Yoga and Pilgrimage

…our everyday lives can be viewed as a continuous pilgrimage, where each moment offers an opportunity for growth and understanding.
 
I recently returned from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, an expedition steeped in centuries of tradition and spiritual significance. These journeys have been a cornerstone of various cultures and religions for millennia, including Mecca, Abraham's path in the Middle East, and Mount Kailash in Tibet, to name a few. Each trek, whether it's the Franciscan Way linking France and Italy or the Kumaon Pilgrimage in Northern India, embodies the pursuit toward a deeper understanding of oneself in relation to the divine.

The term 'pilgrimage' often evokes the physical effort required to reach a sacred destination. However, this effort also serves as a metaphor for the human spiritual journey—a path marked by personal sacrifice, lack of comfort, emotional and physical challenges and sometimes self-denial. Just as the undertaking to Santiago de Compostela involves traversing physical landscapes, it also requires navigating the inner terrain of the self. This duality is reflected in many philosophies and spiritual practices, from Taoism's "way to perfection" to Buddhism's path to Nirvana and Yoga's “pursuit” of Samadhi.

My pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, explored not only the physical journey but also the profound spiritual insights gained along the way. The allegorical dimension of a journey such as this serves as a powerful symbol for our lives. The concept absolutely transcends its literal meaning and is rich with hidden messages that represent various aspects of human experience and mystical quest.

Here’s a deeper look at how the idea of pilgrimage can be understood in different contexts:

1. Spiritual and Personal Growth: Just as a physical trek involves effort, discipline, and endurance, so does the journey of personal and spiritual growth. The trials and sacrifices encountered on this journey are akin to the physical challenges, leading to greater self-awareness and transformation.
2. Search for Meaning: In many traditions, a pilgrimage is not just a physical journey but a search for deeper meaning and connection. Similarly, human life can be seen as a quest for purpose, understanding, and fulfillment, with each footstep representing a movement toward greater insight and enlightenment.
3. Ritual and Transformation: Pilgrimage often involves ritual practices that signify important life transitions or spiritual milestones. These rituals serve as markers in the journey, much like significant life events that shape our personal narratives and contribute to our growth.
4. Community and Shared Experience: Pilgrimages often involve traveling with others, sharing the experience, and forging bonds. This reflects how human life is inherently interconnected, with our individual journeys intertwined with those of others, forming a shared narrative of growth and exploration.
5. Symbolic Pathways: The “way” or path of pilgrimage can symbolize the various pathways and choices in life. Just as pilgrims choose their route and face different challenges, individuals navigate their own paths, making decisions that lead them to personal revelations and growth.

This allegorical view highlights how our physical and spiritual journeys are interwoven, emphasizing that the challenges and experiences we encounter are integral to our broader understanding for meaning and self-discovery.
 
Not unlike other soul-searching methods I have embarked upon, this undertaking was multifaceted. It was an opportunity to step away from the everyday grind, and a chance to reconnect with something larger than myself. The preparation involved not only logistical planning but also physical, mental and emotional readiness. I set out with a mix of anticipation and apprehension, eager to discover what the journey would reveal.

My motivation is always the same; a desire for clarity in my life and the longing to get closer to knowing myself beyond superficiality, and truly understand how I navigate my life in order to experience the deepest levels of self acceptance and self love. You would think that after 21 years of teaching Yoga and many more years practicing this would come as naturally as the rising sun. But of course, I’m human! It still fascinates me after all this time, that when I am hot, tired, hungry, or in pain and my defences are low, the default can be a spicy attitude, and in an instant all perspective can be lost. But the silver lining is that I understand this about myself and know this is the smaller way I move through the world. In greater measure, I love easily. Places, situations, conversations and people have me falling in love multiple times a day. It’s like my heart has an open door to all the wonders around me. It’s not romantic, it’s life! Life is love.

The physical trek to Santiago de Compostela was both arduous and exhilarating. The various routes to the city offer diverse landscapes, each with its own set of challenges and rewards. From the initial excitement of setting out to the fatigue of long days on the trail, every step became a metaphor for the inner struggles and triumphs I faced. Key moments, such as meeting fellow pilgrims and overcoming personal obstacles such as physical pain, provided insights into the nature of human connection and resilience.

