Hola Everyone, One year ago today I started my pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It is amazing to me that a year has passed so quickly. The Camino and the experiences I had there seem so present and relevent, its as if they happened last week, not last year. Some of the Camino magic and the shape shifting quality of time that is so present over there seems to have accompanied me back to Carlisle. I intend to rewalk the Camino in my mind throughout the next month and a half, by re-reading my journal and my blog , looking at pictures and conjuring up images in my mind's eye that will hopefully trigger wonderful sensory memories I had while in Spain. I find that I think of the Camino daily and feel the lessons I learned continue to be absorbed into my being, always reminding me to be present, be grateful, appreciate the simplicity of life, be playful and joyful, see the magic that is life and let go of the small minded nasties that try to cling to my psyche, be in nature daily and move my body, be still and be in my senses, and embrace the day: the ups the downs and the in betweens. Thank you for walking with me on my journey a year ago and know that anything is possible, I feel like I am living proof of that. I walked the Camino and the Camino walked me, claiming me for life. May you find your journey that takes you out of your comfort zone, re-introduces you to yourself and in the process creates an excitement that continues to live with you in your daily. That's what happened to me. Buen Camino, Embrace the day. Camille in the Camino.

Hola everyone,
   Transition to post-Camino living is slow and for that I am grateful.  My life pace is picking back up again and I am using my Camino memories to help keep me grounded and in the moment, an ongoing process none the less.

 My main reason for posting today is to let you all know that I am hosting a gathering:

Where:   The Unitarian Universalist  Church lower level
               2 Forge Road, Boiling Springs
               

When:    Saturday 12/1
              6-10ish
              Talk around 7ish

 Details:  Pot Luck  I will make chili and have cider and if you want to bring a dish to share that would be 
              appreciated.

 It    will  be an evening of sharing about the Camino with Gay Walker, Gerri and Bill Myers and myself talking about our individual experiences on the Camino,  eating, laughing, and perhaps some dancing.    Many of you have questions and want to hear first hand about our experiences so I thought it would be a great way to bring everyone together and   celebrate my 60th birthday as well.   

If you have any questions or want to call for any reason my number is 385-2170  Hope to see you there.

I will probably continue to blog about my lessons on the Camino and flesh out what I've already written should you want to read more of my ramblings.  I've discovered I like to write and it is a way for me to keep the Camino alive and in my heart and soul. 

Much love to you all for your ongoing support and belief in me.  I and we have much to be grateful for in our lives and taking time to pause and consciously  name those blessings sets the tone for the  day.  See you on the 1st.  Buen Camino to the journey in your lives and as always, embrace the day.  Love Camille

Camille on and in the Camino

Hola everyone,
    My Camino continues although the location has changed, but then again so have I.   I am back in the states and home in Carlisle safe and sound, warm and content.  Timing and location location location seem to be words we hear alot when talking about real estate, but I realize how that rings true with life in general.  I am grateful that I managed to arrive in Carlisle a few days before Sandy made her appearance on the East Coast.   I left Santiago on the evening bus to Madrid last Thursday, almost a week ago, arriving at the airport Friday morning around 7ish.  My flight left at 10, so the timing was great.   The airline  made an attempt to sway me in the direction of staying an extra day, complete with hotel, food and transportation to and from the airport, but at that point, I was tired, and ready to come home, so I said bye bye to the voucher and got on a very full plane to JFK aiport.  Long story short, I had an uneventful flight to NYC, an interesting bus ride to the train station in Mid town where I was dropped off, not at the train station, but about 15 blocks away at 3:15 with the train leaving for Harrisburg at 4:00.  So, here is a visual, Camille rushing through mid town Manhattan with a full back pack on my back, looking like a person who has been on the trail for 6 weeks.  When you think about it, nothing all that unusual for NYC.  I made it  to the station on time, caught my train, dozed off and on and had a loving and warm greeting in Harrisburg by my amazing sister Barb. 

I must admit that the shift from Camino time to Non-Camino time has been a bit of an adjustment.  I realize that although I am now  moving toward re-working my relationship with time, I can still move into it with ease and with a Camino like  flow that is fluid and not rigid.  At least that's  my plan.   Time is a paradox and I intend to ponder more about how to embrace it   and be Camille in the Camino while  in Carlisle.  Obviously a long ongoing project :) 

I feel a bit discombobulated, not only from the fact that I am no longer walking 12 miles a day and  carrying everything I own on my back through Northern Spain, but from Sandy and her far reaching devastation and all the people that have been impacted through her force.  My heart and prayers go out to all the people who have lost so much in these past few days and are reeling from what has happened   and  the uncertainly of the future and what will happen.    Mother Nature is certainly a force to be respected and honored and not only brings beauty and joy, but devastation and heartbreak. 

