THE DESTINATION AND THE JOURNEY

     I used to want to get enlightened. Learning about zen buddhism and yoga nirvana, I imagined these would bring an end to personal suffering. No more shyness! No more being hard on myself! I'd be free of ego and earthly woes. It has taken many years to realize that life is a daily journey of honesty, simplicity, love and collaboration. The future aspiration of some imagined peace is realized in being real with this present moment. The destination and the journey are one.
     A couple of dear friends of mine are on a pilgrimage in Spain, walking the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain. Journeying more than ten miles a day, they will cover the 500 mile distance to the tomb of St James on a route that people have walked since medieval times. Back then the pilgrims could not send beautiful iphone email images and reports of the people and sights along the way, like my friends do. The purpose of the journey is not to get somewhere, but to meet the others on the road, to share their stories and their lives, and to experience the strength and depth of their faith in God, and their love of life.
     The Moon is full today, joined with Saturn in Scorpio, opposite the Sun in Taurus. Inner and outer life are joined and in balance, anchored by destiny, purpose, and commitment. The journey is the destination. The aspiration and the reality are one. The passion and the peace meet on the road to Now.