Rebecca Lindell’s Camino was more than a 500-mile walk. Like so many of us who embark on a Camino — especially a 30+ day route — the Camino changes us. For some it builds confidence, for others it becomes a source of creativity or rediscovery, and for others it gives us a period of time to connect more deeply with ourselves thanks to miles upon miles of time to think, discuss, and reflect. The Camino invites us to slow down, listen to our bodies, let go of what others think. . . and upon our return we look for ways to bring those lessons back to our lives.
The Camino can stay with you long after you finish. It isn’t necessarily a vacation you simply return from; for Rebecca, it became an ongoing pilgrimage and exploration. 02:00–02:21
How the Camino first captured her imagination. She discovered it through Sonia Choquette’s Walking Home, and the map of the different routes immediately hooked her. She decided she would someday walk it alone—even though she had young children and a full-time job. 02:39–03:57
Sometimes life creates the window for the Camino. Her 2020 Camino was cancelled, but three years later, with her daughter leaving for college and a buyout from work, she suddenly had the time, freedom, and resources to go. 04:08–04:22
Walking alone can build confidence rather than isolation. Although she was initially nervous, she discovered that traveling alone made it easier to meet people, trust her instincts, and realize she could handle herself. 07:10–09:02
It’s okay to acknowledge fear. Rebecca describes two situations that frightened her—walking in the dark and staying in a room full of men—but neither became a bad experience. She learned to pay attention to what made her uncomfortable and adjust accordingly. 09:02–09:44
The Camino isn’t always magical. Sometimes it just sucks. Five days in, after walking 40 miles in four days, Rebecca was exhausted, lonely, and questioning why she’d undertaken the journey. She ultimately chose to commit fully and accept the experience as it came. 11:01–13:09
You have to walk your own Camino. A fellow pilgrim realized he wasn’t there simply to finish; he wanted to slow down and enjoy the journey. Rebecca connects this to the people who accidentally end up doing someone else’s Camino by matching another person’s pace. 13:10–14:37
A profound moment at the Cruz de Ferro. Feeling sick, exhausted, and disconnected from the significance of the day, Rebecca unexpectedly experienced a powerful sense of connection to the earth, spirit, and herself. She says that moment carried her through the rest of the journey. 15:30–17:28
Walking changed how she experienced herself. Rebecca talks about the idea of bilateral stimulation and how sustained walking may engage different aspects of the brain. More importantly, she personally returned less driven by her analytical/type-A side and more willing to listen to her feelings and intuition. 17:52–19:44
Post-Camino re-entry deserves more attention. Coming home can be surprisingly difficult. Both Rebecca and Rebecca recommend creating a buffer after the walk rather than immediately jumping back into normal life. 19:52–22:16
You can bring the Camino home. Long walks with friends, time in nature, and simply creating space to process can help preserve the Camino mindset. Walking side-by-side can also make deeper conversations easier. 22:29–24:39
The simplicity of Camino life reveals what matters. Walking, talking, eating, and sleeping stripped away many of the distractions of ordinary life. Rebecca found that this opened up a more creative and exploratory part of herself. 25:13–27:44
Creativity became a way to “continue on the way.” She connects writing, Substack, improv, and other creative pursuits to the Camino’s spirit of discovery, improvisation, connection, and being present in the moment. 26:23–27:44
Not everyone wants to hear your five-hour Camino story—and that’s okay. People may be interested in youwithout being fascinated by the Camino itself. But the people who genuinely engage can become much deeper friends. 28:11–29:40
The Camino helped her separate herself from her roles. At 57, as an empty nester and after leaving her job, she was at a natural point of asking, “Who am I really?” She realized she is still a mother, wife, daughter, etc.—but she is not her roles. 30:15–31:26
Your body can adapt—but be kind to it. The first days may be difficult, but Rebecca emphasizes starting gently, taking shorter days or rest days, and trusting that the body will adapt. 32:41–34:18
Don’t let other pilgrims’ pace become your measuring stick. Seeing people walking 20–26+ miles a day can create enormous peer pressure, but their Camino isn’t yours. Slowing down can actually create opportunities to meet different people and experience things you would otherwise miss. 35:36–38:36
A week can still be a real Camino. The transformation isn’t necessarily dependent on walking for 40 days; Rebecca argues that intention and mindset matter more than duration. A shorter Camino can also allow you to integrate the experience gradually and return again later. 38:31–40:57
There is no single “right” way to do the Camino. Even though experienced pilgrims may wish everyone would slow down and notice the history, nature, and stories, ultimately each person has to have their own Camino. 41:00–42:48
If you can’t stop thinking about the Camino, listen to that. Rebecca’s closing message is that if the idea keeps calling you, there may be a reason. You don’t have to wait for retirement or find a month of free time—you can find a way to do even a week. 42:51–44:14
Her writing is part of her ongoing Camino. Rebecca is documenting the experience through Walking the Earth, A Camino Journey, telling the story one day at a time—not just the logistics, but the struggles, insights, and raw reality of the walk. 44:29–45:15
A big thank you to Rebecca for sharing her Camino journey with me!
Rebecca writes at Walk The Earth where she promises, “a weekly escape as you travel along with me on the Camino de Santiago. . . share my discoveries and immerse yourself in the utterly heart-stopping and soul-nourishing beauty of the Camino.” Click here to read her work.