This time, I chose the Primitivo route as a compromise with the friend I was walking with. It was more conducive to cooler weather and distance (321km.) This is said to be the original “way” and is reported to be the most challenging and rigorous route that crosses the Cantabrian mountains for the first week. Is it difficult? The short answer is, yes. There are a lot of ups and downs, both physically and figuratively with the highest point being 1,122m (3681ft.) The inclines and declines are intense, and they go on all day. My strategy was a little “slow and steady wins the race” and a little “mind over matter.” Early on when my body was sore from head to toe, (literally everyday) I would question why exactly I was doing this walk, I adopted the mantra “we can do hard things.” Of course, life if full of hard things like being a refugee and emigrating to another country, lost love; caregiving loved ones; ending relationships; overcoming addiction, learning to set boundaries, to name a few. It’s all relative to your situation, but one thing is for sure we can do all kinds of hard things in this life!

The pilgrimage profoundly impacted my personal perspective. It was a journey not just across geographical terrain but also through the inner landscapes of my own being. The experience taught me about the importance of pausing to appreciate the small moments, the value of community, and the transformative power of ritual and reflection. It highlighted how our everyday lives can be viewed as a continuous pilgrimage, where each moment offers an opportunity for growth and understanding.

The phrase "Buen Camino" or "good way," frequently heard along the Camino de Santiago, became more than a simple greeting; it symbolizes a shared journey and mutual encouragement and an offered blessing. This sentiment resonates with the notion that our walk through this life, in essence, is our personal mission. We need not travel great distances to find meaning and purpose; it is present in our daily experiences and interactions.

Upon reflecting on my walk to Santiago de Compostela, I recognize that the journey was a microcosm of life's broader odyssey. The physical challenge mirrored the inner exploration for self-discovery and connection that we often experience in a Yoga practice. Each day is as an opportunity to engage in the path of self-observation (svadhyaya) and spiritual growth.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that the epic journeys are important to create reflective space. But the idea that "regular" life itself is both inspiring and humbling, suggests that our everyday experiences and challenges are part of a greater, sacred experience that many times cannot and likely will not be known in the moment. Often, these teachings need time to reveal themselves, mature and take root.

Coupled with Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is a powerful way to frame this adventure. The sutras lay the foundation for understanding that the path of Yoga as not just a physical practice but a spiritual and philosophical journey. It’s such a generous offering! Embracing Yoga in this way and seeing life itself in this context really deepens the practice. Starting with the first four Sutras, we can explore:

1. Atha Yoga Anushasanam – Now, the teaching of yoga begins.This invites us to fully arrive in the present moment, acknowledging that we’re stepping into a new phase of understanding and practice. This moment is the beginning of your pilgrimage.
2. Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodhah – Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. This sutra encourages us to calm the mind’s chatter and distractions, finding a deeper, more centered self. On our pilgrimage, this means quieting the inner noise to connect more deeply with the journey itself.
3. Tada Drashtuh Svarupe Vasthanam – Then the seer abides in its own true nature. As we progress, we start to see ourselves more clearly, beyond the surface-level distractions. This is the essence of recognizing our true self during our pilgrimage.
4. Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra – At other times, the seer is absorbed in the fluctuations. We might lose sight of our true nature due to the disturbances of our mind. Understanding this allows us to gently guide ourselves back, embracing the journey’s ups and downs with grace.

I embraced these Yoga Sutras as I walked. Moving between the present moment, the stilling of the mind, and feeling the truth of my nature, only to be disturbed by the fluctuations of the mind once again. The time that I spent in noble silence was profound. I deeply understood we don’t really have much to say except our opinions. Getting quiet frees the mind and spirit allows for a different type of sensitive and vulnerable communication to spring forth in the form of truthful conversations, innate wisdom and sometimes poetry. Throughout the ages there have been many musings, books and poems written that underscore the essence of pilgrimage as a journey led by the heart and spirit. But there is a cost, “…One has to abandon altogether the search for security and reach out to the risk of living with both arms. One has to embrace the world like a lover, and yet demand no easy return on love. One has to accept pain as a condition of existence.” Morris West
 
At the end of the day, the path we choose can lead us to profound insights and a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us. It’s an opportunity to see and meet yourself as a whole person. If you can adopt the attitude of “walk, don’t reach” you will find that every experience, and every step either sacred or fear-filled has led you to this moment and is a part of the greater pilgrimage of your life. I wish you many blessings on your journey ~ Buen Camino.