As I have been preparing for the Camino, I have read many books and seen movies and videos of other peoples' journeys there. One book referred to me by my neighbor is called The Art of Pilgrimage by Phil Cousineau. He writes about pilgrimage in general; taking wisdom from many noteworthy writers, philosophers, artists and saints.
He writes: "Integral to the art of travel is the longing to break away from the stultifying habits of our lives at home, and to break away for however long it takes to once again truly see the world around us. This is why "imagination is more important than knowledge," as Albert Einstein noted, and why the art of pilgrimage is the art of reimagining how we walk, talk, listen, see, hear, write, and draw as we ready for the journey of our soul's deep desire."
"Reading old travel books or novels set in faraway places, spinning the globes, unfolding maps, playing world music, eating in ethnic restaurants, meeting friends in cafes whose walls hold the soul-talk of decades- all these things are part of never-ending travel practice, not unlike doing scales on a piano, shooting free throws, or meditating. They are exercises that help lure the longing out of the soul and honor the brooding-over of unhatched ideas for journeys."
"But the oldest practice is still the best. Take your soul for a stroll. Long walks, short walks, morning walks, evening walks- whatever form or length it takes. Walking is the best way to get out of your head. Recall the invocation of the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who said,"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts." As if in his footsteps, Frederich Nietzsche also remarked, "Never trust a thought that didn't come by walking."
And so, I choose to walk. I have always enjoyed walking daily. But now I am about to take the longest walk of my life. I hope you too will have time in your life to walk daily and reap the benefits for your souls!
He writes: "Integral to the art of travel is the longing to break away from the stultifying habits of our lives at home, and to break away for however long it takes to once again truly see the world around us. This is why "imagination is more important than knowledge," as Albert Einstein noted, and why the art of pilgrimage is the art of reimagining how we walk, talk, listen, see, hear, write, and draw as we ready for the journey of our soul's deep desire."
"Reading old travel books or novels set in faraway places, spinning the globes, unfolding maps, playing world music, eating in ethnic restaurants, meeting friends in cafes whose walls hold the soul-talk of decades- all these things are part of never-ending travel practice, not unlike doing scales on a piano, shooting free throws, or meditating. They are exercises that help lure the longing out of the soul and honor the brooding-over of unhatched ideas for journeys."
"But the oldest practice is still the best. Take your soul for a stroll. Long walks, short walks, morning walks, evening walks- whatever form or length it takes. Walking is the best way to get out of your head. Recall the invocation of the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who said,"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts." As if in his footsteps, Frederich Nietzsche also remarked, "Never trust a thought that didn't come by walking."
And so, I choose to walk. I have always enjoyed walking daily. But now I am about to take the longest walk of my life. I hope you too will have time in your life to walk daily and reap the benefits for your souls!
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