Preparing for the Portuguese Camino Pilgrimage

As I prepare for the Portuguese Camino Pilgrimage I think of what may help.  Pilgrimage can also be a parable for the journey of our whole lives. If so, I'm mindful of some spiritual guides along the way. One of these is John O'Donohue. On his Facebook page was the following prayer-poem. It is good for pilgrimage.


A SACRED JOURNEY
When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you,
And if you listen,
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say.
A journey can become a sacred thing:
Make sure, before you go,
To bless your going forth,
To free your heart of ballast
So that the compass of your soul
Might direct you towards
The territories of spirit
Where you will discover
More of your hidden life;
And the urgencies
That deserve to claim you.
John O'Donohue
Excerpt from the blessing, "For the Traveler"
TO BLESS THE SPACE BETWEEN US (US) / BENEDICTUS (Europe)

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