Join us on a Pilgrimage out of the Machine
Even for the non-religious, it is impossible to walk in the footsteps of the millions who have trudged, bled, prayed, laughed and cried along this route for over 1,000 years, and to see the monuments that have been inspired by that faith, and not be moved.
It is impossible to be exposed to the openness and generosity of your fellow pilgrims and the native Spaniards along the way and not be inspired to introduce more of that behaviour into your own pilgrimage through life.
from Solo in Spain by Rocco Rossi
Twenty-one years ago I (Ruth) read these words on a blustery January day while sipping my morning latte in a café at the edge of the North American continent. By the time I put down the newspaper I had determined that I simply had to go on this hike. The following spring, on April 29th, I stepped on the plane to leave for a pilgrimage that would change my life.
Little did I know that it would also change the lives of my husband
and my daughter who was to be born the following year. But that is another story.Maybe a simpler way to say it is that the Camino pilgrimage is not just an ancient trail that has been trodden by millions of pilgrims over the centuries, with stunning landscapes and glorious historic monuments, but a place of great spiritual inspiration. It is also a place where time reaches deep into the past, while slowing pilgrims down to the actual pace of life — on the Camino time moves at the speed of feet.
One of the things Peco and I often talk about in our articles is how “unmachining” our lives requires that we disconnect from our devices and reconnect with real life for long enough that we rediscover what that “realness” is.
'Solvitur ambulando' - It is solved by walking.
St. Augustine
For those who have walked the Camino, myself included, the very act of walking, for hours each day along the trail, is grounding and illuminating. You discover a steady rhythm of movement, a simplicity and flow of being, a quiet wonder at the mountains and eucalyptus forests and hills bathed in wildflowers, a profound awe at the ancient silences of the old churches, a feeling of bonding with fellow pilgrims—this and so much else that is utterly foreign to modern technological life, and which brings you back into connection with parts of yourself that you might have forgotten, or never experienced before. Even non-spiritual people have found the Camino pilgrimage somehow spiritual, in the sense that it’s a total and uplifting experience involving our physical and social and emotional selves, and something beyond all these things.
One of the goals of our writing at
and at has been to encourage and inspire our readers to take the ideas and practical suggestions we offer and bring them to life in their unique situations. We’ve enjoyed sharing our thoughts and interaction with readers digitally , but we often wondered how we could connect with readers in the real world. Some of you have had the opportunity to attend conferences with like-minded people and have benefitted from the experience, which served to turn individual sparks into a more powerful fire.Peco and I mused that it would be great to connect with people not just for après-presentation dialogues at a pub, but over the course of many days, sharing meals, building relationships, all while hiking through a naturally and spiritually inspiring landscape.
Well, to our utter amazement, the opportunity has arrived, and we welcome you to come along!
We will be leading an eleven-day “Pilgrimage out of the Machine” on the Camino trail next year, from June 14-24, 2025.
Please Note: Space is limited so reserve your spot promptly :)
What to expect
We will be walking the final 100 km1 of the “Camino Francés (French Camino)2”, a route along the northern part of Spain that has been travelled by pilgrims for more than a thousand years. Here are some of the highlights to expect:
Our journey will include opportunities to explore historic cities, villages, and churches such as the Pulchra Leonina (Beautiful Leonese), a 13th century gothic style cathedral in León.
The León Cathedral is best known for its extreme “dematerialization of gothic art”, reducing the walls to their minimum and maximizing the luminous stained glass windows, resulting in one of the largest collections of medieval stained glass world-wide. The majority of the 1800 square meters of colorful glass date back to the thirteenth to fifteenth century. Although over twenty years have passed, I clearly recall marveling at this awe-inspiring architectural feat.
The oldest cathedral along the Camino Francés is located in the mountains of Galicia in the “impossibly quaint hobbit hamlet” of O Cebreiro. Santa María la Real dates back to the 9th century and contains the famous “Galician Holy Grail”. The traditional palozzas (looking somewhat like “stone igloos with thatched roofs”3) were used from Celtic times 1500 years ago up until the 1960s, designed to withstand severe winter weather at 1200 meters, and housed everything from humans and animals to bread ovens and looms, as well as wood, metal, and leather workshops.