My intent is to write a bit more about my time in Santiago, as I realize I did not write much about actually being in Santiago and how it felt to arrive.  I also intend to post some pictures and possibly have a gathering to talk about my experience, share it with you, celebrate my 60th birthday and celebrate you.  So, stay tuned for more posts from Camille in and on the Camino while in Carlisle.  Embrace the day with gratitude and joy.  We are here.  Love to you all.

Hola dear friends,  

The journey continues.  I didn't get to write these last couple of days 

because  I was walking during the day, finding the alburgue and then 

going to the powerful ocean,  returning late and then to bed.  My Camino 

rhythm changed primarily because I was on a different Camino, to Finisterre 

and Lires and Muxia.  We had a leisurely start on Wednesday, the latest 

I've ever started my walking and it felt great. It doesn't begin to get 

light here until 8:30 so it is easy to rise with the sun when there isn't 

any real pressure. We were walking about 15k these past 2 days and there 

were few pilgrims taking 2 days   to  walk from Finisterre to Muxia.   

Alot of folks walked the 30 k in one day more because of time constraints 

than anything else. The day was mercurial and we had the rain,Wind, sun, 

more rain, cloudy but no rain, you get the idea. When we arrived in   

Muxia we decided to stay at the municipal alburgue, which means we were 

in a very basic alburguefoes 5 euros, nothing like the night before, 

which is perfect. Here we were in bunkbeds again with about 32 people 

total, but  we spent very little time there, only to sleep as the bus 

left for Santiago at 6:45 this morning. After getting our room we headed 

to the pilgrim office to get another beautiful Compostela showing that 

we walked from Finisterre to Muxia. Look out Carlisle  frame shops here 

I come.  Then we walked out to the Rocks. Wow!!!!  What a powerful place.  

 Legend has it that the virgin Mary came here in a boat to encourage a 

disillusioned St James that he was in fact successful in his attempt to 

bring Christianity to the pagan Druids. The rocks represent her boat. 

My recollections  of the legend around this are a bit sketchy  as I don't 

have the Finisterre /muxia guide book. I intend to purchase it and will 

give you more information when I get my pictures attached.  The rain and 

wind kept visiting  but  the wind and rain and sun and rock and the church 

on the rock, and the vast ocean and lighthouse and clouds and then the 

clear sky for the moon to kiss us brought all the elements into a harmony 

that seemed so profound.  I loved it here !!!!  I also had another magical 

experience and encounter with Manuel a fisherman from Muxia who gave me 

my own private tour of the rocks and their symbolism. He spoke no English 

and I no Spanish yet his love of the sea and this land touched my heart. 

He so wanted  me to know the power of this place.  It was truly another 

magical and powerful  Camino gift.  There are three large rocks of 

significance. One was  a fertility rock where couples will lay together 

and well I'm not sure about the and part. I laid on that rock and let me 

tell you any attempts at conception other than metaphorically could be 

dangerous to the health of the couple.  Why did you lay there you might 

ask. Keep asking ;).  There were actually two replicas, one male and 

one female in wax under the ledge of the rock.  Powerful medicine.   

I did not lay on this rock in the presence of my fisherman guide  i 

came back later.  Then there was the rock and ledge he led me to that 

will bless you with a long life and good luck if you crawl under it 9 

times.  He would not leave and take me any where else until I crawled 

under at least once.  So, I did. And then went back with my friends 

and crawled under 8 more times.  I am now going to live a long lucky 

life.  There was also rock that was cracked and would rock back and 

forth, bit we didn't spend much time here.   After my tour we shook 

hands and he ealked around a rock with his fishing pole and I never 

saw him again.  Hmmmm!!!!   Then  up to a 360 degree view of the town,   

the ocean and the moon with the night sky as the backdrop. Yes I  had 

my torch with me.  My new word for flashlight.  Feeling the wind on 

my face and looking out onto the vastness of the sea in the moonlight 

is a memory that will forever stay with me as the end of my Camino.    

So here I am on another bus beginning my journey home. Thank you for 

your prayers, energy, blessings, kind words, and belief in me.  They 

and you sustain me and help feed my soul. I will see you soon.   

