YOU on the Camino de Santiago

BEING A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES I love the perspective of the first-time pilgrim. There is so much excitement and anticipation. Eagerness and nervousness. And such great questions! We could talk forever about what it means to walk the Camino de Santiago and what it takes to get ready. My guest today is Jill from California who is just about to board a plane to go walk the Camino Fr...

THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE What happens when you want to walk the Camino, but you have a physical limitation that could prevent you from doing it? Well, in the case of today’s guest, Richard, you just go do it anyway. Today's inspiring pilgrim conversation filled with spiritual insight, courage, and determination. Talking with Richard reminded me how much I take for granted, with all...

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY Bringing the Camino experience home. Anyone tried that? It’s tricky, right? You spend all this time in the liminal space of the Camino – in this alternative world where strangers are kind, people are good, and making connections is easy and fun. You walk yourself into a stronger, braver version of yourself, and you discover you like that person. You dial into the simpl...

YOUR PILGRIMAGE ISN'T OVER When we walked the Camino, we discovered a few things. We discovered something called Camino magic – that experience of awe and wonder when we slowed down to the pace of walking, when we settled deeply into the present moment, and when we opened our hearts to strangers, ourselves, and something bigger than ourselves. We discovered the true meaning of the phrase, "the Cam...

WHY SHARING YOUR CAMINO STORY IS SO IMPORTANT When we return home from the Camino, one of our greatest needs is simply to talk about the experience. We need to tell our stories. You can see this on social media and all over YouTube. So many stories! So many people feel compelled to recount what happened and where and with whom. Look at this, look at that! Our stories connect us to each other and i...

WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR AFTER THE CAMINO? For many people, walking the Camino totally lives up to the hype. Their experiences match what they see in all the YouTube videos and the movies like The Way. For others, not so much. But here’s the catch: no matter what experience you had on the Camino, you still had to re-enter life at home. In this episode, I am going to share with you a bit more of my aft...

THE CHALLENGE OF BRINGING THE CAMINO HOME If you have already walked one of the Camino routes, you may have discovered that coming home after the Camino is the hardest part of the entire Camino experience. I’ve been there, and not just once or twice. Every time I have come home from the Camino over the past 20 years, I have been faced with what seemed like a monumental, insurmountable challenge: a...

PLOT TWIST!!! What do you do when your Camino experience is hit with a massive plot twist, and not the good kind? Who do you turn to when you are far away from home, immersed in a life-changing pilgrimage, and you are blindsided by a medical emergency? In this week’s episode you are going to hear from pilgrim Jodi, whose Camino derailed in the most spectacular fashion, again, not in a good way. Bu...

CAMINO ROUTE FACE OFF: FRANCÉS VS PORTUGUESE Pilgrim Clare's story has two parts – with pilgrimages taking place on two different Camino routes, one year apart. On her first walk, she had the mother of all plot twists, but curiously, she’s not mad about it. On her second walk, she filled in all the Camino blanks and finished strong in Santiago. Because Clare walked on two different routes, she is...

THE SHARED PILGRIM EXPERIENCE What is at the heart of the pilgrim experience? So may things, but one stands out: The moments we share with other pilgrims. Some of these are people we meet along the way, and then there are the ones we bring with us, like Jarrett and Amy who walked the Camino as a couple. Amy shares what she learned from walking in the mud, and Jarrett shares the joy of slowing down...

MISHAPS MAKE THE MEMORIES Walking for two weeks in solid rain didn't dampen Paul's spirits. In fact, he found that the tough times make for better memories. He discovers the generosity of other pilgrims, and a deeper sense of our shared humanity, and it all leads to the beautiful simplicity found in the life of a pilgrim. Have you found your passion? Paul has. Spoiler alert: It's the Camino de San...

JOIN ME ON THE TERRACE OF THE SPANISH BAR How many months did you spend – or have you spent – planning and preparing for your pilgrimage? What if you planned to spend that much time on bringing back the benefits of your journey? It’s an interesting question, yes? The thing is, we can’t really avoid spending that time integrating the Camino into our lives - it has to be done - so I think a better q...

WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU *** The podcast is taking a break next week and will return on Tuesday, July 15*** Some dreams have to be put on hold for a very long time. What I love about this week's pilgrim conversation is Katey’s honesty and vulnerability as she explores the themes of her pilgrimage. Specifically, what is the significance of going after your dream – you know, the one you have been hang...

