Returning to the "real life"

[KSM]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

 

[TMcA]

Part of the problem for me has been that "reentry" after the Camino, after two years of volunteer teaching in Vietnam, after a year in Haiti, etc. means coming to grips with the fact that others who have not really had the same or a similar experience can only briefly empathize. They try, eager to ask what it was like, but they cannot sustain their interest. There has seemed to me so much to talk about, but the attention span of nearly everyone who has not had a shared or similar experience has just fizzled out. And so I, and maybe you now, have felt a little disapponted that I have not been able to share the experience the way I would have liked to. But I'm "over it", because I have been through this four or five times and I just know what it's going to be like coming home. So now I just try to keep it short unless my audience appears to really want more information.

A second part of reentry is that it means a return to the day-to-day routines of life. This is so completely different from waking up each day with no script but some blazes to follow and gronking on the landscapes and conversing pleasantly and sometimes meaningfully with random strangers. Oh yes, and thinking about things, sometimes the "big things" in life. No chores to do (except washing clothes), no errands to run, no dog to walk, etc. Life has become gloriously unstructured. And then a return to...the grind back home? I hope not, but at a minimum it's back to life as usual.

My wife has accompanied me on our Camino hikes and our adventure in Vietnam. So I never had to deal with reentry problems with my life partner and so I cannot offer much advice on your feelings in this area. But if you found the Camino deeply satisfying, somewhat life changing, then maybe a redo in the near future with your partner.

I hesitate to address what you should do wrt "the different path for my life". I personally just slogged on in what some might call my rut for nearly 30 years but there were two children to raise and send to college. They are out of college now without loans - our gift to our children. And we are adventuring freely because we are retired.

Hope this might in some way help.

 

[RobertS26]

I had similar feelings after completing the Camino in 2013. When I got home I felt like a stranger in someone else's life. I tried unsuccessfully to communicate my feelings to my family and friends. It helped to reread many of the books I had purchased about the Camino. But I still missed it so much that I went back in 2014 to walk from Sarria to Santiago with a friend as a "refresher course". That helped, but a part of me still remained on the Camino. So I went back this year to re-walk from SJPP to Santiago to work through my feelings. And the most unexpected thing happened--I met my future wife. We talk about the Camino every day and will probably get married on the Camino at the exact location we met.

So yes, returning can be painful but in my case I eventually resolved my issues and came away with a spouse. I hope me sharing my experiences helps in at least a small measure. Buen Camino.

 

[Fred Bovenkamp]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

I know EXACTLY how you feel! The Camino changes you, challenges you, and calls you to a new place. That is why on the Santiago cathedral the Alpha and Omega are reversed!

 

[Tincatinker]

@KSM Isn't it lovely, the camino life. One thing to do, one thing to deal with. Walk, eat, sleep, repeat. I long to be there everyday that I'm not. The simplicity and the clarity of purpose give us the space in our heads to deal with the other stuff. Or ignore it if we choose. There are those who live on the Camino. Their lives before led them there and the Camino gave them some comfort they had not had before. There are those of us, the 'addicts' who return again, and again, because of that special time, that special life that the Camino gives us. What it doesn't do is remove us from the 'other' life. So spend some time off the Camino. Look for more ways to tell your husband why, and cuddle that dog, they both need you as much as you need the road.

And when you come back to the Way, as you will, enjoy. Buen Camino.

 

[DowtyCamino]

Maybe this will help. Camino isn't real. Maybe it should be...but it isn't. It is an idealized situation - a throwback to a possibly better form of life....but it doesn't actually exist.
I've not hear from anyone that came back from Camino and said..."I didn't notice a difference from 'real life'".

A great piece of advice is not to do anything 'important' for 1 yr after Camino (or winning the lottery, or losing a loved one). Your emotional state will inevitably cloud a true vision.

I've wanted to go back since returning last year. My wife however didn't have a great experience and although she'd come if I insisted or I could go alone, I've decided it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be the loving thing to do regardless.

I suggest you seek another avenue that you and your husband can enjoy together. Find one of his dreams and pursue it with the same passion you feel for yours. Maybe in time you'll find your two souls on the same path and that path might be another Camino. It's been around a long time and isn't going anywhere.

 

[Leah C. O'Leary]

Maybe this will help. Camino isn't real. Maybe it should be...but it isn't. It is an idealized situation - a throwback to a possibly better form of life....but it doesn't actually exist.
I've not hear from anyone that came back from Camino and said..."I didn't notice a difference from 'real life'".

A great piece of advice is not to do anything 'important' for 1 yr after Camino (or winning the lottery, or losing a loved one). Your emotional state will inevitably cloud a true vision.

I've wanted to go back since returning last year. My wife however didn't have a great experience and although she'd come if I insisted or I could go alone, I've decided it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be the loving thing to do regardless.

I suggest you seek another avenue that you and your husband can enjoy together. Find one of his dreams and pursue it with the same passion you feel for yours. Maybe in time you'll find your two souls on the same path and that path might be another Camino. It's been around a long time and isn't going anywhere.

Sounds like the same phenomenon that college students or Peace Corps volunteers experience after re-entry from study or work abroad. You might want to google "reverse culture shock" and take a look at some of the literature. Your posting is a good reminder for me to think about steps I can take to "re-enter" my life back home after I return. Good discussion.

 

[KSM]

Part of the problem for me has been that "reentry" after the Camino, after two years of volunteer teaching in Vietnam, after a year in Haiti, etc. means coming to grips with the fact that others who have not really had the same or a similar experience can only briefly empathize. They try, eager to ask what it was like, but they cannot sustain their interest. There has seemed to me so much to talk about, but the attention span of nearly everyone who has not had a shared or similar experience has just fizzled out. And so I, and maybe you now, have felt a little disapponted that I have not been able to share the experience the way I would have liked to. But I'm "over it", because I have been through this four or five times and I just know what it's going to be like coming home. So now I just try to keep it short unless my audience appears to really want more information.

A second part of reentry is that it means a return to the day-to-day routines of life. This is so completely different from waking up each day with no script but some blazes to follow and gronking on the landscapes and conversing pleasantly and sometimes meaningfully with random strangers. Oh yes, and thinking about things, sometimes the "big things" in life. No chores to do (except washing clothes), no errands to run, no dog to walk, etc. Life has become gloriously unstructured. And then a return to...the grind back home? I hope not, but at a minimum it's back to life as usual.

My wife has accompanied me on our Camino hikes and our adventure in Vietnam. So I never had to deal with reentry problems with my life partner and so I cannot offer much advice on your feelings in this area. But if you found the Camino deeply satisfying, somewhat life changing, then maybe a redo in the near future with your partner.

I hesitate to address what you should do wrt "the different path for my life". I personally just slogged on in what some might call my rut for nearly 30 years but there were two children to raise and send to college. They are out of college now without loans - our gift to our children. And we are adventuring freely because we are retired.

Hope this might in some way help.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[KSM]

Thank you for a different perspective!

 

[KSM]

Maybe this will help. Camino isn't real. Maybe it should be...but it isn't. It is an idealized situation - a throwback to a possibly better form of life....but it doesn't actually exist.
I've not hear from anyone that came back from Camino and said..."I didn't notice a difference from 'real life'".

A great piece of advice is not to do anything 'important' for 1 yr after Camino (or winning the lottery, or losing a loved one). Your emotional state will inevitably cloud a true vision.

I've wanted to go back since returning last year. My wife however didn't have a great experience and although she'd come if I insisted or I could go alone, I've decided it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be the loving thing to do regardless.

I suggest you seek another avenue that you and your husband can enjoy together. Find one of his dreams and pursue it with the same passion you feel for yours. Maybe in time you'll find your two souls on the same path and that path might be another Camino. It's been around a long time and isn't going anywhere.

Sounds like the same phenomenon that college students or Peace Corps volunteers experience after re-entry from study or work abroad. You might want to google "reverse culture shock" and take a look at some of the literature. Your posting is a good reminder for me to think about steps I can take to "re-enter" my life back home after I return. Good discussion.

Thank you! I was unsure of whether to post this.... But realising I may have helped someone to prepare for something they'd had forgotten too. ..... Then maybe it was the right thing to do. That's one of things I realised on the camino that you never know where conversations will lead and who they might help.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Thank you! I was unsure of whether to post this.... But realising I may have helped someone to prepare for something they'd had forgotten too. ..... Then maybe it was the right thing to do. That's one of things I realised on the camino that you never know where conversations will lead and who they might help.

