Historically, a pilgrimage is an act of religious devotion. Pilgrims demonstrate reverence through an act of sustained intention that prioritizes reflection and meditation. Many pilgrims also embark on their long walks seeking atonement for their wrongdoings.

As I arrive in Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the Camino routes (unless you walk on to Finisterre, the traditional pagan endpoint on the coast), I find my motivations for embarking on this long journey align with both my historical and modern peers, despite my detachment from its catholic roots.

Tonight is also the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. Atonement is traditionally a plea to a higher spiritual authority for forgiveness for one’s sins. I thought about forgiveness a lot during this walk and as someone for whom god lives within and among ourselves, I find the concept of atonement still relevant to my own inner work.

To ask for forgiveness is to accept culpability and responsibility for harm done unto another or oneself. To ask for forgiveness is to accept the necessity of forgiving yourself and also the possibility that others want to forgive you, and want you to forgive yourself.

Atonement is the first step in the process of asking, which requires a quieting of one’s internal shouting, blaming, and justifying long enough to consider the possibility of one’s own original goodness, and confusion as a temporary state.

Walking alongside so many others who want to be better, more gentle and thoughtful, has been a powerful experience. I have had some helpful conversations with others on this path, but mostly my conversations have been with myself about what matters to me and what I’ve learned thus far.

Observing which thoughts and feelings repeatedly come to the surface has also been a helpful practice. Walking is a sacred practice of emotional mastication and I feel grateful that there exist places and people that celebrate it and want to keep it alive as a communal experience.

To atone is also to let this focused period of reflection come to an end, and let the residual silence, church bells, or gong ring forth in a call to action.

Buen Camino and chag sameach!