Carpe Diem #77, Pilgrimage to Santiago De Compostela (or The Way of St. James)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

As we enter on the soils of Spain, leaving the Pyrenees behind, Paulo performs The Seed Excercise for the 7th time and is caught in it's power. By slapping him in the face, Petrus brings him back to real life saying: 'That's the problem with those who perform this excercise if they are looking for the little details as you always do. You've to look at the bigger thing to find your sword again'.

Marmotte in the Pyrenees

between the rocks
a marmotte is hiding for the sun -
a skylark's song

(c) Chèvrefeuille

As they went on with their pilgrimage Paulo asks Petrus whether he was worried about the many things he had been forced to abandon in order to guide a pilgrim in search of his sword. Petrus answers him with the following. And I think his (Petrus') words are very true.

[...] ‘When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth. You confront completely new situations, the day passes more slowly, and on most journeys you don’t even understand the language the people speak. So you are like a child just out of the womb. You begin to be more accessible to others because they may be able to help you in difficult situations. And you accept any small favor from the gods with great delight, as if it were an episode you would remember for the rest of your life. ‘At the same time, since all things are new, you see only the beauty in them, and you feel happy to be alive. That’s why a religious pilgrimage has always been one of the most objective ways of achieving insight. The word peccadillo, which means a “small sin,” comes from pecus, which means “defective foot,” a foot that is incapable of walking a road. The way to correct the peccadillo is always to walk forward, adapting oneself to new situations and receiving in return all of the thousands of blessings that life generously offers to those who seek them’. [...] (Source: The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho)

Pilgrimage to Santiago De Compostela

In his answer lays the truth ... a pilgrimage is way to be reborn again. You will see new things and will experience new things. You are confronted with new situations which you need to adjust to. This is why we meditate and contemplate about all things we have learned while we are travelling between different places, as we do e.g. on our Shikoku Pilgrimage. The real revelations are coming to us while we are walking the paths between the different temples and in those revelations we conclude all what is happening to us while on our way. We meet other pilgrims whom we talk with. Together with all those other pilgrims, the nature around us and all the things we see while walking our path, all things which come in mind while we are walking ... all those ne experiences re-form us, make us all new re-born humans. That's why we are that anxious to complete our pilgrimage along the 88 temples, as we do on Shikoku, or as Paulo Coelho does while searching for his ritual sword on his pilgrimage to Santiago De Compostela.

There is the similarity between the pilgrimages we are following this month and the next. And what a joy to read the contributions of Bryan who performs his own pilgrimage by using John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. As we are going on with our pilgrimage on Shikoku we are also part of the pilgrimage by Paulo and Bryan. This month will be awesome and I think we will come closer to Enlightenment, Karumi as Basho calls it.

a whispered prayer -
pilgrims on their way to Santiago 
walking the Path of God

walking the Path of God
reaching out to their deepest thoughts
seeking the Light

seeking the Light
while chanting psalms or mantras
pilgrims on their way

pilgrims on their way
enjoying Mother Earth's beauty -

a whispered prayer

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Camino Sign, pointing the way to Santiago De Compostela

What a joy to guide you all over the paths and roads between the seperated goals of life ... a pilgrimage in characters, words and haiku ... together as one ... full of respect and love. Enjoy the pilgrimage and maybe ... experience rebirth ...

This Special episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET)and will remain open until February 15th 11.59 AM (CET). I will (try to) post our next episode later on today. Our new goal on Shikoku will be Hotsumisakiji (temple 24) and will bring us on the second part of the Shikoku Pilgrimage as we enter Kochi Prefecture.