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How I Found Healing and a Lost Part of Myself on the Camino

This post is by my husband, Kyle, who just walked the Camino de Santiago this spring. Many of you have been following along with his journey, from his delay last fall due to injury and his uncertain departure this past March. He returned from the Camino safe and sound in early May, and I’m excited for him to finally share his experience here on the blog of walking this famous pilgrimage and returning home changed.

I needed an adventure.

I needed to do something that I didn’t completely believe I could actually do but so very badly desired. And, that’s what I got, though I didn’t know quite what I was seeking at the time.

I recently walked the French Route of the Camino de Santiago from St. Pied de Port. A lot of pilgrims make this walk. It’s hard, but not so physically demanding that an 83-year-old can’t do it on his own. (I had the honor of walking with such an impressive soul.) One of the biggest dangers is walking too quickly before your body is accustomed to it, which takes a week or two. As I left home, I didn’t know if I would return home before making it all the way to Santiago (or to the coast in a town called Finisterre, where I really wanted complete my journey).

How do you incorporate your body into your spiritual practice?

Tonight is the second session of the “Pilgrim Principles” class I’m teaching at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church here in Seattle and we’ll be spending time exploring the second pilgrim principle: “A pilgrim practices somatic spirituality.”

The word somatic means “of or relating to the body.” Somatic spirituality, then, is a spirituality that doesn’t ignore the body (as we so often do when it comes to matters of faith), but rather embraces the body as both a valued participant and conduit in our spiritual search.

A spirituality that incorporates the body is essential for the pilgrim, because a pilgrimage is not only a journey that takes the pilgrim to a foreign land, but also a journey that engages the senses—taste, touch, sight, smell, sound—each serving as windows that can lead to Sacred Encounter and transformation.

I know this to be true now more than ever because of my daily walks in the nearby forest. I began taking these walks simply to get exercise, but it didn’t take long for my daily walk to become one of my most treasured spiritual practices.

I don’t listen to any music or podcasts on these walks, nor do I bring any reading for inspiration. Thoughts will fill my mind, as they inevitably do. But I’ve learned to allow them to come and go, instead surrendering to the steady movement of my steps and the stimulation of my senses—the sound of the trickling stream, the sight of the bright green moss beside the overcast sky, the feeling of the cool breeze against my cheeks and the soft forest floor beneath my feet.

In the few months since I began my daily walks, the sights and sounds and smells of the forest have become ministers to me in ways distinct from the prayers or passages more typically associated with the spiritual journey. As Mary Oliver says in her poem, “When I am Among the Trees,” these walks in the forest “save me, and daily.”

I want to share this poem with you today, alongside images captured from my daily walks over the past few months, in hopes that they might inspire within you a more somatic spirituality that comes to save you, too.

“When I Am among the Trees”
by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

Find this poem and more of my personal favorites, including “When Roses Speak, I Pay Attention,” in Mary Oliver’s volume of poetry entitled Thirst.

GO FURTHER…

How do you practice somatic spirituality? How does incorporating your body into your spiritual practice “save you daily” as Oliver implies? Share your response to the question or the post in the comments.

PS: a yoga + prayer practice

Travel Tip: A Travel Yoga + Prayer Practice

Today’s travel tip is inspired by a yoga practice I created for a morning ritual a few years ago and incorporates a series of sun salutations and poses with Scripture and prayer. I’m adding it to the Travel Tip Tuesday series because it’s a practice that only takes about 10 minutes once you get the hang of it and doesn’t really require a mat (a towel or blanket would do just fine), so it makes a wonderful and quick travel yoga practice for mind, body, and spirit and is also a wonderful addition to a morning ritual at home. I won’t say much more because I say it all below, but I will say that it’s not nearly as complex or long as it looks, I promise! Give it a try sometime at home or away and feel free to personalize it based on your own needs or desires.

And one more thing: I’m no expert, so don’t hold me responsible for bad form in the images below! If you see something that’s incorrect, let me know and I’ll change it. Let’s begin, shall we?