TESTING BOUNDARIES, EXPLORING FAITH Telling our stories is such an important part of the Camino experience, and it starts long before we take our first steps on the trail. My guest this week, Eden, does an amazing job of showing just how important the pre-Camino story is. And she shows us that pilgrimage isn’t just about the pilgrim; rather, it touches the lives of everyone who knows you are going...

THIS IS NO SMALL FEAT Life can be challenging at times, but what do you do when those tough times come at you rapid fire, one thing right after the next?  You walk the Camino. Life: no small feat The Camino: no small feat Pilgrim Kristen will be walking with one of her best friends, and they intend to walk an "entire Camino." Find out why, along with some solid inspiration to make this journey you...

SHARING MY BIG VISION! Today I have some updates on the pilgrim registration requirements and for the Francés route:  >> updates to the luggage transport services  >> new places to buy gear, and  >> where to find the best pizza And then my favorite topic:  >> How do we deal with the hardest part of the entire Camino experience?  >> How do we fill our lives with what I...

LET'S CLEAR UP A FEW THINGS! In this episode I am going to answer a handful of first-time pilgrim questions that are showing up nonstop on social media. Questions like: How hard is it, really? Do you have to train? What’s the weather going to be like? Do I need a sleeping bag? Do I need to reserve a bed or room in advance? READY TO TELL YOUR STORY? I would love to help you do that! If your pilgrim...

MAKING MEMORIES, LIVING HIS DREAMS My guest in this episode said yes to walking the Camino before he even knew what that really meant. Is it a leap of faith or simply saying yes to life? Either way, Ron shows us that now is the time to say take on those big dreams and goals. After losing nearly 80 lbs by eating less and moving more, Ron is ready to take on the physical, mental, and spiritual chall...

SAY YES. YES, THIS IS POSSIBLE. What happens when you sense a loud, clear calling to walk the Camino de Santiago? Well, you do it. You put some dates on the calendar and you plan this thing. That’s what my guest today, Noel, did. The calling was mysterious yet unmistakable, so who was she to refuse it? And the timing coincides perfectly with a big milestone birthday, so this is the perfect time to...

WHEN HEALING TAKES PLACE ON THE PILGRIMAGE TRAIL I hope you are ready to be inpsired, because today I have the compelling after-the-Camino story of US veteran Paul who walked the Camino last October with the life-changing program offered by Warriors on the Way. ( https://warriorsontheway.org/ ) Warriors on the Way is a pilgrimage on the Camino De Santiago that is designed to facilitate a combat ve...

THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW OF IT Diana will be walking the Camino Portuguese with her daughter, and in this episode she reminds us that it is as important to plan the journey home from the Camino as it is to think about and plan the actual walking part. I won’t spoil the surprise; instead, I will invite you to open your mind and heart to new ways of doing things. In all, this is a st...

WHAT CHALLENGES DO COUPLES FACE ON THE CAMINO? Claire and Richard walked the Camino Francés in 2023 and had the time of their lives. While they walked the same trail, the same day-to-day stages, and they stayed in the same places every night, they still had their own unique experiences. What is it like to walk the Camino with a partner? Well, it's time to find out. The book we talked about is call...

6 FRIENDS MAKE THE JOURNEY TO SANTIAGO Kimberly shows us the value of making this pilgrimage with friends, with "your people." Any way you do it is valid, and I believe that each person ultimately chooses the way that is best for them, but there is definitely something to be said for sharing this journey with people who know you well, who know you at your best and at your worst and who love you an...

READY FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF PILGRIM WISDOM? It's all here! Pilgrim Sandra is taking a thoughtful and well thought out approach to her Camino experience. There's gold in here! Here is the pilgrim planning resource in Porto (Nicoletta) that Sandra used: https://your-camino.com/   WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED? If you have already walked one of the Camino routes, I would love to hear from you about w...

WHAT IF YOU ONLY HAVE 21 DAYS? How do you break up the Camino Francés route if you have only 21 days for your pilgrimage? Jarrett and Amy tackled that challenge and came up with a plan that suits them perfectly. Find out how they did that, using this podcast and my Camino Francés Getting Started Audio Guide. Be the first to know when the audio guide gets its remodel and goes on sale at the end of...