Camino de Santiago Journey: Days 5 and 6
Day 5: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Today marks the fifth day of our Camino de Santiago journey. Since leaving Saint Jean Pied de Port on Tuesday, September 3, we've walked 113.7 kilometres. Our goal for today was a shorter walk of 19 kilometres, but it turned out to be more challenging than expected.
A few kilometres into our hike, I was hit with sudden back pain. The 10-kilo backpack I'd been carrying began to take its toll, and soon the pain became so intense that it slowed me to a snail's pace. My husband, in an attempt to help, carried my pack along with his own for a short while. But even this didn't ease the searing pain that was steadily getting worse.
In my desperation, I turned to prayer. I opened my heart and asked God to send me a fellow pilgrim who was to be a physiotherapist to help me. Little did I know how quickly my prayer would be answered.
When we arrived at our evening accommodation, Casa Magica, I was amazed to encounter a fellow pilgrim named Brenda - a physiotherapist! As if prepared for this very situation, Brenda had brought a TENS machine to help treat people who might need support along the journey. The treatment really helped, and I was able to get a good night's rest.
Day 6: Sunday, September 8, 2024
We set off early the next morning for a 25-kilometer walk to Los Arcos. At first, my back felt okay, but the pain soon returned with a vengeance. With 14.6 kilometres still to go, on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere, I had no choice but to keep moving forward. My state of mind was good and despite the pain I chose to remain optimistic a solution would come.
Deciding not to stop for lunch with my husband and daughter, choosing instead to continue walking so they could catch me up later.
To distract myself, I began listening to an audiobook called "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael A Singer. As I listened, something strange happened. The book mentioned the three pillars of Zen, which immediately caught my attention.
Months ago, I'd had a strange dream where I was clearly shown three pillars, but I didn't understand their meaning at the time. Now, it all made sense - the pillars in my dream were referring to this Zen meditation practice.
As I recognised this connection, I also realised I needed pain relief to complete the walk. I began to practice the meditation technique described in the book. I soon felt a disconnection between my mind and body. The pain was still there, but I felt detached from it. Before I knew it, I had completed the walk in a state of calm, my prayers answered once again.
I finished the day with a profound realisation: I was meant to walk with this pain to learn how to overcome intense physical discomfort. This journey is helping to teach me more about inner strength, perseverance, and the power of the mind.
