mybuencamino

We had a great time last night in the hostel in Molinaseca , we rejoined PJ, and Lisa, found them sitting in the shade of a tree relaxing along the rivers edge, we enjoyed aBrazilian dinner created by our hostel hosts, a special evening where each of us shared our reasons for our Camino walk and some of what we had learned along the way. 

Renee and I have found a deeper connection then we thought possible . Building on the foundation of love. 

All along the Camino I have been fascinated by the old foundations the doors the Windows . Many of the structures today are upon the foundations of old roman ruins , some using the the old foundation , or reusing the stones from the ruins of old. The use of some else’s foundation can be risky, as it might not be suitable for the new use. Adopting someone else’s idea may not work . The great Cathedral in Leon was built on top of old ruins to save money and labor. As it turned out the old foundation could not support the cathedral and had to be changed during the construction.  I am reminded that when we build our life on others foundations, that we might be disappointed in the out come, of what we intend to build. 

As I look at the doors and windows along the Camino . I wonder what is behind those doors? I can only imagine what is there , so my mind creates an idea or image of what is there, without really knowing what is behind the door. We do this in relationships where we imagine what someone else is thinking or what we think they believe . I try to look in the windows of old buildings but can’t see a thing , because there is no light to illuminate , I am reminded that we can’t always see what is there, so we imagine what might be there. As we pry the door open a little or allow the sun to shine in a window , we can now see some of what is inside, with enough illumination we can see how strong the foundation is on the inside . So in relationships we should not rely on our imagination of what someone else is all about, we need to open the door to their inside, open the window to allow more light to illuminate them to truly see their foundation. This way we can fully support and build a lasting structure that will stand the test of time and weather all the storms. 

Today I celebrate opening doors and windows and finding useful foundations. If we look with an open heart and with no expectations , we may find the truth of what is within and the foundation upon which it is built. We have the ability to explore each other, and apreciate the beauty of what we find in each other.

Thought for the day; 

Reality or illusion, which is which?

Some photos.

Today’s walk was a very special walk to one of the highest points on the Camino.

It is also where ” La Cruz de Ferro” is located.this is an important place along the Camino for many pilgrims. Pilgrims carry with them a rock, or a trinket, or a special item that has or has had a special meaning to them, or to someone else. 

 This is where each pilgrim puts away the past, says a prayer , places their significant item at the base of the Iron cross at the top of the mountain. Each person has their own reason, or burden to let go of . A vision of a new beginning , a prayer for healing, forgiveness for blessings, a myriad of individual reasons. This pile of rocks and momento’s has grown to over 15 feet tall stone by stone over the century’s .

After reaching this emotional high point, we then decended steeply down the mountain, this part of the caminon is very tough on the body , as the downhill attacks all of your joints, jolting you with the pounding repetitive steps downward. We decend almost 3,000 feet in just a few miles . 

Today I reflected back on the time in Sahagun, and the bull fight weekend, I could not bring myself to attend the bull fight.  I was in Spain, the bull fights are a national event, the whole city comes alive, but I could not attend. I had to ask myself WHY

It is to me , a symbol of mans inhumanity to man, one persons dominance over another, one is more important than another. The string or powerful rule over the weak. 

Here is a bull eating in his peaceful pasture, enjoying the company of his cows, making calves. Enjoying his life, all of a sudden men come in take the bull away from all that he has known, shackles and chains him , hauls him away to an unknown place, torments and teases him, chases him thru streets, hitting him with sticks, loud noises, all the way to the bull ring . Here he will meet his fate, but is first tortured and incouraged to fight to show his anger, to put up a good fight, to make the Matadore look good and to show how brave and dominate the Matadore is. Only to stand broken in spirit to receive the final thrust of the sword. 

Is it human nature to be dominate over others ? I am reminded how the slave traders went to Africa and took the people away to use them for their own gain, he who had the most or best slaves was rewarded. 

