The Contrary Way
A 30 day Inspirational Guide to the journey back to yourself.
Day 12 Facing the wind.
A huge bird flies by. Was it an Eagle? A crow calls out to me and I look up, almost tripping over a rock jutting out of the dirt path. Mother Nature is ever present, everywhere.
One day of walking, equates to two days that I am further away from Santiago. With each step I'm letting go of the destination everyone else is heading toward. My end is their beginning. I feel it behind me and it's comforting. The pilgrims coming toward me today are determined and confident. Often dressed the same, almost everyone wears high tech hiking clothes, lightweight boots, brightly coloured backpacks and gortex jackets carrying the John Brierley guidebook. Many of them follow the guide closely as if it offers something more than trusting in the journey itself. I look at myself and realize I am dressed the same way, carrying the same book (that is useless when going al contrario). I laugh out loud.
The wind fiercely blows in their faces. Eyes squint. Their poncho's flipping all around, annoyingly. Many times I stop and talk to the pilgrims. Sometimes we just greet each other with great honour. For me it's very challenging to stop and start walking again. I never get to walk beside a pilgrim and talk because no one is going my way. I long to do that. I ask: How can I serve from this perspective? Without hearing an answer I immediately begin to offer metta, loving kindness, to every pilgrim I see. I practice being loving kindness and then I forget what I'm doing because I'm distracted by other thoughts. I learned in Vipassana meditation that one can only offer metta with a completely clear mind. This is a practice of cultivating love.
Think about where you are in your life.
Are you facing the wind? Are you walking in the direction of everyone else or the contrary way? Notice this. Neither is good or bad, right or wrong.
Ask yourself: How can I serve humanity from my perspective? Write down 3 things you can do in everyday life. Look at ways where you can you cultivate love in your life. Give someone a hug. Try not to judge. Be honest. Give something away that you love. Tell someone you love them. Be love in every action. Work at it everyday and be sure to share your stories with others. The learning is in the conversation.
Tomorrow is about finding Angels on the Camino.Suseya!
Love and light,
Sue
Love and light,SueAuthor of Canadian best-selling book My Camino presently in development as a feature film.www.suekenney.caFacebook My Camino/SuseyaTwitter CaminoPeregrinahttp://mycaminojourney.blogspot.com/
Hi Sue,
ReplyDeleteRight now I am walking into the wind but thanks to your words and kindness, I can see there is peace and joy ahead as I remember my Camino and continue on my journey.
I am sure that there are many people who read your blog and do not write a response. I wanted you to know that many more hear your words and are touched than you are aware.
Thank you
Ruth
This was such an interesting theme and well written. I am sad that it seems to have come to a halt. I do hope that Sue (and her close ones) are ok and that she has a mundane reason for leaving us stranded here with the wind blowing in our faces. :-)
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