Within the six months since I boarded my flight house from Spain to america, my thoughts has swirled with reflections on my expertise strolling the Camino de Santiago. After I first arrived house, I puzzled if the 500-mile, 33-day pilgrimage would immediate a significant epiphany or spur an enormous life change once I returned to my life in Los Angeles, California.
Would I lace up my footwear and go for a protracted stroll each morning? Would I keep in contact with fellow pilgrims I met in France and Spain? Or would I return to my life and act like nothing had ever occurred?
Since returning, I’ve answered these questions and gained additional perception into the teachings the journey has meant for me and for a lot of others who’ve walked the Camino de Santiago.
What’s The Camino de Santiago?
Earlier than we begin, let’s speak somewhat about The Camino de Santiago. Often known as the Means of St. James, it’s a community of pilgrimage routes resulting in the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Nice within the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.
This historic pilgrimage, which dates again to the Center Ages, attracts hundreds of pilgrims from all over the world every year. Historically undertaken for non secular causes, trendy pilgrims additionally stroll the Camino for non secular progress, journey, and cultural exploration. The routes fluctuate in size and issue, with the preferred being the Camino Francés, which begins in St. Jean Pied de Port in France and spans roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers).
Jen Pellerito shares right here classes realized by strolling this historic route, and now that we’ve learn it, we’re extra decided to deal with this unbelievable pilgrimage in 2025! In case you are planning your Camino de Santiago hike, learn Jen’s put up about The place to Keep on the Camino de Santiago
Time strikes slower while you’re strolling
Once you stroll the Camino, you possibly can cowl a distance of 5 to twenty miles per day, which takes anyplace from 5 to eight hours. It’s a stark distinction to routine life at house, the place we are able to drive, fly, or practice our means round.
Once you stroll, you journey at a slower tempo. The results of actually shifting slower contributed to a way of getting extra time on my fingers.
I felt like I might see the passage of time. I observed the the solar fell at completely different occasions of day, how the climate patterns modified, and the way the flowers bloomed as the times handed.
I realized that nothing ever stays the identical. My day by day routine continued to repeat itself, but all the pieces on this planet continued to evolve, even by means of seemingly mundane moments.
You’ll by no means have a look at your ft the identical means once more
On the Camino, my ft took a beating. It wasn’t simply blisters that grew to become a difficulty — it was the impression of strolling on arduous surfaces, particularly when going downhill. Learn extra tricks to Staying Secure and Wholesome on a Mountain climbing Journey
I noticed my ft swell like they’d by no means swollen earlier than. I noticed my toes bleed from blisters that risked an infection. And ultimately, I noticed my ft heal.
I spent hours worrying, speaking, and, sure—complaining—about my ft. For the primary time, I realized tips on how to look after them.
I utilized Vaseline on my toes and heels a number of occasions a day and realized about the perfect kind of cloth to maintain them cool and as dry as doable in high-heat circumstances (it’s wool, by the way in which)!
I bandaged my ft, prayed for them, and thanked them once they ultimately grew to become stronger.
Your ft can take you a lot locations, however provided that you care for them alongside the way in which.
Group and connection
5 days into strolling, I used to be sitting in my Airbnb host’s sweltering kitchen, sweating bullets. My toes have been crammed with blisters, and my host was going to pop them for me. I used to be terrified. Take a look at Easy methods to Pack a Journey First Support Package
Admittedly, I’ve by no means handled blisters a lot in my lifetime. I knew nothing of tips on how to look after them, deal with them, or stop an infection. Particularly in a scenario the place I needed to maintain on strolling – with no time to relaxation.
My host, who had been a nurse in her house nation, spoke no English and little or no Spanish. She used a translation app on her telephone to assist us talk in bite-sized phrases, one line at a time.
My head swam, queasy. Would this go terribly flawed?
Lastly, after what felt like an hour going backwards and forwards by means of her translation app, she popped my first blister. Then the subsequent. It damage rather a lot lower than I imagined.
I’d simply met her moments earlier than, and he or she was caring for me in my most ugly second. It introduced in a complete new degree of vulnerability and humility.
Strolling the Camino will present you that we’re all on this, collectively.
The Camino supplies
It’s not nearly foot care. Sharing meals, drugs, language, and, merely, the corporate of others creates a community of care. On the Camino, assist isn’t simply out there; it’s given.
Persons are able to look out for one another, proving that even while you’re strolling alone, you’re by no means actually alone.
This spirit of camaraderie and assist is what makes the Camino such a novel and particular expertise. Whether or not you’re a seasoned pilgrim or a first-timer, you’ll discover that there’s all the time somebody prepared to assist or share a sort phrase.
