If you're in the mountains and you don't like the weather,
wait five minutes.
Monday Sept 16th, 2019
Rabanal del Camino to El Acibo
15 km, 26,000 steps, walking day #26
Impermanence is one of the foundational principles of Buddhism. The doctrine asserts that all conditioned existence, without exception, is transient. All temporal things, whether material or mental, arise, then decline and fade away.
I woke early and had breakfast in the little hotel restaurant at 7:00 am. I had a lovely, quiet, breakfast. I took this photo at 8:00 am as I was checking out and leaving. It seems that all the occupants of the hostel next door were trying to have their breakfast here all at the same time. I had experienced a peaceful moment in this place, and for these people it was something quite different.
I began walking this morning as the sun was rising. I wanted to capture the colour and beauty of it. Talk about impermanence. The sunrise changes by the second. Wait a moment to long and the photograph you wanted is no longer there. Sunrise teaches that sometimes it's better just to stand still and watch, enjoying as each individual moment takes its turn and then fades into something new.
Today was the climb to the highest point in the camino, to one of the most revered and iconic symbols of the camino, second only the Cathedral itself in Santiago. The Cruz de Ferro atop Mount Irago, at a height of 1505m (4940 feet above sea level).
The walk today was 15 km.
7 km up, then 7 km down. Things arise then things pass away.
Everyone made a big deal about the climb up. Pilgrims talk about it, plan for it. Guidebooks warn about. Take water! Take snacks! You are very high where the weather is unpredictable! Be careful - if you stop you'll get cold!
Up was easy. Paths were packed sand, or rocks that were easy to negotiate. If it was chilly I pulled up the zipper on my jacket. When I got warm, I undid the zipper and rolled up the sleeves.
Fog lay on the lower mountains and I watched it rise, curl and blow away.
I hoped it was clear at the top, as the view was supposed to be amazing.
As I climbed, I looked at the footprints left behind by the people who walked ahead of me. They had been right here and saw this view. Now they were somewhere else, and I was here. Horses had been here. Now they, and their riders were somewhere else.
As I climbed, the fog got thicker. I walked along a path that had mountain wall on my right and white nothingness on my left, where I knew the other mountains should be. It was like being in the white room in The Matrix, or skiing in a heavy snowstorm.
The climb up took two hours. Not bad at all. When I got to the Cruz de Ferro, the fog remained thick. Pilgrims are supposed to bring an item from home to leave there.
I had brought a small iridescent glass ball. It had been in my pack and I personally carried it since leaving my home in Toronto. It represented many things to me. It represented me, because I like iridescent things. "Iridescent" is one of my favorite words! It's shape represented the universe, the earth, and the atom, the building block of existence. It represented the sphere of people around me - my family, my friends, and all the other people who had helped me, in one way or another, to get to this place today. It represented my mother, and my father who had a complex relationship with round glass objects.
I didn't have the opportunity to enjoy the view, but I was able to enjoy the climb in the cool of the fog. I had also arrived early enough to avoid the crowds that are brought up in tour buses and who, according to many reports, spoil for many pilgrims what is a private and sacred moment. While I was at the top it rained for a minute or two. That was what the camino gave me that day, I enjoyed that for what it was, too.
It was then time to descend. 7 km down a rough rocky trail. I picked my way down, placing each foot and each pole carefully. That took 4 hours. But it's all about the journey, and difficult as it was I enjoyed it very much. As I descended below the fog line, I was treated to spectacular views of mountains and valleys. I listened to cow bells and it brought to mind very fond memories of Switzerland. I stopped often to just look, and to take pictures. When I heard people coming up behind me, I stopped and waited for them to pass out of sight ahead of me, so that I could remain in the moment and experience everything without distraction.
At one particularly beautiful spot, I stopped to embrace where I was. I wanted see, and hear and feel it. The mountain facing me looked like it could have been a fortress thousands of years old, from Tolkien's Middle Earth. I stopped to close my eyes and listen, to see if a message from the Ancients might be revealed to me. The soft wind touched my face and a soft hiss rose from the tall yellow grass as the wind passed over it. It was stunning.
Finally, I rounded a curve and saw my destination below. What an awesome feeling!
I arrived at El Acibo at two o'clock, very hungry. My hosts Anna greeted me at the very pretty Casa Rurale. She looked me in the eyes, shook my hand warmly and said "Welcome home." She offered me cold water, grapes from her garden and chocolate. What could be better? Nothing that I could think of.
Lunch was a bowl of mushroom stew, with cream and bacon. Not a light meal, but a well-deserved one.
A full bowl appeared, and became empty. An empty stomach walked in, and walked out full. Everything changes.
I took pictures today at sunrise, later in fog, even later when it was clear, and finally at sunset. As the day passed, mountains and villages appeared in the distance, came into focus as I approached, and faded away again into the distance as I left them behind. People appear in my camino/life and I appear in theirs. Sometime we walk together for a while, and then we separate. All conditions arise and all conditions fade away. Everything is transient. Especially us.
The Phoenix burns, and arises from its own ashes.
The waveform, which physicists and Buddhists believe is the primary building block of the universe, is the very definition of rising up and then declining, over and over, passing the zero point on each pass.
The Reaper card in the Tarot deck represents change and rebirth.
My feet, which by some overnight miracle, arise each morning refreshed and ready to go.
I conclude with something for you to ponder:
Balance and impermanence: Two side of the same coin.
wait five minutes.
