As I continue with my theme of comparing the Master Key Experience to the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage, it makes sense to talk about packing – specifically packing light!
When you start to plan your Camino, you must consider what to pack carefully. You will be carrying everything you need on your back. This is actually quite empowering once you get used to the idea. Knowing that you have everything you need readily available – yet NOT having extra weight to drag you down. I heard it is a good idea to carry no more than 10% of your body weight. It’s smart to choose a smaller capacity backpack so you aren’t tempted to bring more.
Take into account where you are going, what weather you can expect, and what services you can find along the Way. On the Camino Frances there are plenty of services. So we carried water and a few snacks but no major food supplies or cooking equipment. Beds are readily available but a light sheet and blanket or sleeping bag are essential for a good night’s sleep (although in summer you may not need the blanket). A few toiletries are necessary, but you can restock as you go (Spain has many stores – las tiendas). For clothing, layering is key, especially when you travel in spring or fall when weather is unpredictable. We each had a jacket, sweater, gloves, a hat and a buff. Many days we started wearing most of our outerwear only to remove it within an hour when we warmed up. Rain-gear is important – we had ponchos and luckily didn’t need them many times. Many pilgrims sleep in the clothes they will wear for walking the next day. Then at the end of the day, you shower, wash those clothes, and put on your other set. Most of the time two sets of clothing is plenty. I had one extra t-shirt and a pair of shorts for warm days. Then socks and underwear – just 2-3 sets of each. Most of my clothing is running wear, which is light and dries very quickly. Footwear was simple, with hiking boots (some prefer trail runners) for the day, and sandals for the evening (the only place on earth where it is acceptable to wear socks with sandals).
And that was about it. Some people find they brought too much, and leave a few things behind for others to enjoy. Or they send a package ahead to Santiago. We had a few unnecessary items but not enough to warrant a trip to the post office. Next time I will be a bit more selective and leave a few other things at home.
And how does this apply to the Master Key Experience? Well, we all carry some degree of baggage with us through life. Does this weigh us down? It certainly can, especially negative emotions such as guilt, blame, grudges. How do you pack for MKE? You do need to have your essentials – the readings, index cards, crayons, and a notebook or some way to record your thoughts. But that heavy emotional baggage that weighs us down – we have no space for that! Keep your positive attitude, your gratitude, and your sense of adventure – but toss the negativity!
I let go of what I no longer need so I can become the person I am meant to become. Master Key Experience notes
Surrender is part of letting go. Remember, we only have control over one thing, our thought. One way to let go is to forgive. This is part of the Seven Laws of the mind:
To access the Divine and connect the subconscious to the Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipotent Creator we must forgive everyone and anyone to clear the channel. There can be no connection where anger or resentment, justified or not, exists. Master Key Experience notes
What about the unexpected? Sometimes things come up that we can’t control. For instance, on the Camino you may get an injury and be unable to carry your pack. Jacotrans and other baggage transfer services will pick up your backpack and transfer it to your next destination, just for a small fee. This is a wonderful service as it allows people to walk, who would otherwise be unable to do the Camino. In life, there are always things that come up (like Covid) which you can’t control – but we can always control how we react. If you have challenges with the Master Key Experience, ask for help – the staff, the guides, and the other participants are happy to help if they can. You might be able to share your load with someone.
There is an expression in Spain: “The Camino provides.” How true! Whether it’s a place to stay (I have a story about that later), or a toilet at the right time, or learning about Jacotrans, or simply an encouraging word from a new friend – the Camino provides!
One more thing to pack is a way to stay connected – with people at home, people you have met on the Way, your Tribe or Family. We called our new friends our Camino Family. In the MKE, we usually call them our Tribe, or our Mastermind Group. Either way, you need to plan how to stay in touch. Some people travel with phones and tablets, some pilgrims like to unplug from all technology. It was convenient for us to use What’s App on our phones to communicate – with my husband at home, and with my new Camino family. Plenty of wifi so I did not need to use data. Here at home, with MKE, we often use Marco Polo, Zoom, Webinars, emails, and the Member’s Area of your Kajabi website. Take advantage of whatever you can to keep building those connections, they are invaluable!
And I did my first blogging while on pilgrimage. Here is the link for that: https://arlenetoys.wixsite.com/mycamino. And I’m still blogging, now for MKE, maybe not that much has changed:)
I heard this quote on a Camino Podcast, not sure of the source:
To have it all you need very little.
And I found this quote, which fits well with the Master Key Experience.
Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. Marcus Aurelius