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Faith Fall and the Goose Whisperer

Okay, we may need to play catch up over these next few days. There is much I’ve experienced and learned that I want to share. I think it is best I start from where I am and work backwards, though. So, this is my view at this very moment. I have been walking 15-20 miles a day and, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why I’m not losing weight. :)

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Yesterday, was my first day walking alone after reconnecting with Claus in Logronos. It may take me awhile to adjust to simply enjoying the beauty and the surprises for myself. It is so difficult to not want to share them with someone. It somehow makes special moments doubly special. That is one of the reasons I am grateful for you!

I enjoyed another day of walking the Meseta. So far, it has not been the “long, hot, boring, mind-numbing, psyche-rattling” road I’ve heard tale of. Sure, it hasn’t been as scenic but it has been flat and that is a welcome break to my shins which keep threatening to splint on a daily basis.

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My first stop outside of Fromista was at a little café/albergue in Pablacion de Campos. I saw a yard with hammocks hanging in the trees, a bridge over a pond and a sign that said, “Master Reiki Therapy.” Although, I was barely on my way and I was already getting a late start, I couldn’t resist the pull. I rested out in the sun, drank a café con leche and enjoyed a 30-minute Reiki session with a Tibetan-trained transpersonal psychotherapist. I just love how we find “our people” all over the world. :)

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When my children were little, I would teach them about trust by having them do a “Faith Fall” with me. I would stand them in front of me, have them close their eyes and then fall backwards, knowing that I would catch them. I wanted them to have a body memory of what it feels like to truly let go and trust and know you will be caught by Love. I was so touched by this Reiki therapist when he lead me to “Faith Fall” into his arms after he had done his energy work with me. (This is very much like what the Bible talks about when it refers to “the laying on of hands” in faith for healing through the power of God.) He said that he could sense that I had a very strong connection with God and that the energy of Love was flowing very freely through me but that there was some blockage of fear in regard to relationships. That is why he wanted me to practice letting go of fear and learning to trust another person to catch me. I walked on from there so amazed at the surprises hidden along the Camino – and with my eyes and heart open to find them.

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My next stop, few hours later, was at a little café that felt like a child’s petting zoo. I sat at a table, eating my cheese and tomato sandwich, surrounded by geese, roosters, baby chicks, ducks, and all sort of a sundry farm fowl. At one point, the geese got a little aggressive wanting to share my picnic and the owner walked over to my table and started talking to the geese and hugging them and scolding them and they quieted down. He was a real life “Goose Whisperer,” “St. Francis” and “Dr. Doolittle!”

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I finally made my way into Carrion de los Condes where I was planning to stay at an albergue run by nuns that I had read wonderful things about. When I walked in, all the pilgrims were sitting in a circle and the nuns were leading them all in singing songs of faith from the countries which were represented. It was such a connecting and moving experience. After we sang our last song, I approached one of the nuns to check in. She told me that all the beds were already taken and she directed me to another albergue down the road. That one was full, too. I was tired, it was getting cold, my shins were squealing, my backpack was making a not-so-good impression on my shoulders and I just wanted to take a shower and get in bed. I didn’t even want to stop for dinner.

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I found a little “AirBnB” type room in a home and enjoyed an evening catching up with my family back home. I haven’t been able to FaceTime with them since Pamplona. There’s a part of me that can’t believe I’ve already been walking for three weeks and there is another part of me that can’t believe I still have another three to go. I also can’t believe that I’ve come to the end of this blog post and I still haven’t made a dent in catching you up on what I’ve missed sharing with you. I’ll try again tomorrow.

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