The Journey Back Home

[suekenney]

I've just walked from Santiago to St Jean Pied de Port to experience retracing my steps on the journey back to where I started 9 years ago. My plan is to write a guidebook for pilgrims to help them to integrate their experiences on the Camino into life back home. If you have a story you would like to share feel free to contact me at mycaminobook@gmail.com. On Facebook, there is also a forum called Suseya for pilgrims to share stories of their return journey.

Here's an article that was in the El Correo Gallego this week in Santiago.
Suseya!
Sue
http://www.elcorreogallego.es/xacobeo/e ... ia-570323/

 

[Priscillian]

As a practising psychotherapist, I can say that Post Camino Blues is a very real experience, perhaps especially amongst non-Spanish pilgrims. Why? Because for extended periods on the Camino, you have been learning daily and with every step how to strip away the layers and invite in people, landscapes, and perhaps even your fears. You have learned to recognise the joys of simplicity and selfless hospitality and the "gifts" of the Camino. As a result, when you reach your journey's end, where ever it may be, you feel strong and very much in control.
Then you have to go home and deal with the everyday realities of irritating situations, traffic, people who haven't been where you have been, neither literally, physically, nor emotionally. And then the real challenge of integrating the Camino into your life and your relationships begins. Many people are not ready for this straightaway; some will even take the Camino back, or continue to Fatima or other waystages. Some will volunteer as hospitaleros/as. Many will come back year after year to try to recapture what they have found with varying degrees of success without ever learning that it is the challenges of everyday life which really comprise the Camino.
I applaud Sue Kenney's work in this area and wish her every success with her new project.
Tracy Saunders
http://www.pilgrimagetoheresy.com

 

[suekenney]

Tracy,
Thanks for the kind words. I've been in my home for just over a week now and I'm definately experiencing the Camino Blues. I miss the wonders of the way, the friendliness of the villagers and the pilgrims and the peace of walking. Even after walking the Camino 6 times, I still experience all the things you talk about, only now I am completely aware and ever-so-grateful. These experiences are who I am, and I am the Camino...blue and not so blue. I haven't written much on the Suseya Facebook community site because I haven't felt up to it but now it's time. Hugs.

 

[AJ]

I am home a week and have started planning the next Camino already.

As a friend said, "there are far worse things to be addicted to".

So, to fellow addicts: ULTREIA!!!!