Before I left home my friends asked me why I was walking the Camino Norte. And my answer was always the same: “I’m going to find out why I’m going.“
From the very start, the Camino demanded a level of surrender I wasn’t prepared for. My neatly outlined Virgo-ish plans and expectations quickly dissolved in the face of unpredictable weather, challenging terrain, physical pain, and the sheer exhaustion that would set in after hours of walking each day.
It was clear early on: this journey would be less about reaching Santiago and more about learning to surrender and trusting the process. Like I’ve said, it’s not about the miles.
As the days have turned into weeks, a rhythm has emerged in my days. Wake, walk, eat, rest - rinse and repeat. I find the simplicity of this routine to be liberating. And daily I find the space to reflect and connect with the world around me in a much more profound way.
Walking the Camino Norte is more than a journey across Spain; it's a pilgrimage that is stirring my soul and transforming my spirit. It is an experience that is causing profound spiritual and energetic changes within me. It is the perfect backdrop for introspection and connection with something far greater than myself.
This journey demands both my surrender and trust—two concepts that have become my faithful companions since the beginning as I move forward, step by step.
It is here that my full surrender has taken root and continues to grow. I let go of the need to control every aspect of my journey, embracing the uncertainty that the Camino brings. This act of surrender is not about giving up, but rather about opening up—releasing any preconceived notions and allowing my path to continue to unfold as it will.
Trust, as I’m finding, is a deeper ongoing relationship with the Divine. It’s the quiet assurance that despite the lack of control, things will work out for me as they are meant to. I trust in the path beneath my feet. I trust in my journey to Santiago. I trust in my ability to navigate any challenge that comes my way. The Camino is like a metaphor for my life in general… surrender and trust.
My life, like this pilgrimage, cannot be meticulously planned out. It must be lived, moment by moment, with an openness to whatever comes my way. This journey is the destination, and every step I take, no matter how difficult, is a step toward becoming more fully alive.
I surrender. I trust. I WALK.
~Candace ❤️