You have nailed what most of us suffer after our return. The reality is most of us are so very lucky to experience the Camino. I believe we should share the experience with someone we love, after walking it alone. As it clears our minds of the frivolous.
I certainly discovered what was most important, that being my family. I pray every day I will be blessed to walk with my grandchildren as they are only 3 & 1 now.

Once again each of us must decide what our priority must be.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

I know what you mean, I feel like I have become a bit of a dreamer since I returned from a very short stint on the camino, there is a longing for something different an easy going relaxed existence. It's difficult in the hustle and bustle of every day life to achieve this. Try mindfulness practice it's good for bringing you back to Now, too easy to dream and long for the idealistic world of the camino.
Great post - I know I'm not alone in this mindset.
Best
Rita

 

[Mark Lee]

The Camino is cool and all, and I understand the attraction of it (done it twice), but I've never needed a vacation from a vacation (so to speak).
I mean, when it's over, it's over, at least until the next time if you dig it that much. Otherwise get back to work, or whatever and realize that for a lot of people who don't understand why you walked the Camino or can relate with it, it's not that they wouldn't like it, it's just that they may not have the money or the time to walk it.
Not everyone can afford to be a wanderer.

 

[MTtoCamino]

The Camino is cool and all, and I understand the attraction of it (done it twice), but I've never needed a vacation from a vacation (so to speak).
I mean, when it's over, it's over, at least until the next time if you dig it that much. Otherwise get back to work, or whatever and realize that for a lot of people who don't understand why you walked the Camino or can relate with it, it's not that they wouldn't like it, it's just that they may not have the money or the time to walk it.
Not everyone can afford to be a wanderer.

Thank you for living in the present.

I have been hearing about a pilgrim in my area that left his wife & children due to the freedom of the Camino. It is not uncommon for people to meet someone while walking, but as stated above it is not real.

 

[KSM]

Thank you for living in the present.

I have been hearing about a pilgrim in my area that left his wife & children due to the freedom of the Camino. It is not uncommon for people to meet someone while walking, but as stated above it is not real.

Even though I'm obviously left with questions and longings since the camino. There is one thing I know. The camino is very real; the experiences and lessons learned are very really. The kindness of people along the way. All these things very real.... Now I'm just trying to find those things in the "actual real life" I guess. And longing for those same connections.

Who's to say living in a house with a mortgage and a dog is how real life should be? Who is saying it isn't? I think the camino is about introducing a more simple way of life, recognising and appreciating the simple things in life. Why can't life be more simple like on the camino?

While on the camino I read something someone had written "the journey doesn't end in Santiago it's just the beginning" (or something to that affect!) .... There is a lot of truth in that. This was definitely more than a holiday; for me at least; and one that I will definitely venture to do again in the future. Just need to find the path in between still I guess.

Thanks for everyone's opinions. I love to hear and read perspectives different from my own. This is how we grow as people.... Don't you agree?

 

[MTtoCamino]

Even though I'm obviously left with questions and longings since the camino. There is one thing I know. The camino is very real; the experiences and lessons learned are very really. The kindness of people along the way. All these things very real.... Now I'm just trying to find those things in the "actual real life" I guess. And longing for those same connections.

Who's to say living in a house with a mortgage and a dog is how real life should be? Who is saying it isn't? I think the camino is about introducing a more simple way of life, recognising and appreciating the simple things in life. Why can't life be more simple like on the camino?

While on the camino I read something someone had written "the journey doesn't end in Santiago it's just the beginning" (or something to that affect!) .... There is a lot of truth in that. This was definitely more than a holiday; for me at least; and one that I will definitely venture to do again in the future. Just need to find the path in between still I guess.

Thanks for everyone's opinions. I love to hear and read perspectives different from my own. This is how we grow as people.... Don't you agree?


[/QUOTE

I agree that it is real at the time no doubt, but like you trying to change life to reflect what we experience is not a realistic. I think if a person try to make changes as soon or as quickly as possible has not taken the time to really think about what they witness & how to integrate the soft heart & kindness one experiences. As every day I flash back to some experience on the Camino. One thing I learned was to slow down & be patient. No reason to rush anything, give your self time to think.

I simply don't consider it a holiday. Like you it is so much more. Simply accepting it as a pilgramage, never a question.

Enjoy your reflections!
Keith

 

[MTtoCamino]

You will have to expand the message above to read it

 

[KSM]

You will have to expand the message above to read it

Thank you! Yes I understand a little better your point of view now. Thanks for sharing. It was definitely something I needed to hear.... Of which I hadn't realised until I read it! Thanks again Keith!

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

Hello , the Camino in all ways does something to you .For me it started with the preparation off my wife walking the Camino Frances in 2013 .
I stayed behind and see your wife set off for her journey for about 7 weeks and this was the first time after 27 years that we stayed a part for so long .
Went to SdC to pick here up after here walk , and that was a great moment on the squaire before the cathedral .
Last year we walked from Sarria to Finesterre and sinds than I am " Camino hooked " .This year I returned again for my Camino from SJPdP .
And now my wife picked me up and she walked the last 23 km. with me and that was almost an party on the road to Santiago .
In Santiago we said to each other to do a walk next year , and we and up to walk from Porto next year .

I think i'm coming back every year for the next years , Wish you well , Peter .

 

[phot]

I feel so relieved . In about 2 weeks time I start my 1st camino. I've been asked hundreds of times if I'm afraid or uneasy, how I will be able leave my family behind for Soooo long. (I'm 57 & a mother of 3)....Sometimes I'm not sure if I should really tell the truth, which is , NO ,I'm not afraid & YES, I can definitely leave without any remorse. I am under no illusion, I will probably just miss my 15 month old german shepherd and my cat. Who will most likely suffer the most by my absence. Simply because I cannot reassure them that I'm coming back. I can't wait to feel the experience. I yern to embrace a new and deeper ME. Thanks again to all .

 

[dougfitz]

gronking on the landscapes

Excuse my ignorance, but the first definition that came up when I looked for gronking was this:

Gronking
A meme like owling or planking, when a guy has his shirt off showing his muscles, while an attractive woman is wearing his shirt. Usually done for photographic purposes.

Came from when an American football player Rob Gronkowski took a picture with his shirt off with an attractive pornstar (Didi Jones) wearing his jersey.
​

Is that what you really meant?

 

[smj6]

... after two years of volunteer teaching in Vietnam, after a year in Haiti, etc. means coming to grips with the fact that others who have not really had the same or a similar experience can only briefly empathize. They try, eager to ask what it was like, but they cannot sustain their interest. There has seemed to me so much to talk about, but the attention span of nearly everyone who has not had a shared or similar experience has just fizzled out....

@TMcA, after 40+ years as an expat, regularly changing countries and - through my work or my husband's - going to places that most people don't have access to and wanting to share these experiences with close friends & family I quickly realised that in a few minutes they'd be talking about the latest reality show on TV or some thing. So I soon learnt not to make many comments. It is what it is, unfortunately.
This is one reason why I've been trying to convince him to join me on our first pilgrimage, to enjoy it together, experience it together, & be able to talk about it together.
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Friends regularly ask me when I am going back. They don't want to go, but like driving past an automobile accident, they want to know more.

I did an REI class, and almost all of the 40 people in attendance just wanted to know about it, but had no intention of going. I focused on equipment and should have focused on a travelogue.

Much of life is trying to get others to understand you (which I think is to stave off loneliness). The Camino is more incomprehensible than most of life!

 

[fiona99]

I arrived home from my camino and within three weeks was totally stressed out with life in the so called real world.....which I personally think is driven by greed and lack of caring or respect for fellow humans beings...I admire what the young man who has lived on the camino for the last seven years has done......I am not sure that I could do that.....but I am actively looking into alternative ways of living .....a compromise somewhere between life on the camino and the rat race of the "real world".....food ....shelter.....and enough money to provide for basic necessities.....certainly not all the consumer goods that we are led to believe that we need to be seen as successful......and lots of quality "me" time..for friends and family....which in recent years has been lacking due to work/life balance being totally skewed the wrong way. The camino for me at least.....reflects a simple but caring and happy lifestyle....that I will strive to recreate in my own life.

 

[Mark Lee]

I had similar feelings after completing the Camino in 2013. When I got home I felt like a stranger in someone else's life. I tried unsuccessfully to communicate my feelings to my family and friends. It helped to reread many of the books I had purchased about the Camino. But I still missed it so much that I went back in 2014 to walk from Sarria to Santiago with a friend as a "refresher course". That helped, but a part of me still remained on the Camino. So I went back this year to re-walk from SJPP to Santiago to work through my feelings. And the most unexpected thing happened--I met my future wife. We talk about the Camino every day and will probably get married on the Camino at the exact location we met.

