Wilderness Time

The time walking the Camino was “Wilderness Time”.  Since the total time to walk the Camino takes about 5 weeks there was lots of what I call “Wilderness Time”. Time to “listen to your life”.

Solitude changes your perspective on time.

One of the gifts of walking the Camino is it gets you out of your normal experience of time, which is synchronous, moment to moment, “the commute to work/do the dishes” sense of time.

Wilderness time is slower, richer, deeper. We have time for our soul to catch up with our crazy busy mind. Time to go to the “school of silence” so we can “listen to our life.”

“In the wilderness, life is stripped of distractions. It is quiet… Solitude in the wilderness makes irrelevant all the people-pleasing habits that have become interwoven into our personality…When you get down to the core of yourself, you find a different, more primeval country, and in it a deep yearning to care and connect. It is where your heart and soul reside.” (The Second Mountain by David Brooks)

I learned a lot about myself during this long walk besides the fact that I was able to walk that far. I learned that the first part of my life was complete. I had achieved a lot at Boeing and it was a great place to work. I really enjoyed my time there and the caring and connections with all those I worked with over the years. Yet, I could sense a “second mountain” was ahead (reference to the great book I am reading). There was more “caring and connections” I wanted to make. I realized I was just getting started on establishing some new connections and making new commitments.  My heart and soul were in alignment.

Looking back now over 5 years later. I do see how this long walk was a pivot point in my life. It was the bridge from my first mountain to my second mountain. I will be forever grateful for my Camino “wilderness time”.

Blessings and grace to you,

John

Photograph of the Week

Ferns Abandoned

Took this image during a hike to Sugarloaf Mountain up near Anacortes.