Raphael

 

🎶 For Kathleen, more words: 

The Three Stages of the Camino:

Physical, Emotional, Spiritual

Today we met Raphael, a 71 year old pilgrim who walks the Camino twice a year, and is currently volunteering at the Municipal Alburgue in Logrono. He told us the lore of walking the three stages of the Camino. I won't do his story justice but here goes.

Saint Jean Pied de Port

The Physical Stage

Beginning in Saint Jean is the right way to begin walking, because it builds the body up for the rest of the way. It  should be walked in around 40 days, a significant number to many cultures. Jesus in the desert, Mohammad in the cave, and Buddah under the bodhi tree.

During this time people experience pain, blisters, and other discomforts. These minor irritations are necessary during this phase. This pain is unimportant.

The Meseta

The Emotional Stage

When reaching the Meseta, the emotional stage begins, moving from the physical to the mental, arriving at the emotional. Here one goes from the mind to the heart. Sometimes you get so distracted you realize after finally looking up, that all of your Camino friends are walking In a different direction. This is the stage of getting in touch with yourself. The Meseta is about nine days long with long stretches with no shade. You have time to work things through. After this stage you come to know yourself and then begin to move toward the Spiritual.

Angel's wings in the morning sky

The Spiritual Stage

The Spiritual is unique to each person. Walking through Galatia you encounter rolling hills, up and down. Going up you see the sky and the stars. Going down you feel  earth's gravity and life's difficulties. This repeats until arriving in Santiago.

When you arrive home you feel a change. After a year home you forget all of this and feel the need to walk it all again. 🎶