So yes, returning can be painful but in my case I eventually resolved my issues and came away with a spouse. I hope me sharing my experiences helps in at least a small measure. Buen Camino.

Nice. Congrats. You da man....

 

[FelixBC]

Hi KSM,

I got back just 2 weeks before you, after walking the Via de la Plata/Camino Frances for 6 weeks. I don't have a pet or partner to come back to, and definitely feel... what?... unrooted. Longing to go on the camino again, for even longer. Work is good, I like throwing myself in to that, but the rest is flat. The camino calls me to do something different with the time I have left here. I'd like to just keep walking.

I did share a lot of my experiences of my walk as I went, posting photos and notes every day. So when I came back friends and family understood what I'd experienced. They told me they felt like they'd done the walk with me. But that doesn't help figuring out what's next.

If you can, post again in 3 months, 6 months. I'm interested to see what we come up with...

 

[Wildflower Woman]

What a good thread, and yes I can so relate. You want to share everything with everyone and you come up with a blank stare when you begin talking about it as people tend to be comfortable with what they know. This is what calls so many of us back to the Camino; it is a place where we can be our authentic self. Never once on the Camino did anyone ask me what I did for a living, which was a joy in and of itself, people were simply interested in my thoughts and feelings. What a gift! I just celebrated my one year return from the Camino and I am going back next spring to walk some of it again. I know it will never be the same journey, and I am comfortable with that as well. It is so refreshing to read everyone's comments about wanting to simplify their lives, for all the material things we have cannot give us love. In order to heal as a world, I feel we need to be able to get back to that at some point. Thank you everyone for such wonderful insight, love, and authenticity. My heart is full of Camino love!

 

[amorfati1]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

Why oh Why this distinction? 'back to real life'?
have you ever questioned this stance towards life?
isn't the camino as 'real' and 'alive' than waiting in line at the groceries, filing out forms at the job , preparing a meal?
Life is alive -
how would you feel if parts of you would be declared 'real' and other parts of you as 'not real'?
just wondering ....

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Why oh Why this distinction? 'back to real life'?
have you ever questioned this stance towards life?
isn't the camino as 'real' and 'alive' than waiting in line at the groceries, filing out forms at the job , preparing a meal?
Life is alive -
how would you feel if parts of you would be declared 'real' and other parts of you as 'not real'?
just wondering ....

I think I agree with you---I've seen several posts about going back to the "real world". It's all real. Don't wish away time.

 

[Juan Antonio Perez]

As I am reading this thread, I am preparing myself to walk my camino to Santiago from Porto, Portugal. I was in my early 20's when I start it to think about do in it , but the life's wheel continued turning. Today, I am on my 50's and after many life experiences have slow down that wheel's motion, (most negative than positive) I am looking forward the camino to give me an inside to myself in all aspects of life. I am hoping that the camino will open my soul to be able to re-discovered and re-invent myself and my future. As I read some of your comments, I have not think yet about how I will feel After I done it and months beyond. Would I find the tools that I am searching to make meaningful changes to my life? Will I be able to finish projects that I have dream on doing? Will I give another chance to love and be love? And I can continue asking myself forever. It sounds to me KMS, that your camino was as meaningful as mine will be. It is possible that the answers you are looking for, are all along there . Look deeply in your soul and you will find them, then decide to make the necessary changes or not.

 

[good_old_shoes]

Thank you for this thread KSM. I was about to post something similar a few weeks back, then decided not to because it felt too personal. Now I see that there are many others who feel the same, that helps a lot. So, thank you.


I think that for some the Camino is like a holiday, a pleasant experience, maybe they even want to do it again, but it's nothing life-altering. But for others it seems that it profoundly changes things, it can be a metanoia experience, can cause a complete shift of mind. Not so easy to go „back to normal“ then.

Like others wrote before, the feeling of not being able to really share with your family&friends at home, people you love, whose opinion you care for, is the worst. You have changed, but everybody expects you to be the same.

There's this phrase from the movie „Into the wild“:


„Happiness is only real when shared“


I know people usually interpet that as an expression of loneliness and wanting to go back home. But in the end of the movie there's this dream-like sequence where Chris' parents take him into their arms and he looks at the sky/clouds. There's a voice over „What if I were smiling and running into your arms? Would you see then what I see now?“.

I always thought the answer to that was „probably not“, and that, for me, was the worst part of the movie, not him dieing out there.


So, that made me realize that there are simply things that are impossible to share, or at least impossible to share with some people at some point. And that can be a much worse kind of loneliness than physically being alone. The act of sharing something seems to make it more real and easier to keep in mind instead of it fading away with time and becoming a distant, almost forgotten memory. And, of course, we all want to be understood also. We're social animals after all.


BUT, the thing is, You don't need others to make it real. It already is, it has happened, and it's yours, your experience forever, whatever others think about it and about you for doing it.


I think it's my job alone to make sure I don't "lose" it, to keep it in my life as a good thing that made me happy when it happened, makes me happy now, and if I am lucky might still make me happy from time to time in the future.

 

[hsabs]

Everyone obviously has their own theories on this topic. I went back to work and real life in June and it is an unusual feeling. I was walking with ny husband and he felt the same way - different about everything. We both have a different outlook on everything now and regardless of how difficult work etc can get, we chat about our experience and look forward to our future pilgrimages and it helps us through. It affected us both more than we ever imagined and are both caught by the camino bug! Regardless of how things seem difficult we are both secure in the knowledge that we will be back on the camino one day and in the meantime it is there in our memory helping us through our real lives!

 

[november_moon]

I think that how the Camino affects people has a lot to do with where people are in their lives when they walk.

Some people are drawn to the Camino because they are searching - they know something isn't right in their lives and they need change. They aren't necessarily sure what is wrong and what needs to change, but they are searching. Walking the Camino can provide a lot of clarity because you do strip things down to the essentials and you have a lot of time with yourself - without the normal distractions of life.

KSM - this sounds like it is the case for you...

I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5.

And

I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

This isn't about reintegrating into your life after the Camino. This is about figuring out what type of life you want and then making a plan to live that life. It sounds like the Camino was the catalyst that you needed to start examining your life and figuring out what you want. But then you back-peddled and tried to just resume your regular life when you came back - as though just walking the Camino would fix what's wrong? Don't undo the work you did on the Camino - build on that at home. You probably don't have to blow up your whole life and go live an entirely different one, but it sounds like you need to make some changes. Focus on that.

 

[nackyann]

You're lucky, hsabs, and the others of you who experienced the camino together with a spouse, because you each have someone you love to 'WITNESS' your experiences. I think what KSM may be feeling this loneliness of not having loved ones or someone at home who shares how much it meant to her. At least that's how it felt to me and I became deeply depressed for time.

 

[nackyann]

November moon--Wow, you are incredibly insightful. Really agree with all you've said

 

[MTtoCamino]

This gets better as we go

 

[Mark Lee]

Honestly, if I was married I would have a difficult time walking the Camino without my wife with me, and if the tables were turned just as difficult a time if my wife wanted to walk it without me, or she walked it without me for whatever reason.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Honestly, if I was married I would have a difficult time walking the Camino without my wife with me, and if the tables were turned just as difficult a time if my wife wanted to walk it without me, or she walked it without me for whatever reason.

It was but in the end it works out. If a person is of working age & can go they should. From my perspective I simply may not be able to when my wife is retired due to health issues, every marriage is as unique as the couple are individuals. There is no cookie cutter for relationships.

Only each individual can determine what is correct for them. That is not to say I don't understand what you are saying as I agree if it is possible to walk with your spouse or significant other, family member, close friend or your multitude of wives Or even more husbands. It is a positive thing. Yet I am sure it has happened where you walk separately & meet up.

 

[C clearly]

every marriage is as unique as the couple are individuals. There is no cookie cutter for relationships.

So true!

 

[kelleymac]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

I have had this experience a number of times. --I was in southern africa in 1991, staying with Peace Corps volunteers, and hiking on dusty roads and paths, staying at hostels, sleeping on floors. I lived in Germany for years returning to the american world of suburbia. -- I was expecting the difficult return and so it was not so strange. It is hard to keep from boring people about travels, while really, I'm trying to come to terms with differences in and realizations about myself. Also, the idea that we can to many extents choose our realities, and that we may want a different reality than we're in. For me, my Camino, was a break in my regular life, a stepping outside of my world, and allowing myself to come through in a different way, free of judgement. -- My husband too, has no interest in adventure or the "hippie" part of me, or the catholic me. We connect where we can-- not ideal, but it works well enough. I find other friends to have adventures with and to support and recognize other sides to me.

