Genuine serendipity

Genuine serendipity. I found these marvellous quotations whilst searching the internet this morning.

Travel is a holy journey for pilgrims, loaded with unexpected surprises, mysteries and possibilities that can stir our hearts and bring us spiritual and bodily wholeness. — Leonard J. Biallas

Pilgrims embark on a quest to find the sacred in everyday experiences and transform their selves through deeper connectedness with God, others, and the world. — Leonard J. Biallas

Journeys are occasionally terrifying, sometimes fulfilling, always exciting. What is commonplace at home takes on a new lustre in a foreign land. — Robert McAfee Brown

Allah has laid out the Earth for you like a vast carpet so that you will travel its endless roads. — The Qur'an

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware. — Martin Buber

Our real journey in life is interior it is a matter of growth, deepening, and an ever greater surrender to the creative action of love and grace in our hearts. — Thomas Merton

Documentation

I read that the Cami de Llevant is well-marked with yellow arrows and other forms of way marks. Yet, these may be absent in certain situations, for a variety of reasons, or totally confusing. I have Gerard Rousse's guidebook "Sur le chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle: Le Chemin du Levant". I will call at the Associació "Amigos del Camino de Santiago" Comunitat Valenciana to buy a copy of "The Way of St James from Valencia to Santiago GR-239" an English language guidebook, and their pilgrim credential (credencial). These books include details of accommodation opportunities en route.

Pilgrims carry a credential in which they authenticate their progress by obtaining stamps (sellos) along the way. Stamps can be obtained at hotels and inns, restaurants, bars, churches, museums, city halls, police stations, albergues. So, the credential becomes an amazing decorative record of the journey. The Oficina de Acogida de Peregrinos in Santiago de Compostela advises pilgrims to obtain two stamps per day during the final 100-km if walking or on horseback or the last 200-km if cycling. This also  applies to pilgrims such as myself who start outside the 100 and 200-km limits.

When registering at an albergue, pilgrims are asked for their credential to verify that they are genuine pilgrims walking or cycling the Camino. In addition, upon reaching Santiago de Compostela, at the Oficina de Acogida de Peregrinos, pilgrims can present the stamped credential to confirm having walked the prescribed distance as walkers or cyclists, whereupon they receive a Compostela that certifies their pilgrimage.

Weather and language

I followed Europe's harsh winter with some interest but my recent focus was on Spain. I'm encouraged by Valencia's 5 day forecast: Saturday Chance of Rain 23° C | 12° C; Sunday Chance of Rain 18° C | 8° C; Monday Scattered Clouds 21° C | 8° C; Tuesday Scattered Clouds 18° C | 5° C; Wednesday Scattered Clouds 18° C | 6° C. I expect that the temperature will have risen by a few degrees by the time I set-off. These are ideal walking conditions.　

My reading of the Cami de Llevant stressed that pilgrims would encounter few English speakers on that route and the importance for adequate Spanish language skills. I followed the advise and joined a local Spanish language class. Fingers crossed!

My new blog design

I'm showing of my new blog design and hope you like it. Blogger's  stock set of templates had grown a bit stale. But no longer. They have improved not just template designs, but ways you can customize the look and layout of your blog, and it's easy.

Books

So what will I miss when plodding towards the Atlantic Ocean? Books definitely - they are much to heavy to carry! My normal daily routine is walking and reading Australian, British, Irish, US, and global literary award winners and their near miss cousins.

My testimonivms

I’m gripped by the pilgrim bug but my journeys did not begin until 2000 when I walked with my wife to Santiago de Compostela to finish at the lighthouse in Finisterre. Next came a pilgrimage from Winchester to Le Mont Saint Michel followed by the Saint Cuthbert's Way to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) off the coast of Northumberland. I also walked the Camino Portugués to Santiago de Compostela, and more recently La via Francigena to Rome when I began from my home in north London.

Are you sure it's safe to go alone?

I have only been in my small community for 18 months since relocating to Australia from the United Kingdom, and remain very much the 'stranger in our midst'. I enrolled for a Spanish language course to prepare for the Cami de Llevant. Our tutor was interested in our reasons for studying Spanish to better pitch her teaching. Of course, my pilgrimage received considerable interest but even more so because I'm going alone. (I had searched for companions but to no avail.) There were exclamations  of concern: "Are you sure it's safe?" Well, I don't know if it's safe or not. I certainly do not have the capacity or means to predict the future. Only God knows how long I have to live, and on this journey I place myself in his care. Totally!

I follow Shoma Morita's three rules: accept all your feelings, know your purpose(s), and do what needs to be done. Of course, I have been presented with feelings of trepidation, doubt, and such like, and that’s natural. But, I know my purpose and what needs to be done. I'm well prepared, in good health and reasonably fit and strong.  

Why would you a Buddhist embark on a Christian pilgrimage?

Pilgrimages are walking Zen; step by step the practitioner makes his or her way through blue sky temples and white  cloud monasteries. Conducted in the traditional manner - on foot, in old-fashioned garb, carrying no money, accepting whatever comes - pilgrimages are among the most demanding, and therefore most rewarding, of all religious disciplines. (Martin Roth and John Steven, 1985,  p. 108)

I was asked why I, a Buddhist, would want to embark on a 1,200-km “Christian” pilgrimage from Valencia to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. My behaviour is seemingly viewed as incongruent. There are all sorts of reasons, of course, ranging from the sheer physical challenge of such a lengthy undertaking through the cultural/historic considerations to spiritual aspects in it's widest sense. There is  the build-up of inner strength as one day unfolds before the next, seeing new places, meeting new faces, the simplicity of life on the road, pared down to it's bare essentials, solitude, and each or a combination of them are personal to me as they resemble the reasons that lead me to walk the Cami de Llevant.

I had experienced the archetypal yearning to practice the type of embodied spirituality that is to be found by going on pilgrimage. I have a stirring that leads me to want to walk in the footsteps of earlier pilgrims and directly experience holy places. No matter how weak and far from the Christian religion I may feel before going on pilgrimage – during the time on the road I'm changing and experience lightness and freedom despite the hardships and ongoing uncertainties (the availability of nice nutritious vegetarian food is high on my list of ongoing uncertainties), and the monotonous routine of repetitive long-distance walking and daily chores. I explore new horizons. I'm in contact with God.

I have little control over what happens when on pilgrimage (or what happens in the world around me, for that matter). So the pilgrimage is my teacher and I learn to accept what the world does to me. I also learn to free myself from anxiety and how much I can do without. I'm also reminded about how much I don't know why I want to undertake these amazing journeys. An old Zen story captures the spirit of going on pilgrimage.

The wandering monk Fa-yen was asked by Ti-ts'ang, "Where are you going?"
"Around on pilgrimage," said Fa-yen.
Ti-ts'ang asked, "What is the purpose of pilgrimage?"
"I don't know," replied Fa-yen.
Ti-ts'ang nodded and said, "Not knowing is nearest."

Paulo Coelho wrote about his pilgrim experience,

My turning point was my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It was then that I, who had dedicated most of my life to penetrate the 'secrets' of the universe, realized that there are no secrets. Life is and will always be a mystery.