Love and my embrace to you in my life.  Camille on, in, and a part 

of the Camino 

Hola,

I am sitting on the beach on Lire listening to the surf at sunset. A sunny warm day of walking from Finisterre after a rainy cool day yesterday at the lighthouse. But as is always true here the weather changes as often as my mood sometimes, you wait and there is a surprise, no rain, mist or a chance to watch the rain move in off the ocean
Our bus trip from Santiago to Finisterre was beautiful winding around the and alot of villages along the way., although nit through the old sections.  We arrived in Finisterre and went to the Alburgue a friend recommended to check in and drop off our packs before the 3.5 k walk to  and from the lighthouse and the end of the world. It was great To walk without packs and  I felt  rather light footed although I  missed my sticks and I know they missed me:). The walk was leisurely and at a slow pace as we kept stopping to take photos and visit with people returning from the lighthouse. The rain was intermittent and the fog and mist played hide and seek dancing in and out and teasing us as we looked for photo ops.  At one point I looked  down  and in a clear moment saw goats clinging to the craggy rocks above the sea.  A definite photo op!!!  Then of course we went in to the bar to fry oug and warm up with  a cafe con leche before we attempted to burn an article of clothing or any other burdens we wanted to release.  I guess  my clothes need to come home with me and I released all I needed to release because we could not get a fire going or the paper burn.  Too much wind and the matches an paper were damp as well. No matter.  It was beautiful and wild and rocky and I can see why the Celtic people of this land  thought it was the end of the world.  Ocean ocean and more ocean off the rocky shore.  Then a great dinner of turbot probably caught fresh that day and short visits with people I'd met along my journey who came to Finisterre as well. Today while walking to Lire we met a woman who recommended a hostel or private pension.  What a find.  Clean beds and a  private shower with sheets and towels for 15 euros a person. The place is amazing with granite or marble floors and window sills   I think granite because it appears to be so plentiful here. We are the only guests although there is a steady flow of customers in the bar cafe.  I just finished a great dinner glad I'm walking another 15 k tomorrow and I'm sitting in the cafe-bar with a soccer/football game on the tv.  Some things are the same everywhere.  We spent about 2 hours or more on the beach watching the sun set and the moon rise listening to the surf and generally absorbing the sea vibes.  Tomorrow is my last day walking and I plan to soak it all into my pores.   Not sure of the weather but we will walk in whatever comes our way and I will imprint on my mind all mother nature gifts me tomorrow.  Donna, Mary and I came together in a true Camino fashion of meant to be and "oh this is why I missed the first bus" kind of event. 3 women from different corners of the world. Australia, South Africa and America walking their final Camino days to the sea.  Being open to possibilities a big teaching on the Camino.  Okay dear  ones time for a shower and then bed  My belly is full, my heart is full and my spirit light.  Life is good. Love to you all and embrace the day and all it brings.  Camille in and on the Camino
Sent from my iPhone

Hola dear friends,  today was a lovely day in Santiago. 

I firmed up some plans and leave for Finisterre tomorrow 

with my friend Mary from Australia. We will take a bus to 

Finisterre which will take us about 3 hours and spend the 

day exploring Finisterre, the lighthouse and find the fire 

pit out behind the lighthouse to burn an article of clothing 

and any other symbolic representations we want to leave behind, 

a Finisterre / Camino ritual.   On Tuesday we will begin our 

17 k walk to Liera where we will stay and then finish our walk 

on Wednesday in Muxia spend the night and bus back to Santiago 

on Thursday. I am very excited about walking along the coast and 

being with the wind and sea. This part of Galicia has a very 

earth based pagan/druid history and lots of legends and the 

Celtic Irish connection.  So add that all together and I am 

beyond excited and grateful  to have this additional time in nature. 

I will continue to write about my experiences here in Spain as my 

Camino continues.  I'm on the bus now hoping the skies clear as we 

near the sea and know that all will be as it should be rain, sun, 

cloudy, or foggy. Mother nature is my guide as usual here on the 

Camino. I must admit being in a moving vehicle for the first time 

in 6 weeks is odd as the whole travel / get tickets plan for 

returning mode has to engage.  But what has now become a larger 

question is how do i bring the calm and  peace of the Camino to 

my daily life as i re- integrate.    And the answer. It's a process 

and all will flow. Love to you all. Embrace this new day and take 

a deep breath of what I hear  is full fall in pa.   See you soon. 

Camille in and on the Camino. 

Hola everyone. Well i did it !!! I'm herein Santiago

500 miles 700 kilometers from when I started 6 weeks

and 1 day ago in St Jean Pied de Port France. It is

a bittersweet feeling and I am spinning a bit. I am

definitely in the city now and it is busy here with

tourists and pilgrims and shopping frenzy. I go into 

that deer in the headlights so I'm going to just take

it all in and have some cafe  con leche decaf at this

point.  I'm in a lovely small pension/hotel near the

cathedral and will meet with some friends tonite for

dinner and Camino stories.  Still not sure of my plans

but all is well and I am grateful and joyful. Thank to

for all your support. It means so much to me and words

can't always convey such deep feeling and emotion.  

Love to you all from Camille still in and on  the Camino. 

Embrace the day and know you are loved.