 

[Judy's Way]

It is good advice to say not to make dramatic changes in your life within the first year of returning from the Camino. For most people that would be true.

My daughter walked the Camino Frances in the fall of 2013 and discovered more about who she is, what her potentials are, and what she wants to do with her life. She gained incredible courage to follow her dreams. She came home to a "real life" that she saw as meaningless. Within months she was making dramatic changes, selling her home and quitting her job, so that her dreams could unfold. She did what was best for her, and that was okay because she is single and was not hurting anyone. It has all been good for her, but making such dramatic changes wouldn't be fine for everyone.

My daughter wants to make another pilgrimage one day, but for now she at least has an outlet for her love of the Camino. She has made presentations at gatherings of pilgrims and future pilgrims and is on the planning committee for another gathering coming up this fall. She is happy to share her incredible experience with others.

She has inspired my husband and I to walk the Camino Frances this fall. Whereas my husband says he'll be a tourist on a walking holiday, I hope to have more of a inner journey. It will be interesting to see how our journeys compare. At least we'll be together and, for that, I am grateful.

 

[ahemobile]

I love this thread. I got home two weeks ago and re-entry has been very difficult. Everyone wants to hear about my "trip," but it was so much more than that. I came home with a clear, but scary, knowledge that I need to make major changes in my life. I haven't told many people about it yet, but they can all see it in my face. I've been pretending that it's just jet lag, but I can't play that card much longer. If I wait one year before making these changes, as some people have suggested, it will be one year longer in a life of denial that the camino shook me out of. The camino taught me to be honest with myself, every minute of every day. I need to ride this deep ocean wave propelling me forward. Without yellow arrows, though, I'm terrified.

 

[FelixBC]

I love this thread. I got home two weeks ago and re-entry has been very difficult. Everyone wants to hear about my "trip," but it was so much more than that. I came home with a clear, but scary, knowledge that I need to make major changes in my life. I haven't told many people about it yet, but they can all see it in my face. I've been pretending that it's just jet lag, but I can't play that card much longer. If I wait one year before making these changes, as some people have suggested, it will be one year longer in a life of denial that the camino shook me out of. The camino taught me to be honest with myself, every minute of every day. I need to ride this deep ocean wave propelling me forward. Without yellow arrows, though, I'm terrified.

Hi Angela! We're both in Victoria... nice. St James Day, the 25th, is in two weeks. I'm thinking I should organize a Meet Up for all of us thinking about the Camino. Compare notes on longing to go back...

 

[ahemobile]

Yup, I'd love that!

 

[FelixBC]

Yup, I'd love that!

Hmmm. Chorizo and Co on Fort St downtown is owned by a very nice man from Santiago...

 

[bkrey]

The original post in this thread is a very honest one; i appreciate your courage to open this discussion.
I returned to Canada from the Camino about the same time and can relate very closely to many of the feelings expressed; i now have a nice sense of reassurance that none of this is abnormal.
One of the albergues i stayed at, in Guemes, was the labour of love of a retired Catholic minister - Ernesto Bustio. He spoke very movingly to all the pilgrims that night about the humanizing effect of a pilgrimmage. He described it as a 'creative' lifestyle, and commented that it exists somewhat in opposition to the 'normal' lifestyle of debt, industrializiation, and materialism. I am still pondering his remarks.
My closest relationships have been impacted by this journey - i have since had conversations at a depth of honesty i did not think i had the courage to undertake, but that were long overdue.
Anyone embarking on the Camino should not underestimate the power of the experience. It will obviously not be the same for everyone - but i believe it can alter a life.

 

[ahemobile]

Hmmm. Chorizo and Co on Fort St downtown is owned by a very nice man from Santiago...

Great idea. Love that place. I'm in!

 

[Tania Reano Veitch]

Hi Angela! We're both in Victoria... nice. St James Day, the 25th, is in two weeks. I'm thinking I should organize a Meet Up for all of us thinking about the Camino. Compare notes on longing to go back...

Keep me posted on this too! I am also in Victoria and would love to connect with other pilgrims and share experiences

 

[Tania Reano Veitch]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

I understand your feelings. Even after nearly two years I still grieve the Camino. It was a like a blip in time where I lived this special existance away from the materialism and chaos of this life. I learned that the most important things along the way were the non-tangible things...the camaraderie, shared wisdom, special friendships, spirituality and those funny little coincidences that would happen, or in other words "synchronicity".

It was a journey of self discovery. I discovered my own strength and courage through those difficult yet very important "Camino moments". I never knew how strong I could be! I overcame so many fears. It was such a magical and special journey!

Like you I tried to return to "normal" upon my return home, but I couldn't. Instead I made some significant changes in my life, however I am single so the changes only directly affected me. I sold my house, furniture, purged my material possessions, quit my job and and then traveled to South America on my own hoping for answers, but I'm still searching. I don't regret anything I let go of. It was really liberating! I feel so free in many ways, but my heart still feels unsettled and I miss the Camino greatly. The Camino made a permanent imprint on my heart.

These are just my own thoughts after pondering for so long, but I think the Camino gives us what we need (and that can be hard sometimes). It opens the door to something very meaningful and beautiful and in it's wake we try to recreate it and we can never forget it. It's probably why so many pilgrims return again and again. I was afraid to return because I would have wanted the journey to be the same and I knew that it couldn't be. This is the reason I chose to go to South America instead and that was definitely nooo Camino!

There isn't an easy solution to the unsettledness we feel upon our return. The answers will be different for everyone, however the "unsettledness" is important and we shouldn't try to bury it. It's necessary for our own evolution. The Camino is doing its work. This is really just the beginning of the journey...the Camino was the initiation.

 

[MTtoCamino]

It amazes me the sheer amount of folks from Victoria, when I walked I met 2 women & a man. For such a small island you certainly get around, I also met a couple in the Yucatan as well.

 

[Tania Reano Veitch]

It amazes me the sheer amount of folks from Victoria, when I walked I met 2 women & a man. For such a small island you certainly get around, I also met a couple in the Yucatan as well.

Yes, there is a huge Camino following over here with the Victoria chapter of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims. There is a gathering of pilgrims every spring and fall. I didn't live here when I walked the Camino, but I'm sure happy I do now. It's nice to connect with people who have walked and who understand the transformation we go through as a result of the journey.

 

[KSM]

I arrived home from my camino and within three weeks was totally stressed out with life in the so called real world.....which I personally think is driven by greed and lack of caring or respect for fellow humans beings...I admire what the young man who has lived on the camino for the last seven years has done......I am not sure that I could do that.....but I am actively looking into alternative ways of living .....a compromise somewhere between life on the camino and the rat race of the "real world".....food ....shelter.....and enough money to provide for basic necessities.....certainly not all the consumer goods that we are led to believe that we need to be seen as successful......and lots of quality "me" time..for friends and family....which in recent years has been lacking due to work/life balance being totally skewed the wrong way. The camino for me at least.....reflects a simple but caring and happy lifestyle....that I will strive to recreate in my own life.

Well written. I can definitely relate to the words you wrote. I'm not sure how to do the things you said but I'm definitely striving for it to. Less is definitely more. Thank you

 

[KSM]

Hi KSM,

I got back just 2 weeks before you, after walking the Via de la Plata/Camino Frances for 6 weeks. I don't have a pet or partner to come back to, and definitely feel... what?... unrooted. Longing to go on the camino again, for even longer. Work is good, I like throwing myself in to that, but the rest is flat. The camino calls me to do something different with the time I have left here. I'd like to just keep walking.

I did share a lot of my experiences of my walk as I went, posting photos and notes every day. So when I came back friends and family understood what I'd experienced. They told me they felt like they'd done the walk with me. But that doesn't help figuring out what's next.

If you can, post again in 3 months, 6 months. I'm interested to see what we come up with...

Hey! I'm interested I you too. Keep in touch.... Here or privately. Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[KSM]

Why oh Why this distinction? 'back to real life'?
have you ever questioned this stance towards life?
isn't the camino as 'real' and 'alive' than waiting in line at the groceries, filing out forms at the job , preparing a meal?
Life is alive -
how would you feel if parts of you would be declared 'real' and other parts of you as 'not real'?
just wondering ....

