The voice of my wife (who I love and adore) makes me want to scream. The demands of my life are almost unbearable.
If I could, I would gladly be back in the middle of La Meseta, hungry, tired, smelling bad, ass itching, feet aching... all would be preferable to the hell that is this so-called "real world." The Camino is one of the things that was missing in my life, and I have no idea how to parlay that into the rest of my life.
I didn't find myself on the Camino. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find myself again.
Help?
Thanks for your advise tercile, I’ve just joint my local Australian Friends Of The Camino.I hear you!
One thing that you can do is to join your local chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino, if there is one near you. If not, you can start one. That's what @pinkwadingbird and I did here in Southern Oregon. I found that I really couldn't convey what the Camino is all about to those who hadn't done it, so it's nice to have a group of pilgrims to share stories with, and also help aspiring pilgrims on their way.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?