To The End Of The Earth

Tess and Pete have just completed the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a 550 mile walk across northern Spain. They started in the French Pyreneean Mountains at St. Jean Pied de Port and 28 days later spoke out Peace Messages at the Atlantic Ocean At Finisterre. This place has long been considered the ‘End of the Earth’ The Camino is a pilgrimage whose roots go back to antiquity when ancient Celts followed west the line of the Milky Way as far as possible on land. Beyond the known way was where monsters lived in the sea…The route was taken up by early Christians

walking from many parts of Europe to reach the sacred city of Santiagot, three days east of Finisterre. Here the bones of the apostle St.James are incarcerated. They were bought from the Holy Land by sea and centuries later miraculously discovered via the direction of a field of stars. The following of the Camino has over the years drawn thousands of pilgrims with religious, spiritual and adventurous intentions, resulting in a unique and special energy. It is said that those who walk are guided by a river of angels…and the west wind whispers… “Night rooster heralds an awakening to the way…cuckoo bears it onwards, and stork brings new birth.

Narrow cobbled streets and stone archways tell of no time. Pilgrims, peregrinos leave behind thoughts of material things…simplicity is your friend…follow the yellow arrows. Scallop shells are the sign that you journey to a Holy place. They lead you over snow-capped mountains, accross scorching plains and cooling forests, alongside fertile farmlands…through village, town and city steeped in the ghosts of those who have gone before you…Foreverwalking…relentlessly, relentlessly…and the land feeds you fish from the streams, bread from the vast wheat fields, wine from the vineyards burnt deep from the red soil, rich cheeses from the green grass, tomato, asparagus and healing oil from the olive. Village fountains quench your thirst with pure water. All are gifts from the Earth.

Accept with joy, for in your acceptance of what-is you find the way… and you will flow with the movement of the stars. And when your legs are in too much pain to move, the beauty around you rocks your soul and touches your inner being with such love that you are able to go on, for in your vulnerability lies your strength. Rest a while at the peregrino hostels and swop tales of struggle, but always move forwards with courage, footstep upon weary footstep, pain upon pain, day upon day upon day…until ypur eyes feast on the great cathedral spires of Santiago…and onwards still to the ocean, to the lighthouse on the rocks which shines ahead into the unknown…for even at the end of the Earth we must keep on keeping on…keep on following the way…being the peace…” Tess and Pete were honouring the Earth by carrying a spark of the Tibetan light and joining pilgrims from many nations in the spirit of peace and harmony. Messages were spoken out also on the day of Saga Dawa, the celebration of the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha when it is believed that prayers are multiplied a million-fold, as well as facing the cathedral at Santiago on the 6th June at 6p.m., the regular monthly ‘Climb For Tibet’ tune-in for peace. This was a training walk, preparing for a venture to a rather colder ‘End of the Earth’, the Magnectic North Pole next April, to be undertaken on skis, pulling sledges across 400 miles of Arctic ice.

Thank you to the warm and very welcoming people of the Camino and thank you to those who shared their light in the form of a Peace Message. Further messages for the Arctic are now being collected, as are sponsorship monies all of which goes towards the ‘Climb For Tibet’ projects, principally building schools in Tibet, currently 6. With blessings and in the spirit of Peace.

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Following the way...

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