Hey interesting thoughts. I guess real life is what we are living in the moment. The choices we make and the paths we take determine how our real life actual will be.
For me it's about finding a balance between living a more simple life but one with purpose and enjoyment.

 

[Urban Trekker]

Hello , the Camino in all ways does something to you .For me it started with the preparation off my wife walking the Camino Frances in 2013 .
I stayed behind and see your wife set off for her journey for about 7 weeks and this was the first time after 27 years that we stayed a part for so long .
Went to SdC to pick here up after here walk , and that was a great moment on the squaire before the cathedral .
Last year we walked from Sarria to Finesterre and sinds than I am " Camino hooked " .This year I returned again for my Camino from SJPdP .
And now my wife picked me up and she walked the last 23 km. with me and that was almost an party on the road to Santiago .
In Santiago we said to each other to do a walk next year , and we and up to walk from Porto next year .
I think i'm coming back every year for the next years , Wish you well , Peter .

I walked the Portuguese, Porto to Santiago last Sep/Oct. It's a great walk. I highly recommend the costal route. We took the tram to the bridge crossing at Matosinhos and walked back to Old Porto the first day then took the tram back to the bridge crossing the second day and continued the costal route to Vila de Conde. Very quiet, level, duck board walkways, and groomed pathways. No walking on the sand unless you want to.. The route is well marked. Its a nice way to walk into your Camino. Try not to miss spending a night at Casa Fernanda between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. Oh and think about staying in Valencia on the Portuguese side of the border instead of Tui. Check out the old Fort, there's a surprise inside.
Buen Camino

Happy Trails

 

[KSM]

Thank you for this thread KSM. I was about to post something similar a few weeks back, then decided not to because it felt too personal. Now I see that there are many others who feel the same, that helps a lot. So, thank you.


I think that for some the Camino is like a holiday, a pleasant experience, maybe they even want to do it again, but it's nothing life-altering. But for others it seems that it profoundly changes things, it can be a metanoia experience, can cause a complete shift of mind. Not so easy to go „back to normal“ then.

Like others wrote before, the feeling of not being able to really share with your family&friends at home, people you love, whose opinion you care for, is the worst. You have changed, but everybody expects you to be the same.

There's this phrase from the movie „Into the wild“:


„Happiness is only real when shared“


I know people usually interpet that as an expression of loneliness and wanting to go back home. But in the end of the movie there's this dream-like sequence where Chris' parents take him into their arms and he looks at the sky/clouds. There's a voice over „What if I were smiling and running into your arms? Would you see then what I see now?“.

I always thought the answer to that was „probably not“, and that, for me, was the worst part of the movie, not him dieing out there.


So, that made me realize that there are simply things that are impossible to share, or at least impossible to share with some people at some point. And that can be a much worse kind of loneliness than physically being alone. The act of sharing something seems to make it more real and easier to keep in mind instead of it fading away with time and becoming a distant, almost forgotten memory. And, of course, we all want to be understood also. We're social animals after all.


BUT, the thing is, You don't need others to make it real. It already is, it has happened, and it's yours, your experience forever, whatever others think about it and about you for doing it.


I think it's my job alone to make sure I don't "lose" it, to keep it in my life as a good thing that made me happy when it happened, makes me happy now, and if I am lucky might still make me happy from time to time in the future.

Well written.... And THANK YOU!!! For sharing. What an amazing feeling to just know I'm not alone in my thoughts. That alone helps in its own way. It was real and still is real, and you're right. It's our own responsibility to enjoy the experience after and keep it alive. Thank you

 

[KSM]

I think that how the Camino affects people has a lot to do with where people are in their lives when they walk.

Some people are drawn to the Camino because they are searching - they know something isn't right in their lives and they need change. They aren't necessarily sure what is wrong and what needs to change, but they are searching. Walking the Camino can provide a lot of clarity because you do strip things down to the essentials and you have a lot of time with yourself - without the normal distractions of life.

KSM - this sounds like it is the case for you...



And



This isn't about reintegrating into your life after the Camino. This is about figuring out what type of life you want and then making a plan to live that life. It sounds like the Camino was the catalyst that you needed to start examining your life and figuring out what you want. But then you back-peddled and tried to just resume your regular life when you came back - as though just walking the Camino would fix what's wrong? Don't undo the work you did on the Camino - build on that at home. You probably don't have to blow up your whole life and go live an entirely different one, but it sounds like you need to make some changes. Focus on that.

Wow thank you. Some great words. Some truths in your words for sure. Yes.... You're right maybe start with changes and see where that leads. Thank you again

 

[KSM]

I have had this experience a number of times. --I was in southern africa in 1991, staying with Peace Corps volunteers, and hiking on dusty roads and paths, staying at hostels, sleeping on floors. I lived in Germany for years returning to the american world of suburbia. -- I was expecting the difficult return and so it was not so strange. It is hard to keep from boring people about travels, while really, I'm trying to come to terms with differences in and realizations about myself. Also, the idea that we can to many extents choose our realities, and that we may want a different reality than we're in. For me, my Camino, was a break in my regular life, a stepping outside of my world, and allowing myself to come through in a different way, free of judgement. -- My husband too, has no interest in adventure or the "hippie" part of me, or the catholic me. We connect where we can-- not ideal, but it works well enough. I find other friends to have adventures with and to support and recognize other sides to me.

Thanks for sharing!!

 

[KSM]

I love this thread. I got home two weeks ago and re-entry has been very difficult. Everyone wants to hear about my "trip," but it was so much more than that. I came home with a clear, but scary, knowledge that I need to make major changes in my life. I haven't told many people about it yet, but they can all see it in my face. I've been pretending that it's just jet lag, but I can't play that card much longer. If I wait one year before making these changes, as some people have suggested, it will be one year longer in a life of denial that the camino shook me out of. The camino taught me to be honest with myself, every minute of every day. I need to ride this deep ocean wave propelling me forward. Without yellow arrows, though, I'm terrified.

I'm terrified too. As I read each of these threads one by one and respond to some... I'm discovering and learning so much. With each comment, I seem to be becoming closer and closer to the things I need to do to move forward in my life.... But you're right. Honesty: with myself is the biggest step and then to make the changes I need to. Good luck in you're new ventures: ksm

 

[KSM]

The original post in this thread is a very honest one; i appreciate your courage to open this discussion.
I returned to Canada from the Camino about the same time and can relate very closely to many of the feelings expressed; i now have a nice sense of reassurance that none of this is abnormal.
One of the albergues i stayed at, in Guemes, was the labour of love of a retired Catholic minister - Ernesto Bustio. He spoke very movingly to all the pilgrims that night about the humanizing effect of a pilgrimmage. He described it as a 'creative' lifestyle, and commented that it exists somewhat in opposition to the 'normal' lifestyle of debt, industrializiation, and materialism. I am still pondering his remarks.
My closest relationships have been impacted by this journey - i have since had conversations at a depth of honesty i did not think i had the courage to undertake, but that were long overdue.
Anyone embarking on the Camino should not underestimate the power of the experience. It will obviously not be the same for everyone - but i believe it can alter a life.

Thank you. It is life changing... I love what you've wrote about: Ernesto Bustio. Very thought provoking.

 

[KSM]

I understand your feelings. Even after nearly two years I still grieve the Camino. It was a like a blip in time where I lived this special existance away from the materialism and chaos of this life. I learned that the most important things along the way were the non-tangible things...the camaraderie, shared wisdom, special friendships, spirituality and those funny little coincidences that would happen, or in other words "synchronicity".

It was a journey of self discovery. I discovered my own strength and courage through those difficult yet very important "Camino moments". I never knew how strong I could be! I overcame so many fears. It was such a magical and special journey!

Like you I tried to return to "normal" upon my return home, but I couldn't. Instead I made some significant changes in my life, however I am single so the changes only directly affected me. I sold my house, furniture, purged my material possessions, quit my job and and then traveled to South America on my own hoping for answers, but I'm still searching. I don't regret anything I let go of. It was really liberating! I feel so free in many ways, but my heart still feels unsettled and I miss the Camino greatly. The Camino made a permanent imprint on my heart.

These are just my own thoughts after pondering for so long, but I think the Camino gives us what we need (and that can be hard sometimes). It opens the door to something very meaningful and beautiful and in it's wake we try to recreate it and we can never forget it. It's probably why so many pilgrims return again and again. I was afraid to return because I would have wanted the journey to be the same and I knew that it couldn't be. This is the reason I chose to go to South America instead and that was definitely nooo Camino!

