“The Camino really is a time-space warp.  As I walk on Roman cobblestone roads and watch cars speeding by on the super highway near me, I wonder if they see me at all.  I see and hear them but I am going at such a different pace.  After two desolate days of walking a little-used track, I could actually hear the sounds of electricity as I passed under the first electrical wires that I had seen in two days.  In the middle of the two days I spent the night in a village of less than 100.  Four other pilgrims found their way there also and we were treated to a gourmet meal of rabbit and a castilian soup. The conversation between the Englishman in his 60s who had already walked more than 1000 kms, the man in his forties from Denmark, a young catholic young man from Hungary and a Korean who lives in Switzerland was an amazing gift of the Camino. Every day that I walk my shadow leads me, as we are always walking west.  I wonder what Jung would say about that.  It made me think of Peter Pan and the loss of his shadow.  Was that my first introduction to the concept of soul loss?

Souls are lost and found on this pilgrimage for sure.  At times it feels like a giant whirlpool drawing me deeper and deeper within.  And, as with all whirlpools, some are spun out before going into the deep center.  A pilgrim noted earlier that it requires not only physical stamina to do the Camino but a spiritual stamina as well.  The country side has been bleak, rocky, poor, unentertaining … such perfect pilgrimage territory.  Rumi wrote – ‘Something opens our wings. Something makes boredom and hurt disappear. Someone fills the cup in front of us. We taste only sacredness.’ — Amen.” ~ Suzanna Alexander

Filed under: z Whereabouts of mySelf by Scaughdt