What is it about our nature that allows us to choose dominance over harmony? why can’t we all just get along?

Thought for the day;

live as you like to, without ever hurting someone else. 

Here are a few photos of the  walk to the cross and then down to Molinaseca.

This is the first day that Renee and I shared our walk together . We walked alone but together, sometimes being silent, other times sharing our thoughts, sharing our innermost things that we had discovered during our solo journeys along the Camino . Each of us discovered or uncovered thoughts, feelings or self discoveries, that both filled our souls as well as surprised ourselves. We shared our darkness and our light. We shared our joy and our fear, we held hands as we walked and comforted each other. We dismissed expectations, and differences. We listened and heard each other, without judgement . We set ego aside to just be present for each other. What became evident was, love mattered. The bond of love is all that really matters, to set conditions aside, and just know that love exists between us.

A week or two ago I decided , for the first time to listen to my music on my iPhone , I hit shuffle and the first song played 5 times in a row. The song was” Don’t know much” by Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt. The song says ” I don’t know much , but I know that I love you” this song would play every time I selected my music to play. 

I played the song for Renee as we walked, we both looked at each other and knew that the words were true for each of us. I Don’t Know Much,but I Know That I Love You.

 Thank you Camino for getting us down to the basics, this is our sturdy foundation.

So this walk was emotional , uplifting, and renewing. Renee and I enjoyed the serene walk to Rabanal and found a nice albergue to stay . We then went to a pilgrims mass at the local church, it was a Gregorian chant type of mass. Renee was carrying a cross for one of our neighbors in Las Vegas, he had asked we get it blessed along the the Camino, so with all the blessings we had today, it was perfect that we could get the cross blessed as well, from the priest in the church. 
This was a most special day. A day of reaffirming our love and a day of blessings.

The thought for the day; 

In the midst of difficulties there is always an island of possibilities.

Here are some photos of today’s walk to Rabanal.

I can’t get wifi on my iPhone so I can’t post to the blog , I will try to post several days worth when I can reconnect to the wifi. It has been a most profound 4 or 5 days with Renee and I. 

Today Renee and I just spent the day chillaxing in Astorga, had a nice breakfast , walked around the city, shared parts of each of our solo walks along the Camino , we each had many deep thoughts as we walked our solo journeys . We each shared the fears we faced, the joys that were revealed, the physical challenges , the mental complexities, the shared experiences with other pilgrims. Renee got to meet the Wolfpack that I had traveled so many miles with and had shared so many parts of our souls. She got to meet Ramona a young German girl and her dog Mia. The two of them have walked over 350 miles together, only camping in a tent every night, as the hostels and albergues don’t allow dogs. They are quite a pair to observe, as the mutual love for each other is very apparent. I was happy to have PJ , Lisa, and Stewart meet Renee, as I had shared so much of our life together, that now they got to meet her in person. 

Renee and I had a nice dinner and called it an evening, as we would start our walk together in the morning. We planned on walking just the two of us together, a special time to reconnect. 

Here is a photo of PJ, Lisa,Ramona and Her  dog Mia. And another pilgrim named Krista, Stewart from our Wolfpack is missing in this photo.

The Camino is an endless repetition, a universal calling, a prayer: Walk. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
The Camino is not what you think it is.
And not what you think it should be.
It is everything and it is nothing.
It forces you and moves you, teases you and slams you, questions you and fights you.
It blisters you, depletes you, weakens you and at the same time toughens you, builds you, strengthens you.
It questions you, talks to you, listens to your silence.
It is the outside of the inside of you and everything in between.
The Camino is sinner and Saint, history and legends, believers and non-believers. It is scores of nationalities all marching in the same direction, all for different reasons, but each following the same road toward the same destination.
The Camino is 500 miles of sorting out, taking in, letting go.
It is a physical, mental, and emotional reality check of what you think you are and who you are.
The Camino fills you, then empties you. It teases you and calms you.
And does it again and again with each coming day.
Walk. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
There is comfort in repetition.