There isn't an easy solution to the unsettledness we feel upon our return. The answers will be different for everyone, however the "unsettledness" is important and we shouldn't try to bury it. It's necessary for our own evolution. The Camino is doing its work. This is really just the beginning of the journey...the Camino was the initiation.

Inspiring words. Thank you for sharing.

 

[KSM]

What an interesting read. I wasn't able to connect over most of the weekend and so have only just realised the high repsonse on this thread. Many people offering their experiences, viewpoints and advice. All much appreciated. I'm thankful I followed my gut to write the initial thread as I feel it's expanded into an interesting topic of discussion, and of some importance to not only my self but many others experiencing the same or similar feelings.
As i learned on the camino, we need to keep our hearts open to acceptance. Listen to what the universe is telling us, and to live a life that is fulfilling to us.

Thank you to everyone. .... We are a group of people connected across the world through one amazing experience. Whatever your experience... We all achieved an amazing journey. No one can ever take this away from us.

 

[MTtoCamino]

What an interesting read. I wasn't able to connect over most of the weekend and so have only just realised the high repsonse on this thread. Many people offering their experiences, viewpoints and advice. All much appreciated. I'm thankful I followed my gut to write the initial thread as I feel it's expanded into an interesting topic of discussion, and of some importance to not only my self but many others experiencing the same or similar feelings.
As i learned on the camino, we need to keep our hearts open to acceptance. Listen to what the universe is telling us, and to live a life that is fulfilling to us.

Thank you to everyone. .... We are a group of people connected across the world through one amazing experience. Whatever your experience... We all achieved an amazing journey. No one can ever take this away from us.

Good job for having the honesty to open this discussion I had to stop talking about my experience as people would look as though I was crazy.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I walked the Portuguese, Porto to Santiago last Sep/Oct. It's a great walk. I highly recommend the costal route. We took the tram to the bridge crossing at Matosinhos and walked back to Old Porto the first day then took the tram back to the bridge crossing the second day and continued the costal route to Vila de Conde. Very quiet, level, duck board walkways, and groomed pathways. No walking on the sand unless you want to.. The route is well marked. Its a nice way to walk into your Camino. Try not to miss spending a night at Casa Fernanda between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. Oh and think about staying in Valencia on the Portuguese side of the border instead of Tui. Check out the old Fort, there's a surprise inside.
Buen Camino

Happy Trails

Thank you for the advise , Peter .

 

[KSM]

Good job for having the honesty to open this discussion I had to stop talking about my experience as people would look as though I was crazy.

I know what you mean! .... Also at first I just wanted to tell everyone.... Now I only share with the people that may appreciate.... And even then I can only share some things.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I know what you mean! .... Also at first I just wanted to tell everyone.... Now I only share with the people that may appreciate.... And even then I can only share some things.

There is a movie can't remember the name of it where people start sculpturing the same mountain, then attempting to get to it ( sci fi kinda thing) reminds me of the Camino. Once you get the call you just have to go...

 

[DowtyCamino]

There is a movie can't remember the name of it where people start sculpturing the same mountain, then attempting to get to it ( sci fi kinda thing) reminds me of the Camino. Once you get the call you just have to go...

"Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind"?

 

[MTtoCamino]

"Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind"?

That's it!

 

[november_moon]

I think that a good point was made about not making a distinction between the Camino and "real life" - trying to see it as part of the continuum of your life, not something separate. The Camino is a special experience and I think most of us do some "work" on ourselves along the way - whatever that "work" is - learning to appreciate the little things that you otherwise may take for granted (incredible OJ or a smooth path with no rocks), spiritual work, learning to prioritize what really is important, how to live with less, learning how to let go and not judge...whatever it is, the Camino changes us and we go forward in our lives as changed people. For some people, the change is dramatic and for others it is more subtle. Its similar to other major life experiences, in that respect - having kids come to mind - I don't know anybody who wasn't changed by having children. Its a paradigm shift - and you make the necessary life adjustments to accommodate this shift - your priorities, focus, etc. changes. The Camino is like that too - maybe not as dramatic as becoming parents, but it does change people and people need to figure out how to adjust to the shift.

 

[DowtyCamino]

We're probably just arguing semantics here. Clearly Camino is part of all of our lives here on this forum. In that sense it is very real. I was awe-inspired by the fellowship of my fellow perigrinos and the giving nature of most of the Spanish on the Way.
In the same way, it isn't the world that most of us must live in when we return.

Example: Inspired by one of the donativo stands my wife and I decided to spread some joy and flavor of the Camino locally along a trail in a local State Park. We bought some goodies, fruit and drinks and set up a table along the path. We had a great time for about an hour, watching people come up (suspiciously as we first did in Spain) and realize everything we were offering was truly free. We sat at a distance and enjoyed the recollection of the gifts we'd been given on Camino Frances.
Then a park ranger arrived and long-story-short, made us take down the table. It seems that local law considers this solicitation even though we were asking for nothing.

I don't mean to be depressing, but for us anyway, we've struggled to bring Camino back home. Maybe it is indeed a fallacy to call this life "real" and Camino somehow "unreal", but this is my home. It is where I've raised my kids. It is where I've loved my wife and my extended family. This is indeed the world that I've chosen to live in and therefore it is more "real".

Camino was lovely. But it wasn't perfect either. For me, running off to live in Spain or somewhere would be like running off to a monastery. It would be peaceful and loving etc.; I sometimes think it would be sooooo nice. But it would be detached from the life that I've been called to live...and therefore for me - not "Real".

My original post was just to caution that Camino can be like a dream. Be careful not to follow it blindly. Even beautiful dreams can lead you astray. They can also inspire you to greatness. It just takes discernment.

 

[MTtoCamino]

It is whatever each of us receive from it. I think it simply points out how we have the ability to take our free souls & loving hearts & share the time eternal with other souls.

 

[Hobbyhorse]

Author Nancy L. Frey did PhD studies on the Camino, with emphasis on the impact on pilgrims 'post-Camino'. She has written an excellent book, but we can be grateful to the Confraternity of St James for posting this shorter article on it's website http://www.csj.org.uk/about-us/the-bulletin/the-return-when-yellow-arrows-no-longer-mark-the-way/

In the quotation below I think the author gives us a powerful tool with her closing questions.

" I have noticed three general trends in the ways that pilgrims reincorporate the pilgrimage into daily life; roughly labelled as, compartmentalization, integration, and a combination of the two. Briefly, some pilgrims tend to compartmentalize what they see as two realities: the Camino and home life. The Camino is often envisioned as an irreal oasis which contrasts with ‘real’ or daily life. Either a limited attempt upon return is made to bridge these two realities or the pilgrim accepts the two as distinct and separate. In the latter case, rather than bring the pilgrimage home as a way, for example, to question one’s materialism, develop one’s spiritual life, be more generous, these attitudes are usually understood to be practised while on the Way and part of one’s identity as a pilgrim. This compartmentalization does not imply that these pilgrims remain disassociated from the Camino – rather they often maintain contacts with pilgrim friends, participate in association activities, plan future journeys – but it does not usually cause personal transformation. Some other ‘serial’ pilgrims seem to be addicted to the Camino – they come to need the Way and continuously repeat the journey but not making a connection between the two realities nor feeling a concomitant appreciation towards others who made their journeys possible. Rather than becoming a humble, helpful pilgrim through repetition, for some the result seems to be an increased sense of pride, an air of superiority for their physical deeds and an attitude of ownership towards places of the Camino (I do not mean to imply that anyone who repeats the pilgrimage is addicted to it. There are many motives for repetition).


In the case of integrating these two realities, Judy’s experience serves as a good model. A sudden major transformation (a conversion, divorce, quitting a job) upon return tends to be the exception rather than the rule, though these may also occur suddenly or over the long-term. Some pilgrims actively attempt to incorporate the personal insights or strengths garnered while on the Camino into daily life. Judy, for example, consciously attempts to bring home the simplicity of the Camino, her awareness of her body and its strength, and her deepening confidence and development of a spiritual life that needed the Camino to flourish. She is also aware of how her actions also influence those around her – as a couple she and her husband are stronger and her friends have a new understanding of and respect for who she is as a person (more than a housewife). Some pilgrims feel renovated in various ways as Judy describes – spiritually, physically, emotionally. Others make decisions or find new resolution to complete personal goals. The major post-pilgrimage task becomes how to apply these experiences to the path of daily life when the yellow arrows no longer mark the way.


