The Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago is a Medieval walking pilgrimage (sometimes done by bicycle) through Spain, to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. There are many different routes to choose from, the most famous and well traveled being the Camino Francés.

I walked the Camino del Norte. It is a 825 km (512 miles) walk through Northern Spain. I began in Irun on the Spanish/French border in the western Pyrenees Mountains. I walked through Basque County, Cantabria, Asturias (known for their cider), and Galicia (home of revolutionary poet Rosalia de Castro).

The Road to Santiago is traditionally a Catholic pilgrimage, but today people walk for many reasons. Some walk for their faith, some walk to test themselves physically and mentally, and many walk to escape the daily grind and connect with nature. I walked to find and connect with my personal power. I walked a total of 600 miles in 30 days. Here are some journal writings and photographs of my journey.

Day 12

I have been clearing so much of my shit these last few years, but I feel like and infant in how to move in a healthy manner. I don’t feel the need to move from a place of wounding anymore–but my footing seems wobbly.

…

I can’t change the past, I can only move forward!

Day 19

I was pleased to see that I actually paid attention, and at one point, where I was a bit

unsure, I asked a man that was walking by. AND IT DID NOT FEEL SCARY! It is out of my comfort zone to ask, but it wasn’t scary. PROGRESS!

…

One thing I am learning is how to take my own path. Every step on this journey is for me. Nobody else. I’ve never done anything without thought or motivation for someone else, and I am learning that I am the master of my own path. I don’t have to make art, friends, or even finish. Every step I take is for me. My journey.

Day 20

I was telling Rachel about my tough days and she said sometimes we deserve a pity party…. Anyway, I don’t want a pity party. Not anymore. I may have at one time told you about a bad day or truama to get sympathy, to lift me up, but I don’t want that now, I don’t need that. I did not need sympathy, I did not need pity, I did not need to wallow. I only needed to recognize my own despair, take a deep breath and move one.

…

So today–I feel clear. I feel NO connection with the sludge of my broken past. I don’t feel that any of it has a hold on how I act or feel. It is weird. Like the chains have come off. Things that would feed me before are nice, but they don’t inflate me. I don’t need to seek that out. 

…

I do not feel broken, I can’t even connect to that anymore. I am not mad or torn up about my childhood, and here’s the WEIRDEST THING, I just feel love for my mother.

Day 35

Finisterre– the end of the world. I helped this guy film the scattering of his dad’s ashes. He asked if I’d like to grab a beer. I chose to be open and say yes. He talked and talked, all about himself, not letting me get a word in. I know I do this sometimes and I will continue to work on it. He seemed particualry self absorbed, and like the kind of person I would normally dismiss, but I chose to be present and listen, truly listen, instead of dismissing him and zoning out. It was a great experience. I realized

over time that he had many good things to say. While he still was not going to be one of “my people” he was still a good person moving through his own trials and shit. I learned a few things.

…

Now in the past I would have purposely avoided that restaurant with the open and friendly people, finding some fear in interacting with new people, finding false power in being alone… too afraid to put myself out there, too scared to ask for what I want.

In conclusion:

I found my power. What does that mean? I found a way that I can connect to my true self at anytime. In order to do that I need to have balance, I need to push myself, but not so far that I am drained. I need to connect to earth energy on a regular basis to keep my well full. I do not need to do rituals to make things happen for me but sometimes they are good to focus my energy and my will. I need to step outside of my comfort zone more often and not be afraid of the outcome. 

I also realize that I have everything I want at home. I do not need to search anymore. I found a love more special than any I could have imagined. I have myself, and there is great power in that. I have my spirituality and my family, who I love in a way I never knew how to before. I have a strong will and a desire to change the world and continue growing and becoming the best person I can be. Rob was right when he said it (my power) was hiding in plain sight. Sometimes we must walk 500 miles in order to end up where we always wanted to be, which sometime is the exact place you started. 

-Buen Camino

 

Neuroplasticity

To learn the basics about neuroplasticity and the brain click here.

Meditation

To learn that there is no wrong way to meditate, and what it does to your brain click here.

NLP

To hear from the co-founder of NLP and see how NLP can create instant change  click here.

Ayahuasca

To listen to magical healing icaros, learn a little about ayahuasca, and see art inspired by this plant medicine click here.