The Celtic Camino
I call this journey the "Celtic Camino." It follows and connects the routes of many of the Caminos de Santiago to seven pre-Christian sites, from Santiago de Compostela, Spain, up through France to Rosslyn, Scotland. This sacred configuration forms the route of a "pilgrimage of initiation" used by the Druids and Christian mystics in their search for true knowledge and enlightenment. These 7 sacred sites actually correspond to the 7 chakras of the human body. I first followed this route by train after I walked into Santiago, assuming that this would be my modern day, train pilgrimage. It turns out that this too was just a preparation for the real journey. While chopping onions in my kitchen on a dark, wintry night, I received the guidance and knew without a doubt that I was to walk this entire path, one leg, one step at a time, however long it takes me.
The following fall, In October of 2011, I walked the initial leg, from Santiago de Compostela to St. Jean Pied de Port, just over the Pyrenees in France, with a dear friend, Sharon. This month long journey was supposed to take us via the Camino Arogones and Via Tolosana all of the way to Toulouse, the second sacred site that corresponds to the second chakra. Instead, we stayed on the Camino Frances and ended our pilgrimage where most pilgrims on the way to Santiago begin theirs - St. Jean Pied de Port.
Two years later, I returned to St. Jean Pied de Port and this time with my friend, Beebe, headed east. Over the next 14 days, we walked over 250 kilometers of the "Chemin", the French translation of the "Camino" or the "Way", to Auch, 80 kilometers shy of Toulouse. I went to Toulouse by train by myself as Beebe returned home to her adopted home in France. While it may have taken me two years, and 7 weeks of walking and traveling to reach this destination, I knew from the moment I arrived in the La Ville Rose (the pink city) that I was there in celebration and completion. The sun shone, the Eglise de la Dalbade was not only open, but also filled with powerful, beautiful and live organ music, my hotel room was luxurious and perfectly located, and I walked around in a field of light as I explored my way around this lovely city. Every moment felt light, joyous and celebratory!
I am so grateful that I get to walk these sacred paths for 2 to 5 weeks at a time. Yet each time that I walk and return home, I yearn to connect with a sacred path. I am blessed to walk a classical labyrinth that my husband, Steve, created in our back yard, as my daily pilgrimage. For those few brief moments, I set out on the path and get to “throw down a challenge to everyday life” as I live my life here with my family, responsibilities, children, work, finances, schedules. The labyrinth reconnects me with the sacred path of the Camino, the Celtic Camino, and now the Chemin. The Cornish Camino connects me with home, roots, England and the Camino, bringing it all together.
The next steps will be to walk toward Orleans, near Paris.
These sacred paths call on me to connect me with the sacred path that we each here to walk, giving us the guidance and support to tap into our life's purpose and do what we came here to do.
The following fall, In October of 2011, I walked the initial leg, from Santiago de Compostela to St. Jean Pied de Port, just over the Pyrenees in France, with a dear friend, Sharon. This month long journey was supposed to take us via the Camino Arogones and Via Tolosana all of the way to Toulouse, the second sacred site that corresponds to the second chakra. Instead, we stayed on the Camino Frances and ended our pilgrimage where most pilgrims on the way to Santiago begin theirs - St. Jean Pied de Port.
Two years later, I returned to St. Jean Pied de Port and this time with my friend, Beebe, headed east. Over the next 14 days, we walked over 250 kilometers of the "Chemin", the French translation of the "Camino" or the "Way", to Auch, 80 kilometers shy of Toulouse. I went to Toulouse by train by myself as Beebe returned home to her adopted home in France. While it may have taken me two years, and 7 weeks of walking and traveling to reach this destination, I knew from the moment I arrived in the La Ville Rose (the pink city) that I was there in celebration and completion. The sun shone, the Eglise de la Dalbade was not only open, but also filled with powerful, beautiful and live organ music, my hotel room was luxurious and perfectly located, and I walked around in a field of light as I explored my way around this lovely city. Every moment felt light, joyous and celebratory!
I am so grateful that I get to walk these sacred paths for 2 to 5 weeks at a time. Yet each time that I walk and return home, I yearn to connect with a sacred path. I am blessed to walk a classical labyrinth that my husband, Steve, created in our back yard, as my daily pilgrimage. For those few brief moments, I set out on the path and get to “throw down a challenge to everyday life” as I live my life here with my family, responsibilities, children, work, finances, schedules. The labyrinth reconnects me with the sacred path of the Camino, the Celtic Camino, and now the Chemin. The Cornish Camino connects me with home, roots, England and the Camino, bringing it all together.
The next steps will be to walk toward Orleans, near Paris.
These sacred paths call on me to connect me with the sacred path that we each here to walk, giving us the guidance and support to tap into our life's purpose and do what we came here to do.