A very short hike today only 18 km about ten miles, rain was in the forecast but never appeared. A nice hike back into nature, to hear the birds sing their morning songs, to listen the leaves rustle in the wind, to look up and see faces and figures in the passing clouds, the sun trying to peek thru the clouds to cast a beam of light on a field of now golden grain.

About  half way thru the hike came upon a wayside stand offering fruit, juice , cookies, coffee, herbal tea, toast jams and jellies , local honey, homemade bread, bananas,oranges, and apples. The stand is created by a wonderful woman , everything is at no cost, just donate what you can . She just places her trust that there will always be enough for everyone if we just give to each other and trust. She is living in a blissful spot in the middle of nowhere but somewhere. She keeps a fire going , she tends her gardens and her roses , she gives best wishes to everyone who passes by. She has a litter of cats sitting next to a wood stove, she has created several areas for pilgrims to rest and reflect. An amazing soul. 

Later I cam upon a local man sitting on a bench playing his guitar and singing pilgrim songs. I sat and listened and talked story for a period of time. Nice to go at a slow pace and enjoy the journey.

I arrived in Astorga dry and pleased with the day, the town sports gothic and Gaudi architecture . Lots of places to eat a very charming village of 12,000 residents .

The thought of the day;  a desire is never given to you without the power to realize it. But it could perhaps be that you have to work for it.

Here are some photos from the day

After last nights jacuzzi, steam room , sauna, and an hour long massage, I was ready to set out on the Camino again. Awoke to stormy skies, and a brisk wind. This was a long walk today 32 km most of it in a light on and off again rain. I have my son Randy to thank for his suggestions on rain gear, I stayed dry all day. For me this was a very boring day along the city streets and along  a road for mile after mile. When I got to the albergue I realized that this was the first time that I took no photos all day. It was however a good day to listen to music and continue the never ending probing into my inner self and spirit.

It came to mind that I have completed one month of my journey. A journey that has been an amazing experience, great joy, great sadness, physical pain, mental cruelty, ego distraction, new friends, some that will last a lifetime, others only enter your life for a day or two, then vanish as rapidly as they appeared. But each leaving a lasting imprint in my mind. Some will leave a lasting positive impression, some the opposite. 

The joy the heartache, the success the disappointment, the love the beauty, the frustration the resolve, deep connection , disassociation, helpfulness, selfishness are all experienced along the path.

I remind myself that I am blessed, at the end of a long day I have a shower and a bed waiting for me, I only wish the shower had hot water . Tomorrow the water will be hot. I am blessed that I have my wife and family. I am blessed with good health, I am blessed with good friends, that all add to my riches to my life.no photos taken today so here are a few from the last month.

Thought for the day; Man’s character is his destiny.

Took the day off in Leon got a nice room in a hostel/hotel. 

Today I reflect on the first half of this amazing journey. I am now over 300 miles afoot in this beautiful country of Spain. The travel so far is about equal to walking from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles along the coastal range and valleys. I am now about 175 miles from the destination of Santiago.the first third of the walk was to get in touch with the physical challenge and the mental that goes with those challenges. The body can’t be ignored, mind over matter does not work. The body screams out for what it needs or it just stops working due to injury or intense pain. Many pilgrims have to end their walk in the first week or two. You place ego aside and get in tune with the body or you fail. You listen and feel the requests of the body, you rapidly learn mostly thru pain what the body wants. It wants moderation, it wants good nutrition, it wants hydration, it demands rest stops and good nighttime sleep. You learn to pace, the muscles ache for more blood and oxygen, the heart responds with increased tempo, to outright pounding, the heart screams for more oxygen from the lungs, the lungs gasp faster and faster to supply the demand of the heart. You learn to control the pace and length of stride to keep all the demands of the body at a comfortable level with no part out of sync. Harmony is the key. Trek poles are a Benifits as you can help propell yourself forward using arms and back muscles to ease the legs , a great aid going up hill. Takes about 20% of the load off of the legs. Going down hill the poles ease the impact on the ankles, knees and hips, downhill I much tougher on the joints, unlike the crying of the lungs and muscles the joints don’t cry out they just get pounded and let you know at the end of the day.

