My Religious Camino......

[HalfDomeOrBust]

I walked the Camino Francis this past May and June 2014 SJPDP to Santiago and found that I received a message from God everyday in the form of "Thoughts" as I was walking. These were things that have molded me since my return back home and provided guidance for me as I move on in my life. I also seemed to realize after a week or so on the Camino that people I met either taught me something (this was mostly the case) or I taught them something. Each experience was different and we were together for short periods until the teaching was completed. Then we moved on.

Has anyone else experienced these "messages" as I have? They were truly wonderful.......

 

[mralisn]

The most profound message was from the first walk:

In short, the Camino brings to us that from which we run.

Still holds true.

 

[freescot]

I'm sure it depends very much on how we enter into the Camino ourselves. Last month I really enjoyed meeting people who all had their own reasons for doing the Camino and who all contibuted to the collective spirit of the pilgrimage.
For me, I find the Camino is a huge space for prayer and sometimes that space is empty and sometimes pretty full: it is also part of a longer journey of being drawn towards God. The more I am awakened to God's presence and aware of God in all things, the more I "see". I notice the goodness in so many people; the beauty, even on the way into Burgos, and tiredness, soreness and downheartedness have their place here, too.. Messages and miracles, also, are part of it which seriously challenge my rational tendencies. I live with that paradox and sometimes think it's all a nonsense or approaching senility, until something else happens, like a gift.
I feel that this journey is far from over even though I know my days of long caminos will not continue for ever.

 

[grayland]

Be aware that it is very easy to cross over the line in regard to the rule prohibiting discussion of religion in the forum.
The posts above do not violate the intent of the rule....the problem arises when specific religious beliefs or religions are posted.
Posts arguing for or against a religious point will not be allowed.

Be very gentle and the thread will remain open.

 

[Jane Erasmus]

I think the 'thing' that struck me was how profound each and every meeting or time spend with a fellow Pilgrim was. No matter what was talked about or shared, it just seemed to be of a depth that I have not really encountered in my usual daily life. Whether it was for half and hour or a couple of days...every person touched me in some way and I thank the Camino spirit for that. Some great life lessons have been learned.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

I did not walk my first Camino because of my faith or my need to renew my faith. I was a raised in a Irish home thick with Irish guilt and love for the church.

Somewhere into the second week of my first Camino I realized that praying to my God for the new day was not as significant as being thankful for yesterday, or what I had received. What I finnaly realized that in life we need to turn around. We see our Camino as it is in front of us but how many people turn around, look at where we've been?

As incredible as the Camino Del Santiago is before us, how many of you us pause, turn around and understand we've only been thankful for tomorrow and not yesterday?

 

[karenfromcali]

I walked the Camino Francis this past May and June 2014 SJPDP to Santiago and found that I received a message from God everyday in the form of "Thoughts" as I was walking. These were things that have molded me since my return back home and provided guidance for me as I move on in my life. I also seemed to realize after a week or so on the Camino that people I met either taught me something (this was mostly the case) or I taught them something. Each experience was different and we were together for short periods until the teaching was completed. Then we moved on.

Has anyone else experienced these "messages" as I have? They were truly wonderful.......

Yes! Absolutely! It was almost as though each day brought up a new issue from past or present which I had been struggling with (there are enough for several caminos lol) which the Lord helped me 'deal' with as I walked. It was in the form of thoughts or prayers.
And although I chose to walk the camino alone, I met some wonderful pilgrims who helped heal a broken spirit. There were 3 young pilgrims from Germany who looked for me on my birthday as they wanted to buy me cake! A Korean couple who shared their breakfast with me (bananas and coffee!) and were thrilled that I liked their Korean coffee. But mostly I was blessed with a wonderful pilgrim from this forum who checked in on me most days, ordered me to the pharmacy when my knees hurt, made sure I had a sim card, and helped me with which albergues to stay at.
Wonderful experience

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

Yes! Absolutely! It was almost as though each day brought up a new issue from past or present which I had been struggling with (there are enough for several caminos lol) which the Lord helped me 'deal' with as I walked. It was in the form of thoughts or prayers.
And although I chose to walk the camino alone, I met some wonderful pilgrims who helped heal a broken spirit. There were 3 young pilgrims from Germany who looked for me on my birthday as they wanted to buy me cake! A Korean couple who shared their breakfast with me (bananas and coffee!) and were thrilled that I liked their Korean coffee. But mostly I was blessed with a wonderful pilgrim from this forum who checked in on me most days, ordered me to the pharmacy when my knees hurt, made sure I had a sim card, and helped me with which albergues to stay at.
Wonderful experience

That's it Karen!!!!

 

[EdwardSeeker]

I walked the Camino Francis this past May and June 2014 SJPDP to Santiago and found that I received a message from God everyday in the form of "Thoughts" as I was walking. These were things that have molded me since my return back home and provided guidance for me as I move on in my life. I also seemed to realize after a week or so on the Camino that people I met either taught me something (this was mostly the case) or I taught them something. Each experience was different and we were together for short periods until the teaching was completed. Then we moved on.

Has anyone else experienced these "messages" as I have? They were truly wonderful.......

Your experience was remarkably similar to mine. "Thoughts" and "images" were a deep part of my Camino; in so many ways, the questions that I had about myself and my life were made very clear during my days of walking.

How was your dream life?

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

Your experience was remarkably similar to mine. "Thoughts" and "images" were a deep part of my Camino; in so many ways, the questions that I had about myself and my life were made very clear during my days of walking.

How was your dream life?

Loads of dreams as well Edward....

 

[indyinmaine]

I continue to both think and feel how ironical it is that we must be very careful about "cross(ing) over the line" in regard to the rule prohibiting discussion of religion in the forum," when it is precisely the reason we have the privilege of having it to walk today! There has to be a solution to this impass.

 

[WldWil]

I am thankful for the sharing and attitude in this forum. I get why people do happy holidays in the USA instead of Merry Christmas, even though I am not a fan of it I appreciate the moderation in this forum.

Of the first five kindle books I have read about the Camino, religion was either sanitized out or made fun of. As much as this is part of what our new politically correct society, I was surprised to find this about the Camino.

In a couple blogs I read, writers were miffed that someone requested they remove his hat when he entered the church. Another commented on the unchristian attitude due to disapproving looks received when she took their picture during her self-guided tour while a mass was going on. Another joked about the theatrics of mass and singing along with earning the Camino Compostela and it being the church’s ticket to heaven. I could go on, but you get the idea.

It made me pause and wonder if the religious were the minority or merely a fixture of the Camino history. Maybe I just picked books in the wrong order. It is my first time reading kindle books.

Upon returning to the forum and reading about non religious, Jews and others having their concerns of their upcoming Camino and the responses here, I felt better about it. In a sense, our differences and similarities bring us closer together if we allow it.

As much as I am not expecting unicorns and rainbows, I would expect mutual respect.

 

[david g]

There's a saying " when the student is ready, the master will appear". I can't begin to count the times on my Camino when the right person came along at the right time to discuss the right subject. And hopefully I was able to provide the same to someone else.