Post Camino Revelations

 

Life, The Universe and Everything – in 40 Days

 

OK, I said that I would share my Camino Revelations when I got to Santiago.  I’m a bit late!  But I’ve still been processing some things….

In a separate post later, I may share some of the more ‘Spiritual’ elements of my Camino.  Not quite ‘burning bushes’ but it was close a few times!

For now, I’ll talk about that whole issue of answers and questions.

Early in my Camino I was searching for answers.

What to do differently with my life, what direction to take and sub consciously to a degree, what to do about my work life.   Like many business owners, I tend to be a workaholic.

This was one of the main reasons I felt the need to get away and have a real break, away from distractions.  I’ve been running my own businesses for almost 20 years and had a ‘full on’ career for 20 years prior to that.   So the only way to get ‘time out’ to reflect on things was to drop into the Amazon Jungle for a month, or walk the Camino.  And I don’t like snakes…..

So here I was, with all the time in the World to reflect and ponder.  And certainly the first 10 days or so were all about unwinding and getting into the ‘Rhythm’ of the walk.  I found those first 10 days were almost the best.  It was just so different to my normal routine.  It was a real pleasure to just get up each day and walk.  To take in my surroundings, nature, other pilgrims.  It was a real pleasure.

 

 

I then started to search for answers.

Or at least to open up my mind to answers and ideas that might come along.  I think this was a key to the success of my Camino.  (Recognising that we all walk our Camino in our own way).

I had no pre conceived ideas of how things would unfold in terms of the Physical, Emotional and Spiritual journey.  I was open to whatever was thrown at me.  And I made a point of reinforcing this each day.  Because each day I would visit a Church, at least once.  And if there was no Church open, I’d find a suitable quiet spot along the way.

I had a simple daily mantra.  Thank you for allowing me to undertake this journey for another day, and I promise to do so with an open heart and an open mind, so that I don’t miss any key lessons that you have for me.   I guess that was as much for me to hear, as anyone else ‘upstairs’ who might be listening.

Then I think it was on one of my ‘down’ days I realised that I was searching in the wrong place.  I was searching for answers, when in fact I should have been searching for the right question.

And over the next couple of days, the question came to me…..

What do you want out of life?  I didn’t share this at the time, because it seemed too simple and I still had to process the answers.  And maybe other ‘elements’ would still come in to play?

Then the answer came as I was walking out of Granon.  On that perfect day.  It was as if all the planets aligned and the answer was pure and simple.  Happiness.  If I could have bottled up all the emotion I felt in that couple of hours out of Granon I would have.  It was pure bliss.  I was walking on air in one of the happiest moments of my life.

So my reflections now took a different direction.  In order for me to be happy, what would need to happen?  And of course the pieces started to fall into place.  Family, friends, work colleagues, clients.  It was all about people and relationships.  The work ‘stuff’ and the materialistic ‘stuff’ were not the goals.  Just tools that would enable happy things to happen and perhaps give more freedom of choice.

My Brother Dave was a bit apprehensive I think when I mentioned that I would ‘reveal’ my big revelation at the end of my Camino!  When we met for dinner that night in Ambasmestas, I assured him it was nothing to worry about and that it was still a ‘work in progress’!

So my challenge now is really two-fold.

Firstly to reflect further on my plans to achieve greater happiness in my life.  And start to put them into place of course.

And secondly, to see how that changes my work life into the future.  And I suspect it will only change things for the good J

I’ll keep you posted…..