Today was the last “rest day” on our pilgrimage. From here on out, it will be a straight shot to Santiago, walking every day. I have loved the rhythm we created for this retreat, walking the last 100 kilometers of the Camino with five extra days off to focus on creativity. These extra rest days have enabled us to dive deep into writing, art, and a trusting connection with each other. They’ve given our feet and bodies a rest and led to wonderful intimacy in our group. Today, people even got to swim and do laundry! I took a solo walk at dusk and ran into a woman leading two cows up a country road. At 7:00 pm, we gathered at a big, long table at the only restaurant in town, with other pilgrims, to drink wine and indulge in Spanish cooking.
Earlier, we met behind our hotel in Ribadiso and had an all-morning writing class in which I led the group through a process that enabled us to reap wisdom from our ancestors. Lunch was on our own and the afternoon was free until we met with Brenda, late in the late afternoon, to learn about perspective and to practice drawing and painting of buildings and a very old stone bridge. Tomorrow, we rise early. Some of us are leaving extra early, at 6:45, before coffee and breakfast, so we can have the experience of walking in the dark and silently watching dawn break. Since today was a day dedicated to the “creative” part of our Creative Camino adventure, I asked members of the group if they’d be willing to share a page or two from the creative journals that each of us has been creating. That’s what I’m sharing with you today in this post. I just love how diverse these journal pages are.
