Now that I have completed my Camino and have started to look back on my experience for a few days, I have come to realize that the most important and, in Idle’s words, “strange” part of my journey is just beginning: the journey of reflection. One could fill a small library with books of people’sContinue reading “One is embarking on a strange journey: Reflections after 500 miles (Part Two)”
Tag Archives: Spirituality
One is searching: Reflections at 400 miles
As I cross the 400-mile mark, I’ve been reflecting on Idle’s idea that on a pilgrimage one is searching. Certainly, the Three Magi were searching for the baby Jesus. What are other people searching for as they walk the Camino? One of the surprising aspects of walking the Camino has been the number of youngContinue reading “One is searching: Reflections at 400 miles”
My Cup Runneth Over
Each day, as donations in support of Episcopal Relief & Development roll in and I prepare to walk the Camino de Santiago, I am more moved by your unbounded support than I can possibly express. Late last week, just as we were closing in on the new goal of $50,000, friends stepped up and increasedContinue reading “My Cup Runneth Over”
Walking and Pilgrimage
Not far from where we stayed in Crete this summer, approximately 50 footprints were found in soft calcite clay sediment. The rock was dated by examining microfossils in surrounding rocks to 6.05 million years ago, at the start of the Messinian Age. The scattered footprints are believed to have been made by a close relativeContinue reading “Walking and Pilgrimage”
Training to Walk the Camino
Over the last year, I have been training to walk the Camino. At my age, balance and muscle resilience are key to a successful walk. That, and endurance. I’m now in week eleven of twelve for training. By the end of this week, I need to be able to hike five hours in hilly terrainContinue reading “Training to Walk the Camino”
The Scallop Shell
Many pilgrims on the Camino tie a scallop shell to their backpacks or on the laces of their boots. The scallop shell is also used to mark the route one is meant to walk on the way to Santiago de Compostela. So, what’s the deal with that? The association of St. James with scallops takes usContinue reading “The Scallop Shell”
Who was St. James?
As I prepare for my Camino, it occurs to me that I should learn a little about St. James the Great whose relics are believed to buried at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. 500 miles is a long way to walk without knowing anything about the person who has inspired millions to make a pilgrimage toContinue reading “Who was St. James?”
Walking the Camino for Lasting Change
The board of Episcopal Relief & Development has generously granted me a sabbatical this fall. As I was thinking about what I wanted to use the time for, I decided that I had a couple of goals for my sabbatical.
Spiritual but not Religious
In my experience the declaration that “I’m spiritual but not religious” is often greeted by a collective eye-roll in church circles. For many of us affiliated with formal church or faith organizations, it can seem a ridiculous thing to say. What we think we’re hearing is “I’m spiritual but not yet religious.”
Interstellar Space
Living as I do in an urban environment, it is not usually possible to see many, if any, stars on a regular basis. Fortunately, my work takes me off the beaten path to places where there is little ambient light to obscure the night sky. Most recently, I found myself in the desert ofContinue reading “Interstellar Space”
Rob's Reflections 