Finally, another group of pilgrims appear to attempt to integrate the pilgrimage into home life but find that work, personal, or social circumstances /pressures conflict with these desires. Several pilgrims described how they came to question the materialism of their lives, but their work required them to sell to others – encouraging others to be materialist. In this case, the pull of the stability of a job and family obligations overcame the value of simplicity. Many find that, in general, it is very hard to keep the pilgrimage actively alive other than as a memory.


I now turn to the reader who can use his or her own experience to reflect on what I have suggested. How can pilgrims bring these two realities into greater congruence? Do you feel like you live your daily life as a pilgrimage? If so, how? and How do you think you could bring the Camino more into your daily life? Would you like to?"

 

[MTtoCamino]

We all have our theories take or leave them.

 

[Urban Trekker]

There is a movie can't remember the name of it where people start sculpturing the same mountain, then attempting to get to it ( sci fi kinda thing) reminds me of the Camino. Once you get the call you just have to go...

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

 

[Urban Trekker]

Thank you for the advise , Peter .

I don't know how but my response to you came attached to Peters post. Glad you liked the advice. Tony

Happy Trails

 

[movinmaggie]

Hi Angela! We're both in Victoria... nice. St James Day, the 25th, is in two weeks. I'm thinking I should organize a Meet Up for all of us thinking about the Camino. Compare notes on longing to go back...

Perhaps it's not quite the same thing, but each year when I return from India as a volunteer, I share stories about the experience and the rewards that come with working with children (this is a nonsectarian Canadian charity) . Some folks will glaze over, but others can't seem to hear enough. I moved to Victoria just a year ago and am totally happy here. I have been blessed with finding myself where I need to be for the time I am there.
A bit esoteric I know, but true. I begin my Camino walk in late September. At my age, I look at it as a 'walk through my life' while counting my many blessings along the way. I've been working on a memoir and I believe the Camino will the be place to clarify it. As I mentioned in another thread, I want to time my walk to be at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral for my 80 birthday. So many friends and family want to follow this journey with me. Do you attend the annual Pilgrims meeting here in Victoria? If not, it is a wonderful experience whether you've been on the Camino or are planning on it.

 

[Judy's Way]

What a wonderful way to usher a new decade, by arriving in Santiago on your 80th birthday after "walking through your life" on the Camino. I hope it unfolds exactly as you wish. I am also from the Victoria area (North Saanich) and will be celebrating a significant birthday, my 70th, on September 10th, the day that my husband and I start walking our first Camino from St. Jean Pied de Port.

I agree totally on how wonderful the Gathering of Pilgrims in Victoria is. I believe the next one is on November 14th or thereabouts.

Buen Camino and Happy Birthday!

 

[movinmaggie]

What a wonderful way to usher a new decade, by arriving in Santiago on your 80th birthday after "walking through your life" on the Camino. I hope it unfolds exactly as you wish. I am also from the Victoria area (North Saanich) and will be celebrating a significant birthday, my 70th, on September 10th, the day that my husband and I start walking our first Camino from St. Jean Pied de Port.

I agree totally on how wonderful the Gathering of Pilgrims in Victoria is. I believe the next one is on November 14th or thereabouts.

Buen Camino and Happy Birthday!

thanks Judy, and you will start a new decade as well. A very early and very happy birthday to you as well. Hope to see you at the Nov pilgrim gathering. I'm central Victoria, Oaklands area, right beside Fernwood. I wish you both Buen Camino….

 

[MTtoCamino]

Perhaps it's not quite the same thing, but each year when I return from India as a volunteer, I share stories about the experience and the rewards that come with working with children (this is a nonsectarian Canadian charity) . Some folks will glaze over, but others can't seem to hear enough. I moved to Victoria just a year ago and am totally happy here. I have been blessed with finding myself where I need to be for the time I am there.
A bit esoteric I know, but true. I begin my Camino walk in late September. At my age, I look at it as a 'walk through my life' while counting my many blessings along the way. I've been working on a memoir and I believe the Camino will the be place to clarify it. As I mentioned in another thread, I want to time my walk to be at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral for my 80 birthday. So many friends and family want to follow this journey with me. Do you attend the annual Pilgrims meeting here in Victoria? If not, it is a wonderful experience whether you've been on the Camino or are planning on it.

Ok can you tell me where & when it is? I love visiting Victoria.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Birthday after the Camino in Spain. That is a great idea. Will family go with you or just follow your progress from home?

 

[movinmaggie]

Ok can you tell me where & when it is? I love visiting Victoria.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Birthday after the Camino in Spain. That is a great idea. Will family go with you or just follow your progress from home?

Hi MT, no my family will be following by way of maps, photos sent along the way and an email periodically. Not sure when the next Victoria pilgrim gathering is, but someone mentioned November. Google Canadian Company of Pilgrims, Victoria Chapter so you can get on their list. It sells out all most as soon as it is publicized. One of the highlights of my walk will be actually celebrating my birthday in Santiago.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Hi MT, no my family will be following by way of maps, photos sent along the way and an email periodically. Not sure when the next Victoria pilgrim gathering is, but someone mentioned November. Google Canadian Company of Pilgrims, Victoria Chapter so you can get on their list. It sells out all most as soon as it is publicized. One of the highlights of my walk will be actually celebrating my birthday in Santiago.

I hope you have a great time both walking & for your birthday, I hope I can follow your idea for my 80th. That is just fantastic!
Buen Camino!
Keith

 

[Justin N.]

I have not been on the Camino yet, but I feel that I have been floating in the same boat. I actually lived in northern Spain as a missionary for my church for 2 years in different cities on the Camino, including Santiago de Compostela over 12 years ago. Since then, I have been back to Spain 4 different times including a 3 month internship in Madrid. There really isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my experiences and for some reason I have this sense for adventure that never leaves me. I am so tired of the 8-5 schedule and the same grind of the daily life. I feel like it isn't for me and that I want a different kind of life. I am going to do the Camino del Norte in September on bike and I am hoping that as I do the Camino, that I will be able to get some kind of personal insight or revelation as to what exactly I should be doing with my life. I'm always left thinking that I was made for so much more. Hoping the Camino will help put into perspective for me what I want.
I was hiking around Moab Utah last summer and met some people living in a cave in the desert. They wanted a money free life and so they live off the land and with what others give to them. It was really interesting to see how much some people have done to simplify their lives and change it up, even for a short amount of time. In the end, I think a lot of people seek a change up and maybe a new camino in their lives. Hats off to those who have actually found it. Good luck!

 

[KSM]

I have not been on the Camino yet, but I feel that I have been floating in the same boat. I actually lived in northern Spain as a missionary for my church for 2 years in different cities on the Camino, including Santiago de Compostela over 12 years ago. Since then, I have been back to Spain 4 different times including a 3 month internship in Madrid. There really isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my experiences and for some reason I have this sense for adventure that never leaves me. I am so tired of the 8-5 schedule and the same grind of the daily life. I feel like it isn't for me and that I want a different kind of life. I am going to do the Camino del Norte in September on bike and I am hoping that as I do the Camino, that I will be able to get some kind of personal insight or revelation as to what exactly I should be doing with my life. I'm always left thinking that I was made for so much more. Hoping the Camino will help put into perspective for me what I want.
I was hiking around Moab Utah last summer and met some people living in a cave in the desert. They wanted a money free life and so they live off the land and with what others give to them. It was really interesting to see how much some people have done to simplify their lives and change it up, even for a short amount of time. In the end, I think a lot of people seek a change up and maybe a new camino in their lives. Hats off to those who have actually found it. Good luck!

I wish you all your luck in your search and your walk. Even with the ups and downs of the camino you will have an amazing walk.

¡Buen camino! (Is been a while since I got to say that!

 

[MTtoCamino]

I looked up the Victoria Camino group very amazed at the numbers that went to the March meeting, I suppose larger population centers would have more pilgrims. Here in Missoula a couple pot lucks with around 7-10 people.
Once again very interesting how each of us have a post Camino take on how we feel about it. I do wonder how many of you do not have this type of community so you can discuss some of this? I even find it more interesting when I ask some of my European freinds about their personal "feel". As most of the time it is "ok you start first"
My point to all this is just that we all seem to be in need to open up. Yet if you are not able it would be difficult for some of us.

 

[volleyjanice]

Yes, there is a huge Camino following over here with the Victoria chapter of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims. There is a gathering of pilgrims every spring and fall. I didn't live here when I walked the Camino, but I'm sure happy I do now. It's nice to connect with people who have walked and who understand the transformation we go through as a result of the journey.

Add me to that list! Tania, it was you who spoke at Robinsons this year wasn't it? Great presentation. My husband and I leave on August 4th and head to Burgos.

