The Magic of Community is part of what has made the Camino so memorable — so impactful — for me.
I’ve walked the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Twice. The Camino has changed my life.
Life is like a Camino. I realized the goal of reaching Santiago, and the daily rhythm of my pilgrimage added joy to the Camino. Curiosity and Openness pulled me along. Adaptability and Presence kept me going. The combination of these traits made for a good Camino, just as they make for a good life — a life well lived.
When life is lacking, apply my lessons to your life. CAPO is your key. Curious. Adaptable. Present. Open.
CAPO is a great analogy for the idea of a life well lived. Do you know what a capo is? It’s a tool you strap to a stringed instrument, like a guitar, to raise the pitch — the vibrations — of the sound when you strum and pluck the strings. — You can raise your vibrations by applying this tool to your life.
Unconsciously, some people apply CAPO to their pilgrimage, helping compose their community. Part of the magic of the Camino is the community that envelopes the pilgrims. To make this relevant to your life, I like drawing a parallel between a Camino Community and a Regenerative Community.
A Regenerative Community rebuilds and restores the environmental and social aspects of people and where they live. My concept of a regenerative community is: / building lives by creating a space where all ages, income levels, cultures, and creeds live and thrive together.
I see encouraging diverse people to live and play together so they can support each other as they grow older, creates that. The cool thing is everyone grows older — everyone benefits. Can you imagine Retirement Communities evolving into Regenerative Communities?
The more connection we all have with disparate peoples, the more balanced and healthy our lives are. That sure was the experience with my Camino Family. Community and CAPO were part of the formula and magic of my Caminos. They are part of a life well lived.
For a Regenerative Community, here’s how CAPO comes into play.
I said that Curious and Open had pulled me along the Camino. Those two traits were mindsets that led me to explore and discover — be engaged in life. They also reflect a growth mindset for learning and development. / With these mindsets, you can work your way through any situation that arises in your community to reach a desirable resolution.
I also said Adaptable and Present kept me going. These two traits were mindsets that helped me be flexible as life happened, and helped me stay calm and grounded. As these mindsets supported a peaceful existence along the trail, they also support a peaceful existence in a community.
These four traits — these mindsets — combine to create the opportunity for cooperation in any community. Thinking of Regenerative Community as a way of renewing heart and soul through engagement and interactions — when you choose to build or live in one, you are creating a better life — a life well lived. That’s The Magic of Community.
You don’t have to walk the Camino to discover The Magic of Community. You can do it right here, today, right now.