Opinion: The simple magic of the Camino in a world packed full of busyness

Putting one foot in front of the other: Mary Cody on how the magic of walking the Camino draws her back time and time again

I first discovered the magic and mysticism of the Camino in 2012 and over the years I find myself drawn back there time and time again and I am always happy to return there.

There is something humbling and satisfying about packing a small bag and carrying it on your back with only the bare necessities (the less, the better) and walking from morning until evening, day after day. The simple repetition is a powerful tonic for the mind, body and soul and there is no doubt that it brings healing to many people.

The Camino is an ancient pilgrim path and is also known as The Way of St James which stretches over 750 kilometres across the north of Spain. The most popular starting point is St Jean Pied de Port in the Basque region of France. The first day or two of walking is a baptism of fire of sorts as you hike over the Pyrenees with the highest point at Col de Lepoeder at 1,450 metres, some 409 metres higher than Carrauntoohill (Ireland’s highest peak). The physical feat and intoxicating natural beauty of this area is a potent antidote for most of life’s ailments or worries. After that first few days of walking and enduring and enjoying you feel and know you have arrived on the Camino. Even a short stint feels like a positive reboot offering fresh and new perspectives to contemplate as you put one foot in front of the other.

At the beginning, when I first started to come out to do various stages of the Camino, I did not refer to my time out there as being on a pilgrimage but over the years everytime I venture back out there it feels more and more like one to me. Maybe it is that I am getting older, that the spiritual side to this experience seems more real to me than before. There is something special and sacred about being by yourself, walking through wild countryside with only birdsong and the elements for company most of the time.

However there are challenges, there are physical pressures, from blisters to sore limbs and general fatigue from walking 25 to 30 kilometres day after day, to missed turnoffs leading to lengthy detours, sometimes at the end of the walking day, teaching you the importance of paying attention.

Then there are the people from all over the world and all walks of life who are searching for solace or seeking to push themselves to their physical limits. Each night most pilgrims stay in often basic hostels and share in a communal meal and while the camaderie can be fun, tolerance is key, people can challenge your beliefs or irk you but knowing that we are walking the same path and may meet again means that there is an unspoken understanding that people are kind to each other.

Over the years I have walked on the Camino with many people, some for a short while and others for days or even weeks. Nowadays I cherish time walking alone and enjoy the company of others during the shared pilgrims meal in the hostels each evening.

The benefits of nature and walking are well-established so it makes perfect sense that walking the Camino provides a welcome respite from the busyness of daily life. What becomes apparent within days of returning to the simple routine of walk, eat, sleep, repeat is that this way of living in some ways feels very real, it is in essence what humans have done since time began.

There are so many lessons to be learned from living in this way, how very little we need and the less we literally carry with us the more liberated and free we become, the importance of kindness and not judging others and most importantly to take care and be kind to yourself.

At a time of turmoil across the world where more and more people are becoming polarised it feels like returning to simple values is a wise way to live. Walking the Camino shows us how to live and how joy and peace often emanates from tough times and suffering and how we should strive not to judge others and to kinder to each other and ourselves.

There is no giving up when the path stretches out in front of you and the only way to reach your destination is to often slowly put one foot in front of the other and to keep going and who knows what joy and beauty you might encounter along the way.