Monday 20 September 2010

Why this development?

So you have been on a pilgrimage. You enjoyed it and learnt so much!
It changed your life. You will never be able to look at things quite the same.
You had experiences that we out of you box and made you realize, perhaps
for the first time that there is more to life than the 9~5. You never
thought that strangers could be so kind. You saw that there was another way to
live. One of respect and kindness to others. A simple lifestyle that made
all the hassle of life seem so far away and so wrong. You have come
home with a commitment to be different and to treat others and life differently.
To travel light. And most of all to be more aware of God. who you
met in those long hours of walking.

Now you are home and wonder what to do with all those wonderful
thoughts and experiences. Well here is an answer. Join us. We are a
small group of pilgrims who are trying to extend the experience
'over there' into a way of living our day to day lives. We are not
experts nor do we have all the answers, but we know what we
know of our pilgrim experiences and we know what we now
want to be.

The experience is not new. Saints and Sinners thought the ages
have come to this point. One of the answer has been to take the
experience and resolve into a few simple sentences and try to live
by the statement. In classical Christian spiritually this is called
forming 'A Rule.' We do not yet have a rule and it may be sometime
before we have got to the point where the rule has been developed
in a way that is satisfactory to all. However, we are moving towards
that goal. It will be like a rule of one of the Monastic communities~ a third
order style rule. ( If you want to look at an example trying googleing
'Third Order Franciscans',to get a better idea. of where we are going. )

So I invite you to join in a a conversation here about this way to
incorporate thepilgrim life into you life in was that truly makes it
life changing,

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for this Ian. I've been reflecting a lot personally on the effects my Camino last year has had on my life. Some of this is on my Pilgrimpace blog:

    http://pilgrimpace.wordpress.com/

    I'm very interested in engaging with other people's stories and experiences too. Thanks for all you do - perhaps we could meet up sometime,

    Andy

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  2. I am interested in following your ideas in this worthwhile topic. Lots of us get the camino blues after walking in Spain, and I for one, have a hard time being back home and trying to return to "normal" life after camino, and it seems to get worse each time. Next year's Via de la Plata will truly test me, and I would really love to put some sort of plan into action before we go so that the return is easier. Maybe this points to things that need attention in my life? Certainly, I need to declutter, physically and maybe mentally, spiritually. . . . easier said than done. I love the simplicity of camino, with few possessions and life pared down to basics . . each day, get up, walk, find food, find somewhere to sleep . . .... walking itself becoming a form of meditiation.

    So, I am interested in other people's stories too, and how they cope and incorporate camino into life. All the best, Carole

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  3. Hi Carole. Thank you for replying to this post.
    I am trying ti lay out my thoughts in a way that gives time for everyone to think them through. So keep with us and join in the conversation. As this is by e techno it maybe a little slower than a face to face conversation. In the mean time have a look at website that are about the third orders of the momastic communities. They will fire your imagination.
    Ian H.
    Pilrim Anam Cara

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