Day 13 FelzinsThe Gite last night was full of French walkers. One nice couple looked after us and we had an interesting meal. The Monsieur works for the company that makes Yoplait and comes to Australia regularly. Yoplait is a combination of 3 words. Yo (Yoghurt), P (pasteurisation) and lait (milk).
I think we are losing weight on the journey, but with allthe food I don’t understand how! All the other pilgrims we have come to know are scattered across the Chemins. One girl Betty, who was walking for a week (as do many Europeans) has gone back to her family. While another French couple we met yesterday are just starting their week of walking. Many of the walkers are middle aged persons approaching retirement. The pilgrims walking to St Jean or further are generally younger. Today was a nice walking day of about 20km, the hills seem to be getting easier as we get up each morning and head out to face them (or else we are getting fitter). By now many of you may have read Barry Borham’s article on Meditation and Mindfulness. (See interesting Links page) Yesterday I mentioned one example of how mindfulness is useful for me in handling the more difficult hills. Today I wish to point out similarities between walking the Camino and Meditation as I understand the latter. Most meditation requires a single focus and a mantra to assist that focus if and when required. Sometimes the mantra can be the focus itself. Well walking 20km per day is at least 20,000 paces of left, right, left, right … The very act of walking may be seen as a mantra in its own right. Putting it together for 30+ days in a row is a great basis for a pilgrimage, with meditation as an important component . It is rather easy to select a phrase(s) that replaces left, right, … to suit your disposition and needs. Today (Palm Sunday) we found 11am Mass in a small village at the top of a hill. We were rather fortunate as we arrived right at the blessings of the palms outside the church. A kindly French woman gave us a portion of her palms which we later carried, tied to our packs. Fortunately I had a small print English translation of the long Gospel for today. Enda had to make do with rapidly spoken French interspersed with singing which we don’t experience in Australia. The weather still continues to be brilliant, how long can it last? Sun burnt walkers can be seen everywhere. The ground is drying up and there is very little mud left. The bells in the Churches and some other buildings chime every hour and on the half hour. I remember church bells when I was young in Randwick, we rarely hear them now in Sydney, I think it’s a shame. Here they are everywhere in the country side. They seem to be badly coordinated as at midday it is possible to have 24 separate chimes.
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