Camino de Santiago
Why include the Camino on a website about transformation? It’s simple.  People start on the Camino as hikers and end as transformed pilgrims. Do you enjoy walking a few hours in nature. Can you imagine how wonderful people feel, even transformed, after walking days, weeks, months in nature on the Camino? 

What is the Camino de Santiago?
The Camino is a series of 1000-year-old pilgrim trails across France and northern Spain. At the height of its popularity in mediaeval times several hundred thousand people walked it a year. Their destination was a church in Santiago de Compostela, the final resting place of what are believed to be the remains of Saint James. In the Middle Ages, a pilgrim’s goal was absolution from sins. The walk was a ticket to heaven. Walking the Camino in a normal year absolved pilgrims from half of their sins. Completing the journey in a year in which the feast of the patron saint fell on a Sunday absolved one from all sins.

Today, people walk the Camino de Santiago to enjoy an economical holiday, to exercise, to commune with nature, to meet new and interesting people, and to celebrate their spirituality. Some walk the Camino to be alone, and have no interest in other pilgrims nor in personal transformation. Many start as hikers and end as pilgrims, including me. As I walked I became aware of my spiritual experience as illustrated throughout this book.  I learned much more about myself in seven weeks on two Camino trips than I ever imagined possible.

I’m surprised how many adults in their 40s and 50s, as well as 60’s and 70s are contemplating walking the Camino. Many see it as an opportunity to facilitate a transition in their lives. Their reasons include: to retire, to get in touch with their true self or to improve their physical conditioning. From speaking to pilgrims and listening to their stories I’ve learned that everyone’s Camino is different. Your mode of transportation (by foot, on a bicycle or other forms of transportation), the distance covered and what you do along the way are yours to create. For most people, where you stay, what you eat and what you do are your personal decisions, unless you take an organized tour.

A pilgrimage, of course, is not the only way to discover a path to transformation, but it is a great one..

Learn more about my Camino.

Camino workshops and presentations
I conduct half a dozen public workshops a year to help others prepare for the Camino. In addition, I speak at conferences and other venues about my Camino experience. Need a speaker? Please give me a call.

Camino resources
Here are some tools to help you make decisions about the Camino.  They were developed in response to discussions with participants in Camino courses.

• High-level questionnaire to help you decide if you are ready to hike the Camino
• Your personal readiness
• Items to take
• Camino resources on the web
• Ways to develop your inner strength
• Recommended books to buy