Today was our first full day walking the Camino—ten or so miles (depending on whose digital device was counting). From here on out, we’ll be walking all the way to Santiago.
This being the start of our non-stop walking journey, Brenda and Andre and I created a ritual for our group. After we were dropped off at today’s starting point, we stood in a field in a circle. It was colder than any of us expected, so we all had all our layers on. I read the group our daily poem, then passed out a handwritten slip of paper to each group member with the following words:
I walk in beauty.
I walk alone.
I walk in community.
I walk with an open heart.
I walk with an open mind.
In turn, each person spoke the words out loud, and the group replied, “Blessings on your journey.” We gave each person a gift, something to wear on their pilgrimage.
Andre talked about how we are each on our own journey, but also part of a group. She smudged each person with incense she’d bought in Katmandu many years ago, then spoke the word, “Ultreia” which means “Onward,” to which we each replied, “Susteia,” which means “Upwards.” Then we each crossed a threshold lined with red string and Brenda met each of us, one at a time, gave us a gift to wear on our pilgrimage, and hugged us with the traditional words, “Buen Camino.”
It was a beautiful beginning, once again reminding all of us that is much more than just a hike. It’s a sacred pilgrimage.
Even though I walked the Camino last year, I still felt entranced in the wonder of it. I kept thinking, “I’m walking the Camino! I’m walking the Camino!” As we moved through the day, I took layers off and put them back on again. We stopped for “second breakfast” and I shared a tortilla, a Spanish specialty of baked egg and potato, with Kendra. I moved between talking to one member of our company or a couple, to greeting other pilgrims from all over the world, to taking time to walk alone. I walked near the front of our group, at the back or somewhere in the middle. I floated through the day, awash in beauty and wonder. I conversed and was silent.
We had a fantastic lunch at a restaurant along the way and then walked a few more miles into Portomarin, where we’ll be staying for the next two days. Tomorrow is another writing and art day.
At one point mid-afternoon, I was chatting with two of the women in our group, talking about life, when we entered a long stretch of the path that had incredible walls of stone and living green earth on either side. Entranced by all the colors and textures, I excused myself from the conversation and walked alone, stopping over and over to examine and revel in the layering of stones, the incredible moss coating the walls, the old, stripped wood on gates and doorways. I realized that I was stopping to look closely because I’d been sitting in on Brenda’s art classes. I’m not a visual artist, not by any stretch, but what I had learned from Brenda was making me pay attention to what was around me in a whole new way. I looked and looked some more, awash and delighted by beauty. I was noticing color and texture and light, line, relationships, and contrast is a whole new way. In just a few days, Brenda had taught me to see as an artist.
Here’s a little of what I saw and experienced today. Be sure to check out the captions.
