
The Camino is traditionally broken up into three stages: Physical, emotional, and spiritual. The first stage is the physical. I liken this to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. The first three stages of his hierarchy are Physiological, Safety, and Belonging and Love.
The first stage of the Camino involves grappling with the physical demands of daily walking, figuring out what to pack in your backpack, choosing where to eat and sleep, and finding ways to keep your clothes clean. You quickly shift your focus to staying safe, preventing blisters, avoiding injuries, determining how far or how short to walk each day, identifying accommodations that offer the best sleep, discovering which foods energize you, and deciding how much you should eat. After those initial days, you also begin to recognize familiar faces, connecting with other pilgrims and creating a sense of belonging and support that feels like unconditional love. The Camino transforms from a foreign place into a home where you truly belong.
The second stage is the emotional. Going back to Maslow, that’s esteem, cognitive, and aesthetic. You start to believe you can do it; you can walk 500 miles safely. You have the skills to overcome obstacles that are placed in your way. Negative things that you may have believed about yourself in the past melt away, and your daily accomplishments build up your belief in yourself. You may even start testing yourself to see what you can do. You take time to enjoy the beauty and create art out of rocks, flowers, and photos. Journal, write poetry, sing, and dance. Create deeper connections and conversations with other pilgrims.
The third stage is spiritual, which is when you integrate everything you have learned along the way. Maslow discusses self-actualization and transcendence. Your life purpose and intentions for your Camino become clearer. There is both inner and outer transformation. You become comfortable with knowing who you are and what you want to do with your life, and you believe that you can make it happen. You transcend obstacles and move forward with your life.
This is why re-entering your old way of being is so difficult. You have changed, and you know it. Your friends and family who did not share the experience are in a different place. Somehow, you have to piece those puzzle parts together again when you return. You may mourn the loss of who you were when you once fit in, and now realize that you don’t fit in the same way, needing to reconcile these feelings. The work has only just begun. But you know who you are and what you can achieve. You will decide what to keep in your life and what to let go. Like the cathedral's spires, you will soar into the beauty of all that you are.
Thank you Alder. You did a great job expressing the transformation and why it' a bit challenging to return. We are no longer the same person! Nice blog