Monday Sept 16th, 2019
Rabanal del Camino to El Acibo
15 km, 26,000 steps, walking day #26
Impermanence is one of the foundational principles of Buddhism. The doctrine asserts that all conditioned existence, without exception, is transient. All temporal things, whether material or mental, arise, then decline and fade away.
I woke early and had breakfast in the little hotel restaurant at 7:00 am. I had a lovely, quiet, breakfast. I took this photo at 8:00 am as I was checking out and leaving. It seems that all the occupants of the hostel next door were trying to have their breakfast here all at the same time. I had experienced a peaceful moment in this place, and for these people it was something quite different.
I began walking this morning as the sun was rising. I wanted to capture the colour and beauty of it. Talk about impermanence. The sunrise changes by the second. Wait a moment to long and the photograph you wanted is no longer there. Sunrise teaches that sometimes it's better just to stand still and watch, enjoying as each individual moment takes its turn and then fades into something new.
The sun was just hitting the top of this little hill,
and the almost-full moon was still up.
One last look back at Rabanal del Camino.
Today was the climb to the highest point in the camino, to one of the most revered and iconic symbols of the camino, second only the Cathedral itself in Santiago. The Cruz de Ferro atop Mount Irago, at a height of 1505m (4940 feet above sea level).
The walk today was 15 km.
7 km up, then 7 km down. Things arise then things pass away.
Everyone made a big deal about the climb up. Pilgrims talk about it, plan for it. Guidebooks warn about. Take water! Take snacks! You are very high where the weather is unpredictable! Be careful - if you stop you'll get cold!
Up was easy. Paths were packed sand, or rocks that were easy to negotiate. If it was chilly I pulled up the zipper on my jacket. When I got warm, I undid the zipper and rolled up the sleeves.
Fog lay on the lower mountains and I watched it rise, curl and blow away.
I hoped it was clear at the top, as the view was supposed to be amazing.
As I climbed, I looked at the footprints left behind by the people who walked ahead of me. They had been right here and saw this view. Now they were somewhere else, and I was here. Horses had been here. Now they, and their riders were somewhere else.
Random thought:
Shod horses take good luck with them wherever they go.
As I climbed, the fog got thicker. I walked along a path that had mountain wall on my right and white nothingness on my left, where I knew the other mountains should be. It was like being in the white room in The Matrix, or skiing in a heavy snowstorm.
The climb up took two hours. Not bad at all. When I got to the Cruz de Ferro, the fog remained thick. Pilgrims are supposed to bring an item from home to leave there.
I had brought a small iridescent glass ball. It had been in my pack and I personally carried it since leaving my home in Toronto. It represented many things to me. It represented me, because I like iridescent things. "Iridescent" is one of my favorite words! It's shape represented the universe, the earth, and the atom, the building block of existence. It represented the sphere of people around me - my family, my friends, and all the other people who had helped me, in one way or another, to get to this place today. It represented my mother, and my father who had a complex relationship with round glass objects.
I didn't have the opportunity to enjoy the view, but I was able to enjoy the climb in the cool of the fog. I had also arrived early enough to avoid the crowds that are brought up in tour buses and who, according to many reports, spoil for many pilgrims what is a private and sacred moment. While I was at the top it rained for a minute or two. That was what the camino gave me that day, I enjoyed that for what it was, too.
It was then time to descend. 7 km down a rough rocky trail. I picked my way down, placing each foot and each pole carefully. That took 4 hours. But it's all about the journey, and difficult as it was I enjoyed it very much. As I descended below the fog line, I was treated to spectacular views of mountains and valleys. I listened to cow bells and it brought to mind very fond memories of Switzerland. I stopped often to just look, and to take pictures. When I heard people coming up behind me, I stopped and waited for them to pass out of sight ahead of me, so that I could remain in the moment and experience everything without distraction.
Finally, I rounded a curve and saw my destination below. What an awesome feeling!
I arrived at El Acibo at two o'clock, very hungry. My hosts Anna greeted me at the very pretty Casa Rurale. She looked me in the eyes, shook my hand warmly and said "Welcome home." She offered me cold water, grapes from her garden and chocolate. What could be better? Nothing that I could think of.
Lunch was a bowl of mushroom stew, with cream and bacon. Not a light meal, but a well-deserved one.
I know. First impression of this dish isn't the best.
But I love, love, love mushrooms, and this was the largest serving I have ever had!
And beer of course. I love the Star of David on the beer glass.
A full bowl appeared, and became empty. An empty stomach walked in, and walked out full. Everything changes.
I took pictures today at sunrise, later in fog, even later when it was clear, and finally at sunset. As the day passed, mountains and villages appeared in the distance, came into focus as I approached, and faded away again into the distance as I left them behind. People appear in my camino/life and I appear in theirs. Sometime we walk together for a while, and then we separate. All conditions arise and all conditions fade away. Everything is transient. Especially us.
The Phoenix burns, and arises from its own ashes.
The waveform, which physicists and Buddhists believe is the primary building block of the universe, is the very definition of rising up and then declining, over and over, passing the zero point on each pass.
The Reaper card in the Tarot deck represents change and rebirth.
My feet, which by some overnight miracle, arise each morning refreshed and ready to go.
I conclude with something for you to ponder:
Balance and impermanence: Two side of the same coin.
No comments:
Post a Comment