We’d all appreciate a sign from time to time to help us know the right path to take, wouldn’t we?
Pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela don’t necessarily need a map to make the journey—they simply need to follow the yellow arrows that indicate the direction of the path.
Just like the pilgrim on the road to Santiago de Compostela, there are arrows for the pilgrim on the interior journey, too—signs that you can always trust to lead you to your inner destination, whether you are a pilgrim abroad or in everyday life: what draws you in and what you have resistance to.
What draws you in reveals what’s speaking to you in this season, highlights what’s stirring inside, and indicates where the Sacred Guide might be leading. Perhaps it’s a particular topic or spiritual conversation, maybe it’s a hobby like gardening or hiking, or it could even be a new way of living, offering a change of pace from your current life. You can also notice what draws you in by paying attention to words that inspire or looking out for images that resonate with your soul.
Whatever it is that draws you in, bringing you closer to your True Self and the Divine, one thing is certain: when you “follow your bliss,” as Joseph Campbell famously suggested, you will be led down the path of Life.
It’s important to note, however, that even the things that feel far from life-giving can lead us toward transformation if we let them. Another sign that you can trust that is sure to cultivate growth when engaged with the intention of the pilgrim is the very place you feel resistance. Just as paying attention to what draws you in can show you where connection can be found, noticing where you feel resistance can indicate where your edges lie, what might be blocking your path, and where you’re being invited to expand and grow.
These blocks, too, can be valuable teachers on the journey, offering an invitation to go deeper and engage the complex emotions that are holding you back as you seek to journey toward acceptance and integration. Campbell speaks to this truth as well, declaring, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek.”
The good news is we don’t have to wait long for these signs to arrive. In fact, like the arrows which line the path of the Camino, these signs are sprinkled throughout our days in our interactions, explorations, reflections, and even our mundane daily tasks. All that’s needed to see them is the curiosity of the pilgrim who is eager to engage the many signs that show up along the path and the courage to follow their lead.
What signs are showing up in your journey, and how will you choose to follow them?