Sunday, June 19, 2016

The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit

The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit by Shirley MacLaine
The Camino, officially known as the Santiago de Compostela Camino, is a 500-mile path across northern Spain that for centuries people have walked for spiritual growth or other reasons. This book is the actress Shirley MacLaine's personal statement of her own travels on the Camino when she was 60 years old which is described as "an intense spiritual and physical challenge." She set a goal of doing it in 30 days which meant she had to average 20 miles a day over mountainous terrain. As the book progresses the focus shifts from the original physical challenge of walking so far, to a spiritual challenge that occurs for Shirley in her dreams where she is confronted with memories of past lives and spirit guides. If you are just looking for a book about the physical features of the Camino then this is not the best book for you. If you want to catch a glimpse into the rich inner spiritual struggles of Shirley MacLaine, and to perhaps grow a bit from the experience yourself, then you can be sure that this book will give you one heck of an adventure.