Why You Should Walk the Camino

My last post, “Top 4 Enemies of the Camino,” pointed out some of the most annoying obstacles you’ll likely encounter on your own journey on the Camino de Santiago, namely, the nagging injuries, the insufferable snorers, the alarming allergies, and those frisky flies.

Today, I’m focusing on the pilgrim positive: why you should walk the Camino… now… soon… when you’re ready. As I’ve previously mentioned, walking the Camino will potentially test your body, open your mind, and stir your spirit. In my opinion, all of those are tremendous things!

When I walked the Camino, each and every person I met had their own personal reason for leaving their friends and family behind to trek 800 kilometers across northern Spain in order to visit Santiago de Compostela. Some had just quit their jobs. Some had just quit their marriages. Some just needed to unplug from their stressful lives back home. Whatever their reason they were all united in their belief that walking across Spain would help them heal from their hurts or stimulate their minds to live their lives better when they returned home.

It seemed to work. You could see it in their exhausted faces outside the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago. Emerging from the administrative center—with their compostela diplomas rolled up inside their hands—many pilgrims shrieked. “…Some wept. Some looked for somebody to embrace: a relative, a friend, a stranger—it didn’t matter. Some simply stared wild-eyed in joyous relief.” (page 323, Shadows, Shells, and Spain)

(My own reaction had a personal twist. I stared in joyous relief… and then strolled into the nearest bar for a well-deserved beer.)

Having completed the arduous journey, I can affirm that marching along these (sometimes) lonely roads really does inspire you and gives you plenty of time to contemplate your life while you meet many other friendly, like-minded souls marching across Spain— just like you!

And sure, you can easily contemplate your life while sitting on your couch at home as well, but only by leaving all the distractions in your life… can you really experience some form of proper introspection which can lead to some form of very positive growth.

It certainly affected me back home as well. After my own 22 day walk across Spain, I wasn’t ready to give up the nomadic life so quickly! Before my trip, I had moved out of my downtown condo, sold much of my furniture, and had placed all my remaining possessions into a large storage unit. I just assumed I would look for a new place to live immediately upon my return.

But that didn’t happen…

After living for a month with everything I needed on my back, the last thing I wanted to do was buy new furniture again and set up shop. So I continued my nomadic life inside Toronto… for 2.5 more years! I just signed up for Airbnb rentals: a month here, a week there, a long weekend over here… Over the course of two years, I stayed in over 30 houses, apartments, condos, and basement suites (and even saved money)! And during all that time, I wrote the first and second drafts of Shadows, Shells, and Spain. I guess the nomadic life was truly inspiring to me and I didn’t want to give it up…

So I hope you seriously contemplate your own Camino journey. You will be richer for the experience. It will change your life. Plus you’re going to lose a lot of weight! And that ain’t bad…
 
For more inspiring stories about the Camino experience, check out:

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt/

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/bulls-vs-camino/

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/title-cover-trailer/
 
And for more information on Shadows, Shells, and Spain… click “Books” in the above menu!