It’s the stories that cause the trouble. Actually it’s a combination of lousy stories, plus resistance to what is happening that causes me misery – that causes me to suffer. Case in point. I notice sensation in my throat. Here’s what happens next. [First the story] “Oh no – this feels like the beginning of a cold.” [Now the resistance] “This can’t be happening.” [More story]
What I want – what I’ve always wanted - is simple. I just want everyone around me to be happy. That’s all. This is part of what made walking the Camino so joyful. Julie, my traveling companion, is happy. There’s nothing I need to do to take care of her or to make her happy – she comes that way. And, like me, Julie is also happy when those around her are happy
I never expected the theme of my time on the Camino to be joy. In fact I was preparing myself for grueling long walks that grew monotonous over the weeks and that would require me to dig deep into my resolve as I battered harsh rainy weather and longed for the comforts of home. There definitely were times that were hard and I was in pain with blisters and feeling sorry for myself, or tired. But that was such a small portion of the whole trip. By far the overriding emotion was joy. And the greatest discovery was realizing that I had the capacity to feel that much joy.
Building on the “Essential Rules for living as a pilgrim”, self-care is a key factor in living a balanced, creative, and productive life. A disciplined approach to your life, so that time for work (walking) is balanced with rest, social connection, and what you find most nurturing, is essential to maintaining a life of joy and meaning. How does self-care fit into pilgrimage?
Failure is personal and dependent on your expectations. It's important to explore what living a spiritually successful life means to you. Success for one person might constitute failure for another.
Understanding our expectations around outcome are essential to address early on as they can have a huge impact on our ability manage the challenges that present along the way. If we are clear about our expectations, then it helps us to stay true to our path and not get lost in what others demand or expect.
Vulnerability can create fear and our fears can quickly derail us. How does facing fear allow us to move forward so that we live divinely inspired and transformative lives?
What we pay attention to is what will grow and develop. When we place focused attention on our soul life we begin to notice and experience our soul life more fully. It’s as if the soul looks for an invitation to participate in the everyday. What daily practices nurture the sacred?
When pilgrimage is approached with intention to connect with the sacred, it alters the energy of the journey. If we seek to find the sacred, we need to understand what it is that is that we find sacred. What is it that you find sacred? Discovering the answers to this question is an important part of the whole experience.
The soul has a way of urging us forward to learn our life’s lessons. Sometimes lessons come in ways we just can’t miss – like when tragedy strikes and we have to grow a part of ourselves to get through it. But sometimes our growth comes from new opportunities, new practices, or new ideas – if we have the courage to explore them. When the opportunity, or just the idea of it, comes knocking at your door, how do you respond?
