pilgrimage Archives - Books And Travel

The Call To Pilgrimage, Resilience, And Embracing Challenge With J.F. Penn

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Why is resilience such an important part of pilgrimage? How can embracing the challenge of the way help in daily life? Why do we need to heed the call to pilgrimage before it’s too late?

I’m Jo Frances Penn and in this episode, I share some clips from podcast interviews I’ve done around my new book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. Thanks to Travel Writing World with Jeremy Bassetti, Into the Woods with Holly Worton, and Sacred Steps with Kevin Donahue, podcasts you will enjoy as listeners to this show.

As this goes out, Pilgrimage is available now in a special limited edition signed hardback, as well as a paperback, ebook, audiobook narrated by me, large print edition, and a workbook.

In this episode, I talk about:

Which were the three ancient ways I walked and why they’re interesting even if you’re not religious
What I learned along the way
The three types of energy you need at the different stages
How pilgrimage reminds us we are animals, and how it gives a much-needed perspective on life.

Pilgrimage: The Perspective Of History And Glimpses Of The Divine

Podcast, Religious

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How can walking in the path of history put life in perspective? How can you find a glimpse of the divine in unexpected places?

In this episode, I share two chapters from my book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. You can buy the audiobook, as well as the special edition hardback, paperback and ebook, at www.JFPenn.com/pilgrimage

A Pilgrim In The Path Of History. Solo Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Coastal Route With J.F. Penn

Podcast, Travel Memoir

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In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the Portuguese Coastal route. It was around 300 kilometers from Porto in Portugal north along the coast and then inland to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which took 14 days of back-to-back walking.

I walked alone and carried my pack with everything in it, and I organized my accommodation through Macs Adventure so I knew where I was sleeping every night. I’ve posted a day by day breakdown of the route and my gear list separately, and in this episode, I go through some of my lessons and thoughts from the Way.

JFPenn at Farolim de Felgueiras lighthouse, Porto

Show notes

How walking in the path of history puts life in perspective
If you’ve lost direction in life, pilgrimage can help
Pilgrimage proves you can do hard things, and that knowledge helps back in your daily life
A fusion of sacred and secular
The Camino is an industry — and it always has been
Your Camino, your way. Practical considerations and tips.
Why I needed these last years of walking alone across a seasonal change in my life

You’ll find additional reflections and tips in Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, out now at jfpenn.com/pilgrimage.

Walking The Camino Portuguese Coastal Route From Porto To Santiago De Compostela: Overview

Religious, Walking

In September 2022, I walked the Camino Portugues Da Costa, the coastal route, from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It was around 300 km in 14 days with links to each day’s walk below as well as extra decisions and packing info, as well as links to my other pilgrimage content. Bom caminho! Buen camino!

Preparation: Decisions to make, packing and gear list

Day 0: Exploring Porto, Portugal

Day 1: Porto city around the coast to Matosinhos (13km)

Day 2: Matasinhos To Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal (31km)

Day 3: Póvoa de Varzim to Esposende, Portugal (21km)

Day 4: Esposende to Viana do Castelo, Portugal (27km)

Day 5: Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Ancora, Portugal (19km)

Sacred Steps. Pilgrimage With Kevin Donahue

Podcast, Religious

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How is pilgrimage different from just a long walk? Why do we feel a calling to pilgrimage even when not religious? How does pilgrimage connect us to our physicality, and simplify life so we find some perspective? Kevin Donahue talks about some of his ‘sacred steps’ on various pilgrimage routes across Europe.

Kevin Donahue began walking pilgrimage routes in 2019 and hosts the ‘Sacred Steps Podcast,’ where he discusses pilgrimage with fellow pilgrims. He’s currently writing a book, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrim’s Journal, out in 2023.

Show notes

How is pilgrimage different from a long walk?
Why pilgrimage resonates even to those who are not religious
Highlights of Kevin’s pilgrimage, including the crossing to Holy Island, Lindisfarne
The challenges of pilgrimage — and the gifts that only emerge later
Tips for the Camino Portuguese route — wear shoes with thicker soles for the cobblestones!
Recommended books on pilgrimage

You can find Kevin Donahue at SacredStepsPodcast.com and on Instagram @kevincdonahue

You can listen to my interview on Kevin’s podcast about my pilgrimage to Canterbury here.

Pilgrimage Kickstarter Banner4 — My book, Pilgrimage, Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, is out now

A Yearning for Setting Off. Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Route With Imogen Clark

Podcast

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Why does pilgrimage have such a hold on those of us who are not religious, but merely seekers on a path that so many millions have walked before us? Author Imogen Clark talks about her Camino, the highlights and challenges, the lessons learned, and why she still yearns to set off once again.

Imogen Clark is the best-selling author of eight contemporary women’s fiction novels, and has sold over a million books. She recently walked the Camino de Santiago on a variant of the Portuguese route.

What is pilgrimage and how is it different to just a long walk?
How “a yearning for setting off” shapes Imogen’s fiction and how it led to her Camino
Highlights of the route — and memorable moments
The challenges of the journey
The gifts of pilgrimage often emerge much later than we expect
Practicalities of the Camino Portuguese coastal route
Recommended books

You can find Imogen at www.ImogenClark.com and on Twitter @imogenclark and Instagram @imogenclarkauthor

My book, Pilgrimage, Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, which features this Camino route, is out now.

pilgrimage

How can walking in the path of history put life in perspective? How can you find a glimpse of the divine in unexpected places?

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