Almost - pre-Camino jitters

[garranos]

There are not may people who will openly admit to having suffered a full on panic attack, and for those who haven’t suffered one, I'm sure it would be difficult to understand what a traumatic life-changing experience it is! For people who have suffered so, the use of the word panic is a strong one. For example the expression "don't panic" can in itself induce a feeling that one may do so.

I prefer words like apprehension, anxiety and fear. These are also strong words, but they can sometimes be empowering. It's all about the individual, and how he or she relates to those words. I'm no head shrink, but anybody who sets out on the Camino and crosses the Pyrenees without feeling a little bit apprehensive and nervous is either emotionless or unwise.


In unusual conditions apprehension itself can have many short-term benefits in meeting difficult situations. I was very apprehensive when I set out on my Camino. So much so that I felt physically sick. When I arrived in SJPP I was still fighting with my emotions, and if it wasn’t for the spiritual adventure and challenge of everything
 known and unknown, visible and invisible, I would have turned back.



After a good nights rest in SJPP I felt recharged but I still felt apprehensive. Not because I was worried about crossing the Pyrenees. I’d been there before, and in many ways it reminded me of my playgrounds, (The English Pennines and hills and mountains of Wales.) I was more concerned about whether I’d make it to Santiago? Whether I’d overestimated my fitness? Whether I could cope with six weeks of footslogging? Whether I was carrying too much kit, etc?



Judging by the amount of offlist post I’ve received concerning pre Camino anxiety, I think it’s quite natural to feel apprehensive before setting off! I would also like to point out that there are lots of other factors that make considerable contributions to those feelings of apprehension. Things that we often overlook like: lack of sleep, dehydration, fitness, morale, illnesses and injury.



If it helps, those feelings of apprehension soon evaporate in those first few days!



Ultreya – Jason
Moderator Ultreya.net

Sally Haden <hadense1948aHOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
So I wondered if there are any of you who wanted to share any experiences that would help those of us who "worry"!
Peace to all
Sally
Lancashire, UK


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