The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music (June 21, 2015)

There is constant chatter on facebook about listening to music on the Camino. And contend that you need to unplug completely; no phone, iPod, iPad, nada.  There is usually a post that asks, "What kind of music do you listen to on the Camino?" or "Why do you listen to music on the Camino?" It is then followed by a number of responses that go something like this: I don't listen to music on the Camino, I like to listen to the birds and the sounds of nature or I think listening to music distracts me from my spiritual meditation or other words that convey the idea that it is more spiritual to not listen to music, or be in contact with anyone other than the people you meet along the way. Yikes, I think to myself, I'm doing this all wrong.

I'm not sure there is such a thing as more spiritual or spiritually wrong. The whole idea that being spiritual is somehow something you can grade or put on a bell curve rattles around in my brain and then registers "tilt.". I have a friend with whom I have done everything from neighborhood walks, hikes, 60-mile walks and marathons over the past fifteen years. When we do these things together we chat. When she does hers separately, she doesn't like to listen to music. When I do mine separately I do listen to music. But we have never once discussed which way is more spiritual. So why do I get my panties in a twist when I feel people are professing to be more spiritual than me because I listen to music. I am feeling defensive and put down. I want to yell at them, blast music in their ears or explain to them in no uncertain terms they are full of baloney, to put it nicely. That reaction is my shortcoming, my problem. As usual, I know I cannot change others.

I stumbled upon an idea a few years ago when I was getting irritated or judgmental about someone's behavior. somehow the thought occurred to me, "I know people who are comfortable in their own skin, happy and content. They don't act like this." The following thought was, that people that do act judgmental, mean, rude, etc. are experiencing some manner of personal discomfort, pain or unhappiness. I waste a lot of serenity and  brain cells building a case against them. I decided it might be better for me to have compassion for their pain than to judge their behavior because judging their behavior makes me agitated. So I started practicing this. It isn't easy. But I found it brought me peace and comfort. For a long time when I talked about this, I would say, I don't think it helps them any, but it helps me. Yes, I am just a little selfish and self-centered. But eventually I realized, that people who act mean, argumentative, judgmental, rude, etc probably get a lot of negative reactions from other people. So, if I am reacting with compassion, it is one less person, sending negative energy at them. Maybe it has some effect.

There is also the discussions about how far people walk on the Camino, whether they carry backpacks, stay in hotels and so on. Are they real Pilgrims? I used to have opinions about this, but I believe the Camino has softened me. Walking 100km for some people is as hard as walking 1000km for others. Some people are limited by time and resources. Some are limited by physical issues. Some are limited by their own internal fears. Maybe someone walks 100km and it gives them the courage or desire to walk more at another time. Maybe someone walks with a tour group. They
 stay in hotels, eat prearranged meal and have their luggage bused forward. Maybe that experience will open new adventures for them. I believe that for me to walk 100km is a whole different experience than me walking 800km. But it doesn't lessen my experience one iota if someone else walks 100km. Yes, it makes the last 100km more crowded, but then I get a chance to grow, dare I say spiritually, by practicing acceptance, compassion, and love of my fellow human beings. For me, the Camino is not just an 800 km trail in Spain that begins in one place and ends in another. It is life.

I suppose the Spanish could have a good argument that the whole Camino Frances would be a lot less crowded if it was only open to the Spanish, or only open to those in the European Union or those on the European continent. The bottom line for me is that I am extremely grateful that I have the ability and opportunity to walk any or all of it starting July 1.