24.5.2014 Camino Aftermath: Symbolism

Camino and symbolism.

Scallop shell.

Before the Camino, the first thing that would have probably come to my mind when looking at scallop shell was the famous corporation's slogan: "Go well, go shell." Funny, how easily it could have been adopted to Camino's purpose. Nevertheless, the Way is much older than the Dutch corporation, so it might have been vice versa, too.

When I see someone wearing this sign on his backpack I know the meaning, and suddenly the memories still like flashbacks are coming back: 

"Yes, I can..." and "Poco a poco.(Little by little.)" are the words that resonate within me which I have learnt from my walking companion Sharon, a 70 year old pilgrim from California whose reply to questions about her vitality was: "I am rich in life."

Everyone starting a Camino usually receives a shell at the beginning of one's journey and usually attaches it to his backpack. At the time it feels like a tourist's souvenir. Now, being back in my home country and holding it in my hand, it's much more than that. It's different, somehow transformed. It is the experience it encompasses that makes it transformed.

Backpack.

It is stated as a general advice that a pilgrim should carry 10% of his body weight. I have overblown this recommendation by additional 10% and was carrying approximately 20% of my body weight in my first week. While being still back home, before the actual trip, I put my fully loaded backpack on, walked a little around with it and thought: "Hey, that's not that bad, I can do it." Well, a pilgrim's daily walk is on average 25kms and you can be sure to feel every additional grams you will carry which I did not want to realize at the time.

After first week of walking, when my right ankle got swollen (probably doubled in size when compared to my left ankle) and first major blisters appeared, I  came to realize I was risking an injury and the whole journey. I decided to act immediately and had sent a package weighing almost 4 kgs of gear I considered unnecessary back to my home country. 

How symbolic! How much unnecessary burdens we take on us voluntarily in our own lives? Life could be much more fun and easier without them.

Walking poles (or a stick).

Initially, I have thought that the walking poles are just a touristy hoax, or a support for really old people with weak joints. How wrong was I!

The walking sticks can take  up to 30% of weight put on your feet. I got mines in Burgos after walking 300 kms and the difference in walking was immediate.

How much support and from whom am I getting in my life? And how much support and to whom am I giving? Life can be easier when you share a mutual support with someone, like with a walking companion during the a Camino.

Yellow arrows.

I am thinking of how it must have been in the past, long ago, even centuries, with roads unmarked, when pilgrims were truly seeking God and following routes which are nowadays noticeably marked by yellow arrows. I secretly wished to get lost. The Universe has most likely heard my wish and once I took a very hard unmarked alternative route (which I personally remember as the toughest ever) and secondly I really got lost and walked probably 2-3 kms in a wrong direction. After realizing that, I just turned around and walked back to the point when I made the wrong turn.

It's human to make mistakes as well as it should be human to admit it and make a corrective action. We can learn a lot by doing so.

On the other hand, not all advice is good, sometimes it is necessary to take a different route which may seem to others as irrational or as against the traditional thinking, however such routes will teach us new lessons.

Pain.

I am no athlete and even if I were I don't believe that there is anything that would prepare me for the experience of walking the Camino. 

There were couple of moments during which I felt that I must be on the edge, that it would take a little for my body to collapse under the weight and the heat of the sun.

First day of walking, the toughest part of the Way - crossing Pyrenees - I caught a flew which was growing into inflammation with increased temperature. I put myself on antibiotics and kept on going. 

Walking with blisters hurts. Soon I learnt (through advice of others) how to deal with them by pinching them and having iodine injections run through them.

Walking with a swollen ankle puts you on the edge. One wrong step, uneven terrain, wrong shoes and you may end up with an injury. I found an ankle support in a pharmstore and bought the walking sticks which were initially lended to me by Sharon. 

I got beaten by bed bugs. A very unpleasant experience. I learnt to use antiseptic cream on my bites and prevent such experience by using anti bed bug sheet.

Inspite all of this painful experience I remember saying to someone, a week before reaching Santiago: "I got blisters, I got bed bug bites, skin on my feet is a disaster, but I know that when I reach Santiago, I am going to miss this." The state of mind overrules the state of body.