SUN SALUTATION

Sun salutations are a perfect way to greet the day and they follow an ideal rhythm for incorporating prayers and recitations in your practice. Below is a sun salutation sequence I do while reciting the oft-quoted section of the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, to remind myself what love truly is and set my intention for the day ahead:

begin in mountain pose, hands in prayer;
reach up » Love is patient,
swan dive to forward fold » love is kind,

halfway lift » It does not envy,
forward fold with palms to floor; step back to plank » it does not boast,
chaturanga (how to here) to upward dog » it isn’t proud.

push up to downward dog during the pause;
lift your right leg » It does not dishonor others,
pull through to front » it is not self-seeking,

warror 2 » it is not easily angered,
dancing warrior » it keeps no record…
lean forward » of wrongs.

cartwheel arms down, step into plank, chaturanga to upward dog then downward dog »
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

lift left leg up and bring it forward;
warrior 2 » It always protects,

dancing warrior » always trusts,
lean forward » always hopes,
cartwheel hands down » always perseveres.

plank, chaturanga to upward dog and downward dog » Love never fails.

POSES + PRAYERS

I then move into a series of three poses with corresponding prayers based on Scripture passages. Each prayer is directed to a different person of the Trinity, which I refer to as Christ, Sacred Guide, and Creator to avoid gendered language and also just because I really like it. Additionally, there is a strong focus on intention and struggles in the prayers, and each prayer offers the opportunity for personalization based on your own desires and areas of growth. I’ve offered suggestions in parentheses to get you started, but once you get into a rhythm, feel free to substitute your own words if something else resonates with you more deeply.

tree pose with hands on head;
recite to the rhythm of your breath »

Christ, shape my mind today; make it like yours.
May I dwell on what is true, and not… (false)
what is noble, and not… (disrespectful)
what is right, and not… (deceitful)
what is pure, and not… (corrupt)
what is lovely, and not… (disingenuous)
what is admirable, and not… (selfish)
what is excellent, and not… (simply in vogue)
what is praise-worthy, and not… (ostentatious)

(Based on Philippians 4:8. This one is kind of hard because Paul took the easy route and used a bunch of synonyms, but it does allow space to explore all of the ways negative thoughts arise throughout the day.)

tree pose with opposite leg and hands in a receiving posture;
recite to the rhythm of your breath »

Sacred Guide, fill me with your fruit.
I breath in love and breathe out… (contempt)
I breathe in joy and breathe out… (lassitude)
I breathe in peace and breathe out… (anxiety)
I breathe in patience and breathe out… (urgency)
I breathe in kindness and breathe out… (judgement)
I breathe in goodness and breathe out… (disregard)
I breathe in faithfulness and breathe out… (doubt)
I breathe in gentleness and breath out… (anger)
I breathe in self-control and breathe out… (chaos)

(Based on the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23)

Chair pose, arms raised »

Creator God,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals;
Give me what I need to make it through the day.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from our false selves and from the devil.
You’re in charge!
Not… (name things that you often distracted by
or think you are dependent on, such as work,
your to-do list, a relational conflict, etc.)
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

(Based on The Message version of The Lord’s Prayer found
in Matthew 6:9-13. Italics are my own alterations and additions)

finish in mountain post and your hands and prayer
and with the bow of your head, say: namaste

“The Divine in me sees the Divine in You.”

OTHER POSES TO ADD TO YOUR SUN SALUTATION

Below are some additional poses to add to your sun salutation if you want to extend the exercise and make your practice more vigorous. Whatever you choose to add, make sure you do it on both sides! Do one new series of poses with each sun salutation cycle, with a chaturanga and return to downward dog between each series.

warrior 1 with an optional twist

triangle pose with an optional bind

pigeon pose

GO FURTHER…

Do you practice yoga? Have you ever practiced it with a mantra or prayer? If you were creating your own routine, what mantra, prayer, or poem would you use?

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Which pilgrim path are you on?

Click on a path below to find your direction and discover practices to guide you along the way.
the pilgrim at home

the pilgrim abroad

How I Found Healing and a Lost Part of Myself on the Camino

I needed an adventure.

When I Am Among the Trees: Engaging the Body in Spiritual Practice

How do you incorporate your body into your spiritual practice?

“When I Am among the Trees”
by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

GO FURTHER…

Travel Tip: A Travel Yoga + Prayer Practice

SUN SALUTATION

POSES + PRAYERS

OTHER POSES TO ADD TO YOUR SUN SALUTATION

GO FURTHER…

EXPLORE

DISCOVER

CONNECT

I needed an adventure.

How do you incorporate your body into your spiritual practice?

“When I Am among the Trees” by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness. I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, “Stay awhile.” The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say, “and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.”

GO FURTHER…

SUN SALUTATION

POSES + PRAYERS

OTHER POSES TO ADD TO YOUR SUN SALUTATION

GO FURTHER…

EXPLORE

DISCOVER

CONNECT

“When I Am among the Trees”
by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”