There are reasons we are drawn to places.
We may experience a strong inclination to go somewhere, or a feeling of belonging when we arrive. Something about the place just resonates within us.
Have you ever experienced this kind of inner knowing? And wondered why you feel that way?
Whatever the reason behind the feeling - when we follow that hit of intuition, new and rich experiences unfold that may otherwise not have been available to us.
As I prepared to leave for several months in Spain, I reflected on my first trip to visit my grandfather’s hometown, A Coruña in Galicia, thirty years ago.
Words cannot adequately describe the deep sense of connection I felt then, and continue to feel every time I walk along El Camino de Santiago – particularly in the path’s final section of Galicia.
Cognitively, I can recognize a yearning to better know the man who raised my father, as well as the culture that shaped him. But it goes deeper than that.
Logic cannot explain it. It is simply a part of my identity, my ancestral roots. I recognize the place on a somatic and a spiritual level. And being in Spain brings something deeper to life in me.
Native American poet, Linda Hogan, speaks to the nature of this kind of experience in her book, Dwellings:
Walking, I am listening to a deeper way.
Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me.
Be still, they say.
Watch and listen.
You are the result of the love of thousands.
I am grateful for the opportunities that I have to explore this connection, and for the freedom I give myself to feel it without needing to rationalize it.
And also for the mindfulness practices that allow me to recognize my inner knowing, act upon it and experience each moment as it arises.
Let your wisdom lead,
Robin
P.S.
Follow along on my journey through Spain on Instagram @mindfuladventures_elcamino
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