Finisterre, the end of the world

We´ve reached Finisterre and the end of the world according to Camino legend and the beliefs of the Celts who used to send their deceased out to sea from this place, the westernmost point of Europe. We´ve been here for 5 days now as we´ve found a very agreeable place to spend our time at the ¨pilgrim home¨ of Miguel and Julianna and their one year old son, Julios. We´ve found a home with a meditation room, art room, living room and kitchen where others who have been walking on the Camino are also coming to take rest after the long walk. In the evenings those who wish to share a meal make something to share and others who like do the same, then we´re sitting down together in a circle to eat and give thanks. It´s quite an international mix, and really one sees how the Camino joins together the world community as everyone (old and young and from every country) comes to make these walks. We´ve discovered that the paths are many as one can start from just about anywhere in Europe. The tradition is to walk from one´s own home and then to walk back. Even you can go from your own doorstep if you live as far north as Russia, as far south as southern Italy. There are actual routes across Europe to Santiago and then to Finisterre. However, some of the routes are more well marked by the yellow arrow and scallop shell than others. The tradition is at the end of the walk to collect a scallop shell from the ocean and then this becomes one´s credential so that others know one is a pilgrim and then is offered pilgrim´s menu and pilgrim´s rates for accomodation. The scallop shell is a good choice because this type of shell is plentiful on the beaches here, they´re strong, and they have the symbolism of the many lines of the shell coming to one point. ... Certainly this has been part of the way as well since everyone is not only coming from his or her own physical destination and starting point, but one´s own philosophical and mental understanding. There are many interesting conversations among the pilgrims about one´s beliefs ... and about ¨the way¨ which is another way to translate the word ¨camino¨. What I´ve heard most are statements like this: It´s about helping others, doing good like that; Life is about giving and sharing with others and doing for others and like that one helps oneself. There seems to be a lot of shared community sentiment that is this very notion. We hear stories now, too, from pilgrims telling about their experience on the camino ... telling how hard it had been, and what were some of the ¨tests¨that each one was presented ... such as a lot of anger coming up. Or some we are meeting deliberately walked the path very slowly as a walking meditation, or just so not to have the goal in mind so much as to experience the way each and every day as one was going, or the musician who carried his guitar and so could only go short distances. Each one has something to say, and many are in life in a transitional place changing from one profession to another, and all are very happy to reach the end and to feel the accomplishment of having come so many kilometers on foot. One Frenchman was so moved he couldn´t express, but just he said he felt ¨sentimental¨and said he didn´t know, but all it was is that he could feel this feeling in his heart and it was so strong for him. He walked from Le Puy in France and came about 8 weeks of walking.

For us we are grateful to be here, and we are enjoying our time at the Casa de Miguel and Julianna. Since 5 days it has been more rain and wind than sun and so we are making best use of time spent inside! We have been resting, sharing with others, meditating, doing yoga (and teaching it to others), cooking, reading, making origami with the children and other pilgrims (Wes has been teaching all of us), walking at the beach some. We´ve even had an offer to stay for the summer if I want to teach yoga to the pilgrims (and then we could make some concerted efforts to learn Spanish, too!)

As of now ... our plan is to return to Barcelona before June 17 as we´ve signed up to serve a ten day Vipassana meditation course at the Vipassana Center, Dhamma Neru, that is near Barcelona. Perhaps there we will get more clear about our next ¨camino¨ so to see what arises in our own minds about our next plan. Currently we are gathering a lot of information about walking in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalucia; I´m thinking about getting the credential to teach English, and then to teach English and yoga. Of course, we would both like to learn Spanish! ... We´ve realized that this takes time and that spending time in places is the way to achieve this very goal (a tutor and text book are a good idea too).

We´ll try to post pics, but we may have lost them in the camera ...

With love to all, and our best wishes, too!