There really aren't appropriate words to describe how it conveys the feeling of a pilgrimage. While the focus is not on the physicality of the journey, most the entire film was dedicated to establishing the weight of emotions and the development of spirituality along the way. Some of the pilgrims in the film started the journey as I had with mine; a basic idea of why, but with no clue as to how much the walk would mean in the end. When they reach Santiago de Compostella, the pilgrims find what they might not have even known what they were looking for, but what their spirits needed.
When you contemplate things as you do on a pilgrimage, your mind changes, your spirit develops. There are so many things that simply cannot be accounted for on journeys of that significance. I can only imagine the effort it would require to make a journey like the El Camino de Santiago, a journey of some 800km through northern Spain. I am absolutely certain that one day I must make a pilgrimage of similar magnitude, but again my reasons are uncertain.
That lack of knowing is the focus of my post right now. The uncertainty with which we begin many things in our lives. Sometimes not knowing why you have begun something can lead to the most beautiful experiences in your life. Imbuing a physical act with such potent spiritual ties is what pilgrimages are all about. It seems to me that to begin a pilgrimage with full understanding of what you hope to accomplish is somewhat contrary to their purpose in the first place.
People make pilgrimages for different reasons; some for penance, some for physical test, and some for religion. But one thing I believe all pilgrims have in common is discovery of one's self. You find out things you never knew about yourself when making journeys of such significance. You find reserves of strength you never felt possible before. You find out what is truly important in your life. The experiences you gain along the way are nothing compared to the aches in your feet, back, hips and knees. They are more than the blisters and the cracked lips and the windburn on your face. The sum of these experiences is transformative. They combine to create a depth of experience unlike many other on this earth.
To make a journey of such weight and importance is something I believe was essential in my life and in the lives of many others. These kinds of events transcend our physical limitation because they are more than a physical act. They are inherently spiritual and filled with self discovery.
A pilgrimage is an awakening.
Please watch the movie if you haven't. It is an incredible film worth every minute.
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