What is a Pilgrimage Walk and Why Everyone Has an Opinion

If we reduce the word "pilgrimage" to its simplest definition, we could say it's a path from point A to point B.

That's the most basic definition.

But if we dig a little deeper, we can find millions of definitions.

Because limiting ourselves to just one definition would obscure the thousands of other definitions that are true and real for each of us.

People embark on journeys for different reasons, and in my view, they're all legitimate.

I would never judge or question the way each person undertakes their pilgrimage, and do you know why? Because each of us has a different cultural background and lived experience.

Whoever sets out on a pilgrimage wakes up one morning and makes a decision—to depart—but before that, they may have researched and chosen how to do it.

There are the Adventurers, who know they need to travel from point A to point B and will take whatever time is needed or available. They know they'll face obstacles along the way. They don't worry and simply forge ahead on their own path.

There are the Wayfarers, who gather extensive information about the route they're going to tackle and even though they set off with a sense of adventure, they already have every single move planned in their minds. Sometimes they bend the rules, but then get back on track following their travel itinerary.

There are the Trekkers, and these are the ones who approach the journey with a different, perhaps lighter spirit. They love to travel and trek, and they choose routes based on landscapes, culture, and gastronomy. Very often they rely on specialised tour operators to organise their journeys.

Which of these three categories do you think is wrong?

For pilgrimage purists, there's definitely one category that's wrong.

Do you know which one it is?

None!

There are 7 billion people in the world, each with different thoughts, different hobbies, different jobs, and so on.

Do you think it's wrong to be a mason rather than a mechanic or a business executive?

Have you ever asked yourself this question?

The answer is probably no. And the answer to those three professions is definitely no.

Each person chooses their profession in life, acquiring the skills needed to do it well.

Some people take beach holidays, others travel by camper van, some go on cruises, and some walk a pilgrimage...

What's the best way to take a holiday?

All of them and none of them...

Each person chooses their own way, and no one has the right to judge.

Walking is a subversive act that fills the heart and spirit of those who do it. Whoever has time to judge the way others walk has probably not walked far enough themselves.

Buen Camino