Pilgrim Story Hour

On my first Camino, I met pilgrims who spoke about a "hidden camino", and who were playing an esoteric game called "el juego de la oca" (the game of the goose). I thought it strange, since this is a child's board game similar to snakes and ladders, and dismissed it. Years later, I would learn it to be a metaphor for the camino, where the images and symbols point to an inner journey that the pilgrim is walking at the same time as they are walking an outer journey. In this episode, I share with you the meaning of some of the images and symbols. Buen camino! Mony

On this episode, I speak about the three great journeys of initiation, those journeys towards self-knowing that invite us to unite body, mind, heart and spirit to become whole human beings in the service of the highest good for all. I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to share it. Buen camino! ~Mony

Long before pilgrims walked this modern path called the Camino, ancient ones and truth seekers followed this Way of the Stars, reenacting with each step the journey of the sun as it rose (was born) and set (died) every day. In this episode, I share some reflections on death and rebirth as a key element of pilgrimage. Enjoy, and buen camino! ~Mony "The Call" - original painting by Alberto Agraso Art of the Spirit (http://albertoagraso.blogspot.com)

While walking in Croatia, I was interviewed by a reporter in English for the evening news. It's rare footage from my time as a pilgrim, and one that re-enforces that this was indeed, for me, a journey of inner exploration.

In this video, I share some reflections on the true temple that I was walking towards during my pilgrimages along the Camino de Santiago, and walking 5000 kms from Rome to Jerusalem. When I recorded this video, I didn't realize that the sun would create this light effect, and I thought about re-recording it. But it somehow seemed to add to the message of this episode, which is that the temple that we seek (and all its promises and secret teachings) is within our own heart, and it is to that temple that we journey when we walk. Enjoy the video, and please feel free to share. Buen Camino!

In the early days of our walk for peace to Jerusalem, Alberto commented that we are angels, doing the work of bringing peace and light wherever we walked. I found that definition rather unsettling, almost arrogant, but had to reconsider his perspective after this experience in Italy. Enjoy the story, taken from our book "Walking for Peace, an inner journey". To learn more about our magical 5000-km journey, including maps, photos, and more, please visit http://walkingforpeace.com.

During our Rome-to-Jerusalem pilgrimage, we were indeed walking on faith. Every night, we needed to find shelter. Every night, we needed to trust that the person opening the door would receive us. Most times, they did and we had a roof over our heads. But one night, they didn't. In this episode, I share the story of when the doors were closed to us, several times in that one night, and how walking on faith brought us to a place that can only be described as miraculous. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays to all!

When I began walking alone, many people said, "Wow, you're so brave! Aren't you scared?" Of course, a certain amount of courage is required to embark on any journey into the unknown, but I have come to appreciate that it's the small, moment-by-moment choices that we make about who we are as individuals that define true courage. On this episode, I share a story that took place in Syria and Lebanon, when my courage should have carried me, but didn't. Enjoy, and buen camino!

How many times have we walked in the rain, and wished it was sunny? Or walked in blistering heat, and thought about nothing but the cool rains? On this episode, inspired by the rains of this day, I share a story about a rainy day’s walk in Croatia. The VIDEO, and the entire series, is also on: - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimStoryHour, and - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Y9dB9SE2U

“Synchronicities”: often dismissed as random coincidences, these messengers of the Universe can help guide and support us in our journeys, if we but open our hearts and minds to them. On this episode, I share the story of one of the many synchronicities that have guided me during my pilgrimages.

Pilgrims throughout the ages and across all traditions have embarked on the quest to touch the sacred, that undefinable something that has power and meaning beyond what is simply physical. On this episode, I share the short story of how first touched the sacred, and what I learned from it.

Walking alone is possibly one of the greatest fears pilgrims have on their journeys. But walking alone, even if it’s only for a short while, can also offer one of the greatest opportunities for personal growth, if we have the courage to do so. In this episode, I speak about separating from Alberto during our Rome-to-Jerusalem pilgrimage, and the deep lessons we each learned.

We've all heard the legends of this mythical creature called the "perfect pilgrim". You know, the one who always walks, always carries their backpack and always stays in the refugios. In this episode, I share my experiences as a "perfect pilgrim" and how I made peace with her.

As pilgrims, we spend a great deal of time reading about the experiences of others who have walked before, and without realizing it, end up carrying those ideas as expectations and wishes for how our pilgrimage should be. Sometimes, those expectations can lead to disappointment when things don’t turn out quite as we had anticipated. On this episode, I share a story about one such experience.

On this episode, I speak about the precious cargo I carried - prayers, photos of loved ones passed, healing requests - on my 5000-km walk for peace from Rome to Jerusalem.

We always hear about the marvelous people we meet during pilgrimage... which, of course, is the norm... but we rarely hear about those difficult people we encounter, the ones that irritate or frustrate us, maybe even bring us to tears. Although it's easy to dismiss them, I believe these individuals can be the magical elixirs in our journeys of personal transformation and healing, if we choose to look at them in this way. On this episode, I will share the story of one such difficult person in Bosnia, during my Rome-Jerusalem pilgrimage, and the tremendous opportunity for healing she offered me.

Communication is a complex art form that goes beyond words. During pilgrimage, when we often don't speak the language, we are forced to find other, more subtle, ways of connecting with others and making ourselves understood. On this episode of the Pilgrim Story Hour, I share a story from my Rome-to-Jerusalem pilgrimage that takes place in Croatia where I needed to communicate without words. Enjoy and please feel free to Like and Share. Gracias and buen camino, Mony

Rituals bring the sacred into the present moment, making any action or intention in that moment all that much more powerful. On this episode, I share a ritual I performed while in Turkey, after having walked almost 4000 kms.

On this episode, I share the story of an experience I had while in Italy, on a foggy evening, walking around the fortress of Palmanova.

In this episode, I share a dream that I had while in walking in Turkey, and when inner turbulence dominated and my next steps were unclear.