We’ll hike along forest trails and country roads, crossing the River Miño into the town of Portomarín, where we’ll visit the fortress Church of San Nicolás which was rescued and rebuilt stone by stone after a historic flood.
Our pilgrims’ path will lead us along ancient Roman roads and bridges, through natural shady pathways, and scented eucalyptus forests.
Our next-to-last destination is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where St. James is reputed to be buried. The initial shrine was burnt to the ground in 997, and the construction of this stunning present edifice dates back to 1075. It is massive, containing four façades with adjoining squares, and is the largest Romanesque church in Spain. The interior houses a crypt with the relics of Saint James and two of his disciples as well as the world’s largest thurible (an 80 kg censer which on special occasions wafts incense over pilgrims reaching speeds of 50 mph). A daily Pilgrim’s Mass is held during which the countries of origin of each of the newly arrived pilgrims is announced.
Our final destination is Finisterre, literally “The End of the Earth”4, on the shores of the Atlantic. While this brings our journey to an end, it marks the beginning of our continued pilgrimage in life.
Who are we?
Many of you have been reading along over the last year and have come to know bits and pieces of who we are via our articles (maybe you even dipped into the About page). Here a little more about us:
is the author of the science fiction novel Exogenesis (Ignatius Press) and has been featured in The European Conservative, Catholic World Report, The Imaginative Conservative, as well as various podcast/radio shows. He is a lifelong writer of fiction, a dedicated student of the mind, and a practicing psychologist. I (Ruth) grew up in Switzerland where I developed a deep appreciation for a variety of languages, long mountain hikes, and delicious pastries before adventuring to Canada. I have a MA in Applied Linguistics, am a home educator, have founded and co-ordinated various community programs, and love bringing people of all backgrounds together.We have lived in bustling cities, a wind-swept island in the Atlantic, and Switzerland. We now make our home in Canada with our three children on the borders of Mennonite country.
Who is this trip for?
Everyone is welcome to join us! As a fellow pilgrim you are welcome to simply come along as who you are, no matter what your unique perspective on life. Our hope is that we can connect at a human level that is common to all of us, via our experiences walking, conversing, sharing meals, and other convivial activities. You don’t even have to be an extrovert — a pilgrimage is a great way to find solitude even in the company of others.
We would love to have you along on the journey ! So why not join us on A Pilgrimage out of the Machine?
People don’t take trips, trips take people.
John Steinbeck
Have you walked on the Camino or another pilgrimage? What was your experience?
Is walking a regular part of your life?
What are some of your favorite books, films, or quotes about walking?
We’d love to hear from you! Please share your questions, thoughts, and reflections in the comments section!
A private vehicle will transport your luggage to the next destination, allowing you to simply take along a light daypack along the walks.
The “Camino Francés” is a World Heritage Site. In its entirety is approximately 780 km (483 miles) long and takes around 31 days to complete.
From the Latin finis terrae “end of the earth”. In Roman times this was believed to be the end of the known world.
Many blessings on your journey, and the planning that will take place over the next year.
My wife Lisa and I have found great benefit in pilgrimage. She walked the Way of St. Giles in France, and we've also explored using the model of pilgrimage for wilderness travel (both hiking and canoeing) in North America. It's a little different as we lack the ancient Christian religious sites, but the practice of praying with Creation and humbling ourselves by traveling by foot (or paddle) remains deeply edifying and transformative. The Liturgy of the Hours takes on a new clarity and intensity when prayed at a campfire or by the water's edge. It's been a helpful way for us to de-objectify our relationship with the created order, and remember that we're 'fellow pilgrims' with the rest of God's creatures, as well.
I remember John Muir saying the same "it can be solved by walking." When trying to persuade people that their addictive tech is harmful, the best tactic I've found is getting them back into nature, and pushing them to the good, vs telling them what is bad.