 

[Former member 32445]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

Dear KSM (et all others)
There are lots of comments already shared and I agree with some of them and totally identify with your emotions, feelings, needs and desires.
I would say for me personally what the shift, or ephiany was how the journey raised my consciousness, my energy and my connection with the universe.
My ego and soul were beating on the same frequency.
It sounds like your level of consciousness has also been raised to the next level and you are listening and trusting your soul. It is trying to tell you what your true purpose is, listen to it and trust it.
The only thing holding us back is us and our fear, let go and search for what your souls purpose is.

Warm regards
Blu

 

[movinmaggie]

Add me to that list! Tania, it was you who spoke at Robinsons this year wasn't it? Great presentation. My husband and I leave on August 4th and head to Burgos.

Perhaps we Victoria-ites should gather together at Choriso & Co at some point…..or meet up at the annual gathering of pilgrims:>) I return from the Camino on Nov 3.

 

[KSM]

Dear KSM (et all others)
There are lots of comments already shared and I agree with some of them and totally identify with your emotions, feelings, needs and desires.
I would say for me personally what the shift, or ephiany was how the journey raised my consciousness, my energy and my connection with the universe.
My ego and soul were beating on the same frequency.
It sounds like your level of consciousness has also been raised to the next level and you are listening and trusting your soul. It is trying to tell you what your true purpose is, listen to it and trust it.
The only thing holding us back is us and our fear, let go and search for what your souls purpose is.

Warm regards
Blu

Thank you!!

 

[MTtoCamino]

Another question that relates to this is how many of you simply have the desire to throw a pack on regardless of the continent your are on & simply want to start walking back? When you hit an ocean you simply take a boat or plane. Of course itis not very realistic for time, funds, & possible health issues. But it is tempting.

 

[KSM]

Abso

Another question that relates to this is how many of you simply have the desire to throw a pack on regardless of the continent your are on & simply want to start walking back? When you hit an ocean you simply take a boat or plane. Of course itis not very realistic for time, funds, & possible health issues. But it is tempting.

Very tempting..... If the funds were there i would definitely do it!!! ..... A nice idea!

 

[Former member 32445]

I

Abso


Very tempting..... If the funds were there i would definitely do it!!! ..... A nice idea!

I feel we are as boundless as a fear of the unknown makes us, unless you are trailing where there are no hopes of getting supplies to live then a little faith can go a long way, with the right energy, some synchronicity and the belief that somehow you will always get just what you need then you can do whatever and go wherever you like.

 

[KSM]

I


I feel we are as boundless as a fear of the unknown makes us, unless you are trailing where there are no hopes of getting supplies to live then a little faith can go a long way, with the right energy, some synchronicity and the belief that somehow you will always get just what you need then you can do whatever and go wherever you like.

Absolutely agree. Everything always works out... We should just not have such tight expectations. Let nature take its course through the choices we make when presented with one. When we live with less expectations we're able to live a more fulfilling life.... Embracing the things that come our way. And if something is in our path that we didn't count on: that we don't like: we need to make the decision in that moment to change it. No matter how hard we try we cannot foresee what's around the corner..... And I actually don't want to see until those paths cross.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I


I feel we are as boundless as a fear of the unknown makes us, unless you are trailing where there are no hopes of getting supplies to live then a little faith can go a long way, with the right energy, some synchronicity and the belief that somehow you will always get just what you need then you can do whatever and go wherever you like.

Faith & a bit larger pack. Putting your bed with house & 5 days worth of food may take some of the concern away.

 

[Former member 32445]

Absolutely agree. Everything always works out... We should just not have such tight expectations. Let nature take its course through the choices we make when presented with one. When we live with less expectations we're able to live a more fulfilling life.... Embracing the things that come our way. And if something is in our path that we didn't count on: that we don't like: we need to make the decision in that moment to change it. No matter how hard we try we cannot foresee what's around the corner..... And I actually don't want to see until those paths cross.

Completely, and rightly said, you can only make the decision in the moment. Because that's all there is, the present.
Expectation and projection in and only my opinion leads to disappointments.
That's not to say don't make plans, but don't put an emotion to that plan, things will always be exactly as they are supposed to be, and for me I just embrace how organic and liberating that is. That's our soul leading us not us leading our soul.

 

[KSM]

Completely, and rightly said, you can only make the decision in the moment. Because that's all there is, the present.
Expectation and projection in and only my opinion leads to disappointments.
That's not to say don't make plans, but don't put an emotion to that plan, things will always be exactly as they are supposed to be, and for me I just embrace how organic and liberating that is. That's our soul leading us not us leading our soul.

I like how you think! and I love what you said about not putting an emotion with a plan! Yes!!!

 

[Former member 32445]

I like how you think! and I love what you said about not putting an emotion with a plan! Yes!!!

Hey KSM, am glad you like, feel free to private message me if you like.
Blu

 

[Robo]

I got back from completing my first camino June 14th of 2015....
I fell in love with the camino way and the camino life. I've returned home and although I "threw" myself back into work and life here to try to normalise as quickly as possible. I can't. Yeah ok I can go about my day and see my friends... But there's something missing from my heart. I returned to my husband.... Which I hate to admit, but didn't miss as much as I thought I would. He doesn't understand the adventure (almost hippie) part of my personality. And this need to live a different life ... One away from the 9-5. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.... It's just not for me.... And being on the camino, showed me this even more so than before) I also returned and my dog, my baby got diagnosed with cancer. He's under going treatment and responding well. But it's a long process.
I actually didn't think I'd return after the camino. But "reality" sets in and made me think I had to come back. But now I'm back and trying to live here but all I want to do is go on my next adventure, to leave.... Everything.....

and by adventure I dont necessarily mean a walking journey.... Just a different path for my life. But maybe I just need to give it more time? Anyone else feel so extreme after returning to loved ones? Anyone able to share the experience or advice?

Thanks!!!

Well done for expressing your feelings.... I'm sure this is a common challenge for those returning from the Camino. It is for me.....

I've been back about 6 weeks now. And somehow this World does not quite hold the interest it did for me before. Am I back in the 'Real World' now? I don't think so. I think I left that behind in Northern Spain.....

The challenge now, is to try to bring the lessons of my Camino, the feelings, the emotions, the clear understanding of life's priorities, the sense of peace and calm.... to the World in which I live. Arriving in Santiago was merely the beginning.....

I don't think we should necessarily yearn to return to the Camino, but bring the Camino 'Real World' into that in which we actually live...

 

[naplesdon]

There is a "real life" to be lived on the Camino. Many hospitaleros live it, working during the busy times and walking during the quiet times. Shed your protective shell and worldly possessions and.....who knows where you will find yourself.

 

[KSM]

Well done for expressing your feelings.... I'm sure this is a common challenge for those returning from the Camino. It is for me.....

I've been back about 6 weeks now. And somehow this World does not quite hold the interest it did for me before. Am I back in the 'Real World' now? I don't think so. I think I left that behind in Northern Spain.....

The challenge now, is to try to bring the lessons of my Camino, the feelings, the emotions, the clear understanding of life's priorities, the sense of peace and calm.... to the World in which I live. Arriving in Santiago was merely the beginning.....

I don't think we should necessarily yearn to return to the Camino, but bring the Camino 'Real World' into that in which we actually live...

Thanks for sharing .... I agree. But difficult to bring some things. Maybe it just means changing a few things up to find it.

 

[Tania Reano Veitch]

Add me to that list! Tania, it was you who spoke at Robinsons this year wasn't it? Great presentation. My husband and I leave on August 4th and head to Burgos.

Yes, it was me! And thank you very much. I was so happy for the opportunity to share my journey with so many others. I'm sure you will have a fabulous time. There is definitely something magical about the journey. When we slow our pace down and simplify life down to basics, what's really most important in life shines through. There is an internal transformation that pilgrims seem to go through that I think only happens by enduring the walk with all its joys and challenges. You will love it!! If there's one piece of advice I could give it is to go with an open heart, open mind and with no expectations. Be a dry sponge or a blank slate so to speak. Lol! The Camino seems to give us what we need...challenges and blessings.

To get on the email list for the Victoria Chapter of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims email Wendy Loly at wendy@santiago.ca. There will be a wine and appies night for recently returning pilgrims on October 24th, a hospitalero training course October 23 - 25 and a Camino 101, for anyone thinking about walking, on November 14th. See the web page at http://victoriacamino.ca/events/ for details and to register.

Buen Camino!!