As you make your means alongside the path, you’ll encounter folks from all walks of life, every with their very own story to inform. Some are searching for non secular enlightenment, whereas others are merely searching for a brand new journey.
However it doesn’t matter what brings you to the Camino, everybody shares a typical bond of kindness and compassion.
All of us stroll the identical Camino
After I suppose again to my time on the Camino, I keep in mind the times once I walked slower than many different pilgrims, even these a long time older than me. However once I lastly neared the final stretch towards Santiago, I discovered my stride, I grew to become stronger, and I walked a lot quicker than I had earlier than.
Sure, some folks nonetheless walked quicker than me—or twice so far as I did in a single day—however lastly, after weeks of strolling, the primary eight miles of the day grew to become a breeze, when it had as soon as been brutally unattainable.
This expertise taught me that life is just not a race. All of us progress at our personal velocity, and there’s no worth in evaluating our paths to these of others. The Camino, very similar to life, is a private journey for every particular person.
Studying to maneuver in sync with others, moderately than in competitors, has introduced me peace and helped me settle for my present stage in life (my thirties) extra gracefully. It has additionally allowed me to understand my very own milestones with out measuring them up towards others’ successes.
A very powerful factor is, we’re all united by one frequent objective — to succeed in Santiago.
Reaching a objective takes time
I’ll admit it. I’m a perfectionist. After I fail, I fail arduous. I turn into so defeated that I by no means wish to attempt one thing once more.
Strolling the Camino confirmed me that objectives are completed by means of one million milestones alongside the way in which.
At some point at a time, I moved additional towards my objective of reaching Santiago de Compostela. I didn’t stop when it acquired arduous. I didn’t hand over when it felt like I’d already failed.
Sure, I rested once I wanted to. I took the bus on the times once I fell in poor health, and my ft couldn’t deal with the ache any longer.
However that’s not quitting.
The journey hammered house the concept that perfection isn’t the objective. Progress is the objective.
Every step moved me ahead. Massive objectives get completed by means of small wins.
Actual energy isn’t about how far you possibly can stroll in sooner or later. It’s about your persistence and flexibility, irrespective of the variety of miles.
You study to hearken to your physique
I took the bus once I actually needed to. I didn’t stroll each single mile of the Camino Frances, and it disenchanted me on the time. However now, I understand that realizing your physique’s limits is an indication of energy.
Recognizing when to push and when to pause is a type of knowledge.
On the Camino, I realized tips on how to tune into what my physique was telling me. The occasional lengthy stretch of silence whereas strolling alone additionally helped me hearken to my ideas extra fastidiously.
Balancing ambition with self-care continues to be a problem for me. In on a regular basis life, it’s straightforward to miss our limits to satisfy our personal or others’ expectations. On the Camino, I realized to worth self-awareness and the braveness it takes to honor my wants.
Grief occurs every time anybody leaves us
On the Camino, you would possibly serendipitously find yourself strolling with the identical group of individuals. Pilgrims name this your “Camino household.” Some folks stroll your entire means with the identical group, whereas others, for one purpose or one other, find yourself separating.
As I walked, I discovered myself weaving out and in of various teams, rapidly clicking with of us I’d simply met. However when the Camino broke into two sections, and my associates selected a unique path, I needed to say goodbye. Saying goodbye to those newfound associates was powerful, like a mini heartbreak.
I puzzled if our paths would ever cross once more. To me, it felt not in contrast to the grief I’ve felt when somebody near me has handed away. These moments on the Camino have been stark reminders of how swiftly connections can type and the way painfully they’ll half, echoing the bittersweet actuality of the various relationships we’ve all through our lives.
However extra importantly, the separation served as a reminder to dwell within the current. I grew to understand the corporate of these I used to be with, within the second. Grief is a pure a part of the human expertise.
I realized to cherish moments of connection, even when they have been fleeting, and make peace with the inevitability of change and loss.
Embracing the Journey Forward
Pondering again on my month strolling the Camino de Santiago, the explanations for my journey have turn into a lot clearer.
It’s like wanting over your shoulder while you’re mountain climbing. Once you’re strolling, you’re immersed within the mountains, and also you solely see rocks and grime. Miles later, the total view of these mountains turns into clear.
On the time, I couldn’t grasp the total impression it will have on me. Now, wanting again, I can recognize the importance of the teachings realized.
Distance helps you perceive the immensity of what you’ve gone by means of.
And so, the stroll continues, one step at a time.