Meaning/division of different stages

[Vigdis]

At one of my pilgrimages when I arrived in Astorga I had a briefly meeting with a Spanish local, but also a pilgrim, who told me that the part I had just walked represented the present and the problems I might be having right now.

Later I have heard about this divisions of the camino from others, but in different variations.

The first part is supposingly representing childhood or past, the middle part (meseta) the now, and the last part (from Astorga?) means the future and what will happen.
Other ways to see it?

Others say that the road is symbolicly divided into two, not three.

Does anyone know more about this? Where do these stages start and end?

What does it mean exactly?
Things the pilgrim should work With?
Or is the past, the present and the future just "working within the pilgrim" as he is walking along, giving him healing for what has happened, what is now, or will happen?

Hope this was understandable!

 

[jirit]

I have done the camino Frances route twice and after my first time, I came to a similar conclusion (among other conclusions) that walking the camino can be viewed as a micro snapshot of life.

The initial climb out of Saint Jean Pied de Port over the Pyrenees and the days that follow is much like the beginning of life for most us; stumbling, struggling, eyes wide open full of excitement, getting lost the occasional time, aches and pains, over coming fears, meeting and making new friends, as we discover our rhythm and our way. This is our childhood, our past.

By the time we have reached Burgos and the Meseta, you could argue that we are entering middle life. For some this is long sometimes lonely time, maybe even boring. For others this is joyful time, a time of reflection and peace. It is different for all of us. For many pilgrims that are walking the camino, but not all, this is the present.

As we ascend the hills beyond Astorga and towards Galicia, we know that Santiago is not far away. Again one could suggest this is our autumn years, time to reflect on the past, present and future, question what we have done and why, what is all means. Again for most, this is the future.

Be prepared to discover that you will not find all the answers to all your questions. Thus for some they return to walk the camino once again, and maybe even a number of times, hoping this time to fulfill those desires.

 

[tyrrek]

I've only heard it described and split into physical, mental and spiritual stages before. The first part challenges your unfit body with hills etc, and the middle part challenges your mind with the long, flat plains. The last part is when you overcome body and mind and find your spirit.

It's not my experience really, but maybe it's that way for some.

Buen Camino!

 

[Pieces]

I hope this is wrong because otherwise I have no future...

which, come to think of it will mean that I am forever stuck in the present. Maybe not such a bad thing. Hmmm...

 

[markss]

We can all draw whatever comparisons that we want to make between the Camino and broader experiences in our lives. In the end doesn't the meaning of various stages, or the Camino in its entirety, rest on whatever the imagination wants it to be or to represent?

 

[annakappa]

Translation from a Spanish language Forum:
The first part is to tame your body.
The second part is to tame your spirit.
The third part is for the joy of your soul.
Anne

 

[Vigdis]

I appreciate the response from you guys, very interesting and different answers.

The Camino is like life itself, isn't it

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A Camino comes to an end for most of us, and a return to "life." When life ends, it is a bit more permanent; so I would say a Camino becomes a part of life, not that it is like life. Finding stages within the Camino can be like astrology in the newspaper--randomly select a sign, and it probably applies to you that day. For me the daily symbolism and meaning on the Camino is too complex to fall neatly in a pattern. I have found the twentieth day more difficult than the Pyrenees.

If stages give one closure or understanding, that is excellent!

 

[Vigdis]

See what you mean, falcon, but what I meant was comparing it With "the living life". We all got a childhood, youth, we become Young adults, have children, and we get older. Stages of the lifes we' re living.
We still got a life after finished the Camino. For sure.

 

[scruffy1]

It seems to me that the first Camino one accomplishes is only that, simply the first step not even a stage. That Camino may be very moving may change one's life or it may be a long drawn out disaster-everyone has their own experience. The decision to make that second Camino is the touchstone, what exactly moved a person to do it again. After three or four pilgrimages the answer becomes entirely individual and personal and may not be understood by others. I cannot give my answer, yet, there still remain the Via Turonensis, the Via Lemovicensis from Vezelay and the Via de la Plata (I do fear that these old legs won't make that one), the Via Carloginian which I am trying to create Paderborn-Cologne-Aachen turning south, maybe, just maybe, after another three or four pilgrimages, I will be able to talk about stages but not yet.

 

[fraluchi]

At one of my pilgrimages when I arrived in Astorga I had a briefly meeting with a Spanish local, but also a pilgrim, who told me that the part I had just walked represented the present and the problems I might be having right now.
Later I have heard about this divisions of the camino from others, but in different variations.

As in a lifetime, every person passes through various and different experiences. Each one of the thousands of pilgrims who arrive in Santiago every year, has a personal appreciation of the various stages of "his/her Camino". At the end, we tend to recall romanticism and forget hardships. :roll: