the journey

"To take the road" is a well known metaphor for life. For many people their decision to walk or bike to Santiago de Compostela, coincides with a special occasion or a new phase in their lives. 
Routes to Santiago are being described and signposted for ever increasing distances. Many travel guides and websites provide useful information.
However, the other route -the path of life- seems to become more and more of a labyrinth. World-wide, things are developing faster and faster. Our societies become more and more complicated. People are allowed, and forced, to make their own choices in all this turmoil. For it has become less clear what individuals have in common.. 

In contrast with this turmoil, the past seems to be very conveniently arranged and well ordered. But was that really the case? Take again the road to Santiago, the "Camino". It seems so clear: people in the past just went to the honour of God - nothing more. Many pilgrims indeed must have gone on pilgrimage for that reason. Also nowadays many people go for religious reasons primarily. But there were also other motives, like: adventure and battle (the Camino played an important role in the recapturing from the Moors of present-day Spain), penance (many people walked the Camino as a penalty for their sins), money (richer people arranged others do their penalty), business (in the past also the Camino was big business for cities like Santiago de Compostela). 

Obviously, even in those days things were not that simple as they seem to be at a first glance. All the more reason to ask ourselves questions about what "we" make out of it now, from our journey to Santiago and ... further.

We learnt, and are still learning, from others, for example our guests, about the above questions. In turn, we like to pass on some ideas and tips, to all they may be of some concern or value: 

• the journey

• Esprit cards (new)

• tips

• the Holy Grail

• the labyrinth

• Ithaca

the journey

Websites and travel guides pay much attention to the practical sides of the journey. A survey of such sources of information is presented in our chapter: Camino de Santiago. We often get very practical questions in our hostel too: What is the distance ? Do I have to go to the left or to the right? What weather is to be expected ? Where can I eat and drink? How sure I am to find a place to sleep? Such questions are asked for good and obvious reasons: going the Camino means a different life and one has to make one’s own arrangements, even after the experience of thousands of people having walked and biked the route before.

It strikes us, that so little is being written about the other journey, one’s journey of life. Of course such personal dimensions are more difficult to catch in writing. We think that this makes it the more important to pay attention to these dimensions during the personal preparation of one’s Camino. This can help to prevent one from being totally consumed by the daily affairs like the blisters and muscular pain, the weather, the eating and sleeping.

Self-awareness may help to experience the journey much more intensely. It may facilitate the journey both across the beautiful environment and into one’s private inner side. The outer environment allows the experience of an exciting adventure on foot or by bike. Concurrent introspection may allow the advancement of self-knowledge to a level unattainable during routine daily life. The pilgrims’ road to Santiago offers a metaphor for life together with a unique experience which facilitates, enhances and/or reinforces changes in one’s life.

Hereafter we use the metaphor of the journey of life to tell something about our experiences. Our inspiration comes, in part, from the writings of the American professor Joseph Campbell who did a lot of research into the heroic expeditions of the mythical past. He showed that these expeditions offer inspiration relevant for our present world through their inclusion of old, deep and general insights, presented through attractive images.

In the following description of the journey we distinguish six steps:

• the call
• the departure
• on the way
• the companions
• the arrival
• the home coming

"Too often in life you make decisions with which you don't wholly agree. Neither do you wholly agree with the decisions following the first one. This results in decisions with which you can't agree at all. Until one day, you wake up and you can't agree with yourself anymore. Then you will pack the few things that are important to you and you'll leave. Until one day you regain your balance. And then you will address yourself severely." (an Aboriginal about the "Walkabout")

The pioneering work of Joseph Campbell: "The hero with a thousand faces"

The pilgrim's hostel "L'Esprit du Chemin" has created 24 "Esprit cards" with questions, suggestions and quotes for your quest. We recommend that you first read the chapter "The Journey" (start above this box) before using the cards:

• tips for: how to print, format and use the cards
• the 24 "Esprit Cards" and the introductory card.

N.B.: Cards and suggestions are in PDF Format. To view the cards you will need the programme Adobe Reader. Adobe Reader is free software and can be downloaded by clicking this button:
                                                                             

questions

suggestions, and

"quotes"

the journey: the call
For many people the Camino represents an important stage during their journey of life. For example, a stage of coping with certain experiences. Or to find the time to say farewell to a job or career, to a lover, or to old habits. The Camino may set the stage for starting a new future.
That is why Joseph Campbell writes about "the call" of a hero to set off on an adventure. Like the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table where challenged to go in search of the Holy Grail.
That challenge arrived from the external world. Similarly, a special event is the frequent initial stimulus to set off for the Camino on foot or by bike. But the primary challenge can also emerge from one’s inner world: something inside suggesting that time has arrived to get started, literally and metaphorically. Some of our guests tell us that they have felt a need, for many years, to go to Santiago. They only could or would not find the time, for a variety of reasons, to answer to that challenge.

 

The Holy Grail and the knights of the Round Table

Often our guests tell us beautiful, inspiring stories about the manner in which they marked the start of their journey, for example with a farewell party or a blessing. Others take pebbles with them, as a memory of a beloved one or as a symbol of a burden they want to get rid off during their journey. The Cruz the Ferro (meaning:  the iron cross) in the mountains behind Astorga is the place where many throw their pebbles away symbolically.

On the road (etching by Gabriel Martinez-Almeida)

Personally we then often remember a common saying of those going the Camino: the trip itself is the main goal, and not Santiago. The challenges met during the trip loose their character of obstacles with a need of being overcome as fast as possible. They may develop into the personal discoveries of unexpected abilities of strength, creativity, and wisdom in spite of troubles to overtake them.

labyrinth (Barcelona, Spain: Sagrada Familia)

labyrinth (Rutland, England)

the journey: the companions
Along the road there are not only “dangers” awaiting. There will be allies too. Many stories have been told about inspiring meetings on the Camino. Hospitality and help are offered seemingly coming from nowhere.
In the great myths the latter was called "magic", "angels", or "good fairies". Along the Camino this unexpected ally and fellow traveler is often called "Saint James", whether or not as a joke.
The famous German writer Goethe called it "providence": "From the time that one really commits oneself to something, providence will also come in action. A variety of things happens to help, which normally never would have happened”.
In the cloister of the monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos (to the south of Burgos) one can see a beautiful relief representing the two men walking to Emmaüs with Jesus, bearing a pilgrim’s bag and a shell, as their fellow traveler. "Who is this third person walking beside you all the time?", the men walking to Emmaüs ask each other (cited from: T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land).

One will find fellow travelers also within oneself. We hear impressive stories from our guests who, at the most difficult moments of their journey, found out that they had unexpected powers or creativity within themselves.

angel (Santo Domingo de Silos, Spain)

the men walking to Emmaüs and Jesus (Santo Domingo de Silos)

the journey: the arrival
In the metaphor of the journey, arrival indicates that one has reached the core: knowledge has been gained about the real significances of life.
Along the Camino arrival means most often: arrival in Santiago de Compostela or at Cabo Fisterra, the cape at the end of the world. Of course, the latter arrival can have taken place before the major inner questions are answered.
Maybe that is why so often is said: the way is the aim. Because it is so logical that, once on the road, that concrete end (Santiago of Fisterra) becomes an aim in itself, at least partly. And be fair: the mere completing of the Camino is often an achievement in itself !

Arrival at Cabo Fisterra invites many to a centuries-old ritual to leave the old symbolically behind and so to mark the new beginning. For example by throwing old clothes into the sea or burning them on the beach.
Arrival in Santiago invites to nice rituals as well: laying one’s hand upon Santiago’s pillar in the Pórtigo de la Gloria, the Romanesque portal of the cathedral, attending the pilgrims’ mass with or without the view upon the swinging botafumeiro across the church, meeting again fellow travelers from the past weeks and … the farewell.

"... not expecting Santiago to give you further wealth.
For Santiago has given you the lovely trip.... "

(based on the poem Ithaca, by Constantine Cavafy)

Fisterra: ritual burning

arrival in Santiago

At such moments experiences from the Camino may appear helpful. Step by step you continue, also during unfavorable circumstances. With confidence, both in yourself and in your fellow travelers. With faith, because it is your dream. With strength, because you know that many people before you went along this long and winding road.

the winding stations of the cross of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, near Gernika (Camino del Norte)

tips

From all over the world, people set off on a journey to Santiago de Compostela, for a wide variety of reasons. Youngsters and older people go. One walks, another goes by bike or even on horseback. One takes all the time he/she needs, the other has only a limited period available. Many seek modesty and companionship at "refugios" (pilgrim´s hostels), others prefer the comfort and privacy of hotels. Therefore, the preparation of the journey will be different for everyone.

The same apllies to your equipment. One is willing to take luggage to a maximum of 10% of body weight, another is okay with 15%. In the end, this strongly depends on your experience and condition, on the period in which you are going to walk, and on the choice of your route (along busy routes are a lot of "refugios" of course).
One thing seems certain: people easily take too much luggage with them. They may only realize that when they walk up in our street and then see the mountains. The postal office in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port makes good business with all those wanting to send superfluous kilograms back home. Also, people regularly ask us whether they can leave some luggage in our hostel for the next couple of weeks, or they just leave it behind ... .

We think the following points derserve primary attention:

• strong walking shoes are necessary, mountaineering shoes are not
• along busy routes (like the Camino Francès) you do not need a tent and cooking equipment; there are enough, cheap facilities
• in summer a thin sleeping bag or a sheet sleeping bag is both necessary and sufficient (most "refugios” do not provide sheets)
• at most sites one can wash clothes; so there is no need to take too many extra clothes
• the busy routes are well to excellently signposted; there is no need to take maps
• mostly, one good water bottle or water bag is enough; if it is very hot you can take extra water in plastic soft-drink bottles
• it can rain heavily, also in Spain: a good raincape not only keeps oneself dry, but also one's backpack
• occasionally it may be necessary to sleep on the bare ground; therefore, take a sleeping mat, which will also be convenient at stops on the way.

The Camino is a good possibility to leave everyday’s life behind you. That also includes a lot of everyday life’s things, according to us. You will be surprised how little you really need in the end. Furthermore, keep in mind that there are many shops along the way and... a lot of helpful people. Trust on that/them and on yourself!

Last tip: "In 2000 Michel Besson has founded the newsgroup "Santiagiobis". Pieter Pannevis, a pilgrim from Holland, is the principal moderator of Santiagobis. A very lively and friendly newsgroup that covers all aspects of pilgrimship. Join the newsgroup and do yourself a favour in preparation: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Santiagobis/ "

"If you put too much in your backpack, there is no room for new experiences"

(a  pilgrim)

Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Eunate (Spain)

the holy grail

For thousands of years people have been inspired by the journeys of mythical heros. Who doesn't know them? The return of Odysseus after the siege of Troy or the search of the knights of King Arthur for the Holy Grail?

The Holy Grail was the calice which Jesus used at the last supper. According to another view it was the calice in which Jesus’ blood dropped while he was hanging on the cross. The grail was present in a hidden castle, home of the badly wounded king Amfortas. Amfortas could only recover, and prevent thereby the destruction of his kingdom, if a knight would find the castle and ask for the meaning of the grail or the king’s wounds. Parsifal was one of the three of Arthur’s knight who found the castle, but he failed to ask the right questions. He then had to set off for years of wandering through immeasurably large woods and carrying out innumerable difficult tasks. In the end, he came back again at the castle and, purified by the past years’ experiences, now asked the right questions. By this, he healed the king, and Parsifal himself was allowed to become the new king of the Grail.

As a matter of fact, there will always be people who take these symbols and metaphors literally. In the Middle Ages the pious pilgrims could behold the authentic Holy Grail in Aragon alone at three different places along the Camino: in San Juan de la Peña, in a nearby monastery, and in Jaca ! Also in the little church of O’Cebreiro, on top of the passway between Castilia and Galicia, a miracle involving the Holy Grail is told to have occured. Even now people are still searching for the Holy Grail, for example in the eastern part of the Pyrenees.

The Last Supper (San Juan de la Peña, Spain)

crucifixion

Parsifal

the labyrinth

Earlier we called the going around in dark woods as a metaphor of the journey of life. Other myths used the labyrinth as this metaphor. Around the year 1400 before Christ the labyrinth was mentioned for the first time in writing on a stone at Knossos on Crete. Crete was also the stage of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. The Minotaur lived within a labyrinth and forced people to provide him with humans as sacrifice. The hero Theseus went into the labyrinth to beat the monster. He managed to find his way back through the labyrinth by following the red thread, a gift from his beloved Ariadne and which had been fixed to the labyrinth’s entrance when he entered.

A picture of the myth of Theseus was present on a copper plate in the middle of the large labyrinth in the cathedral of Chartes. The plate has disappeared, but the original medieval labyrinth is still there.

The labyrinth in the church is just one example of the Christian church adopting heathen places, rituals and images – while attaching new meanings to them. The labyrinth provided a symbol of the journey of life to the heavenly, new Jeruzalem. Going through the labyrinth was a catharsis, the transition from the sinful world to the holy Jerusalem. Believers went through the labyrinth on their knees, with the prayer book in their hands: the church represented for them de ‘red thread’ along the labyrinth of life.

During the 17th and 18th centuries one could not appreciate the spiritual meanings of labyrinths any more. It was considered meaningless, a waist of time. Accordingly, all labyrinths in the large churches in the north of France have been gradually removed except for the one in the magnificent cathedral of Chartres.

The battle between Theseus and the Minotaur (15th century painting; Louvre). The labyrinth has exactly the same design as the labyrinth of Chartres (below)

the labyrinth of the Chartres cathedral, on the pilgrims road from Paris

Ithaca

Odysseus was one of those mythical leaders of the Greek army with besieged the city of Troy for many years. He was the one finding out the ‘Trojan horse’ allowing the final capturing of the city. After the capture Odysseus could go home again, to Ithaca and his wife Penelope. This return developed into a long lasting journey across the sea, full of dangers and adventures. This journey provided inspiration to the greek Constantine Cavafy (1863-1933) to create his splendid poem ‘Ithaca’:

When setting out upon your way to Ithaca,
wish always that your course be long,
full of adventure, full of lore.
Of the Laestrygones and of the Cyclopes,
of an irate Poseidon never be afraid;
such things along your way you will not find,
if lofty is your thinking, if fine sentiment
in spirit and in body touches you.
Neither Laestrygones nor Cyclopes,
nor wild Poseidon will you ever meet,
unless you bear them in your soul,
unless your soul has raised them up in front of you.

Wish always that your course be long;
that many there be of summer morns
when with such pleasure, such great joy,
you enter ports now for the first time seen;
that you may stop at some Phoenician marts,
to purchase there the best of wares,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber, ebony,
hedonic perfumes of all sorts--
as many such hedonic perfumes as you can;
that you may go to various Egyptian towns
to learn, and learn from those schooled there.

Your mind should ever be on Ithaca.
Your reaching there is your prime goal.
But do not rush your journey anywise.
Better that it should last for many years,
and that, now old, you moor at Ithaca at last,
a man enriched by all you gained upon the way,
and not expecting Ithaca to give you further wealth.

For Ithaca has given you the lovely trip.
Without her you would not have set your course.
There is no more that she can give.

If Ithaca seems then too lean, you have not been deceived.
As wise as you are now become, of such experience,
you will have understood what Ithaca stands for.

the Trojan horse

Odysseus and the Sirens