My feet are my horses. They must be treated with love and respect, you break them in slowly, you treat them with a gentile touch, just the right pressure on the laces just as you use light hands on the reins. You use just the right pressure to guide the commands. You walk lightly just as you ride light in the saddle. You pay attention to your feet just as you listen to your steed feeling pulse rate, breath, and lathering. At the stops you offer the horse water and grain, you ease the the tension of the saddle straps or remove the saddle to let the back dry and relieve the stress on the withers, you tend to your horse. Your remove the shoes dry the socks add lotion if needed, tend to hot spots change blister protection.  You establish a relationship with your feet, just as you develope and relationship with your horse . You are partners on the Camino. 

The second third of the Camino is an inner journey, reviewing and exposing your most inner thoughts and desires . You delve deeply into your core beliefs, your shortcomings your strengths. This is the point on the Camino where the interpersonal communication with others along the Camino becomes deeper and deeper, it is also when personal differences become apparent . Social issues arise, egos begin to surface . Patience is tested , tolerance tested, acceptance tested, compassion experienced, how one deals with these inputs help to define your core values and thoughts. Very easy to dwell in the ego. The need to be right ,the need to lead, the need to follow the ego is a complex bedfellow. The need to voice is tested the need to stay in the shadows is tested and exposed. You have a great opertunity to examine the relationship with self. Everyone’s journey is unique unto them self. We all walk for different reasons and for different desired outcomes. Some walk for physical training, some walk to enjoy nature, some are battling cancer some are terminal . Some are in troubled relationships , some have lost family members or a spouse. Some walk for religion or spirituality, for some the walk is social , to meet new people every day to remember names and country of origins. To engage in chats all day along the Camino. For others it is the solitude of the quiet wordless walk of self discovery. For some they spend the time deep in prayer and devotion, for others it might be a blend of all of the above and more. The Camino is a special, unique, highly personal journey , different for every pilgrim, although we walk the same path , our journey’s are as varied as the people walking the path, each of us taking in what the Camino offers. 

Two days ago I spent 5+ hours deep in thought over the word “relationship” what it means to be in relationship , what defines relationship, what are the core values of a relationship. What are needs of a relationship, what are the responsibilities . I took the word relationship  and took each letter starting with the letter R and recorded the first three “R” words that related to the concept of relationship. I.E. Respect , responsibility, romance. I pondered each r word as to how it affects relationship and how it contributes to the relationship. I did this for every letter in the word “relationship” always the first three words that come to mind. The results blew my mind how they all worked to form my understanding of the meaning and feeling of a relationship. For we are in relationship will all that we come in contact with, human, animal, spiritual, physical, cosmic, we are in relationship with all that is , our awareness is the only filter or block. I look forward to the last 174 miles with an openess to receive the true spiritual purpose of the Camino. How many have made this very same walk since the 8 th century, what have they gained? What have they Learned? What have they given others from this experience?

Last night was a great sharing time , met and stayed with 4 other pilgrams, a nice lady from England, who had walked 46km that day, also a woman from Japan that also walked 46km, animals of the Camino.

Farm land turned to industrial areas industrial became suburbia, suburbia gave way to the old city of Leon, with its rich history and a grand cathedral, sporting amazing stained glass windows. I found a hostel near the cathedral, it has a bath tub, real towels, real linens , and pillows. I’m in heaven.

Toured the old city and took some photos.

I will take tomorrow off to reflect on the first half of my journey and prepare for the second half. 

Thought for the day; Problems are challenges that you created, in order to learn from them. Richard Bach.