“The Camino Provides,” and “Camino Magic,” are terms that get thrown around a lot. In my experience they’re both true; I’ve found what I needed on the Camino, and received many more unexpected blessings. This time I experienced both here in Pamplona before I even started walking.
About ten years ago I lent some of my Camino books to a Nancy Reynolds, a fellow pilgrim I met on Facebook. We got together for coffee several times, and later, when I was Interim at St. Anne’s, Fremont, she came down with a friend to attend church on a Sunday and sit in on my presentation on the Camino.
At that point, Nancy already had a long association with the Camino. Then she started a company called “The Camino Experience,” where she serves as a coach and guide for groups of pilgrims making their first Camino. She meets them in St. Jean Pied-de-Port, builds community among the group, and helps them start over the Pyrenees, and on through Pamplona, where they all stay at the same Pension. She’s a wonderful resource.
I kept up with Nancy online and I was thrilled when I discovered her podcast, “You on the Camino.” It’s so good! She breaks down how to prepare for a Camino in a clear, step by step process, and poses great questions. She also interviews people preparing to walk and those who’ve returned.
That reflection piece is important and the need for it is underestimated. The Camino is a transformative journey that can continue to transform us if we listen to our experience and incorporate what we’ve learned into our life after the Camino.
As I was prepping for this trip I checked out Nancy’s “Camino Experience” website and saw that she and I would overlap in Pamplona. So I reached out and we made plans to reconnect while we were both here.
Yesterday we met for a delicious, long lunch at a restaurant where the Camino enters Pamplona. It was meaningful to talk with her about my pilgrimage as well as her work on the Camino with pilgrims. It was so much fun, we did it again today!
We agreed that the Camino is all about connection, transformation, and…Camino Magic.
If you’re interested in walking the Camino, be sure to check out Nancy’s podcast, “You on the Camino” wherever you get your podcasts. You can find the link to her company “The Camino Experience” on the homepage of the blog.
One Footestep at a Time 