Healing with Homeopathy

by Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, ND, MSW, and Robert Ullman, ND

The Camino: A 500-Mile Pilgrimage of Endurance and Transformation

We recently completed, this May and June, the most arduous and challenging physical and spiritual pilgrimage of our lives. We’d been hiking and backpacking for decades, and had shared numerous spiritual pilgrimages to holy sites throughout the world.

But we had never attempted a single walk that was so much more difficult than what we had ever done. Why in the world, you might wonder, would we interrupt our relatively comfortable and satisfying professional and personal lives to undertake a journey that truly seemed far beyond our capacity? Good question! Bob’s 65th birthday and our 30th wedding anniversary coincided within 2 weeks of each other. We agreed that we wanted to mark these occasions representing longevity in some very special and memorable way. El Camino de Santiago de Compostela, in Northern Spain, is an adventure that we first read about in Shirley MacLaine’s book more than two decades ago. We watched together The Way with Martin Sheen, but it did not deeply motivate us at the time. Over the past few years, we thought about doing just a couple of weeks of the Camino, not thinking that we had the fortitude to complete the entire journey. Then, last September, our dear Chilean musician friend Andrés Condon gave us a DVD called Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago. Lest you follow in ours and millions of others’ footsteps without fair warning, the back cover of the DVD quotes the New York Times review: “Viewer beware: The impulse to take a hike is strong.” So, we did watch Six Ways together the next day and, to our mutual amazement, we spoke the same sentiment simultaneously: “We’ve got to walk the whole Camino.” With Bob turning 65 and Judyth 3½ years older, if not now, when? We cleared our patient schedule for 6 weeks and decided to go for it!

Judyth

: My modus operandi is to receive an inspiration, which I call a flash, and move forward fully trusting that it will unfold in some remarkable way. I don’t want to know ahead of time about the endings of movies and books (sometimes to the annoyance of friends). Nor do I research extensively the places that we visit. It’s the surprise, serendipity, and magic of the movement that I find intriguing and exhilarating. So, other than meeting with a couple from our gym who hiked the Camino, and purchasing the virtual bible of the pilgrims by John Brierley (A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino of Santiago), I didn’t really prepare much. In fact Brierley’s book, which we took with us to Chile, somehow vanished. Fortunately, visitors brought down a replacement copy. The month before leaving, we did read together the Kindle version of In Movement There is Peace by Joe and Elaine Foster; but, honestly, their trials and tribulations only made me wonder if I could possibly do it! We were given some links to blogs and forums, but I didn’t follow up on them except to check out recommendations on walking shoes. A month before leaving, we ordered Merino wool tops, foot care items, and a few other essentials. My training program, other than the usual yoga, Zumba, and Pilates, was pretty nonexistent, except for a few short hikes from home in Chile. I just didn’t want to know the end of our movie before it unfolded naturally.

Bob

: In the middle of our pre-Camino winter (Chilean summer), just 3 months prior to our estimated date of departure, in a moment of exuberant jumping in Zumba, I felt a piercing pain in my right knee. Despite my best efforts using homeopathy, Traumeel, a knee brace, massage, and acupuncture, the pain persisted and worsened until I was actually limping with every step. That did not bode well for a successful nearly 500-mile walk! My choice was knee surgery, with a competent Chilean “traumatologist” specializing in knee surgery ($2000 outpatient surgery, a fraction of the cost in the US) or postponing our trip until the fall and letting Medicare pick up the tab as soon as I hit 65. We were hot to trot, I mean hike, and I opted for arthroscopic meniscus surgery and physical therapy. Surgery and a few short walks were how I trained for the Camino!

Judyth and Bob

: We began our journey eagerly, each with moments of doubt, anxiety, and a few of trepidation. A kind of “what have we gotten ourselves into?” Our patients, friends, and communities were fully supportive, and rather amazed by our combination of ingenuousness and courage.

Our optimism and stamina were sorely tested on the first day of our walk, with a baptism of wind and water in the Pyrenees. Having turned down the (highly recommended) opportunity to spend first night on the trail in a hard-to-book rural hotel with dynamite food, we pushed on. We were reluctant to lose nearly an entire day, when we had only built in five “extras” over the 36-day journey. That first walk over the Pyrenees was the most taxing of the entire Camino: 15.6 miles (25.1 kilometers) with an elevation gain of 4757 feet! Five minutes after lunching, rather than bedding down, at the hotel, as we climbed with our 15- to 20-pound packs, we felt a gentle sprinkle. “The book” warned not to do this climb in unfavorable conditions, but the weather was for showers long after we would reach our destination. An hour and a half later, we found ourselves wind-whipped in an icy rain with gusts so forceful that we were barely able to put on our extra layers. One of Bob’s gloves promptly blew away. Judyth had vivid memories of the hypothermia section in our latest book, The Savvy Traveler’s Guide to Homeopathy and Natural Medicine: the fumbles, stumble, mumbles, and grumbles. We sure were fumbling and grumbling! Approaching the summit, we experienced moments of wondering whether our first day on the Camino might be our last.

But, on we went (what else could we do?) and, 4 hours later, trudged into our first pilgrim’s hostel, sopping wet, bone tired, and famished. We were warmly welcomed by Dutch volunteer hospitaleros, stuffed our hiking shoes with dry newspaper, and were led to spotless, comfortable, modern dorm beds. We shared a delicious communal dinner with seven other peregrinos (pilgrims) from Spain, Brazil, and Germany. Lights out at 10 p.m. and back on at 6 a.m. – as at all of the albergues on the Camino. One of most moving experiences of the entire journey was being serenaded by guitars and sweet voices that next morning, first with “Morning Has Broken,” then “Wake Up Little Susie.” This was just one example of countless special moments when we might have thrown in the towel due to foot pain, exhaustion, and a couple of tumbles, but were rewarded for our persistence by kindness, generosity, humor, and communal spirit.

Judyth

: A couple of days later, the toe of my hiking shoes caught on a rock and, for the first time in my life, I did a full face-plant on the gravel! Before I could assess how much damage I might have inflicted upon myself, having hit the ground with my forehead, nose, arm, knee, and ankle, Bob helped me to my feet and a sweetheart-of-a-pilgrim insisted on carrying my pack for the next hour, along with his own. This led to a heartfelt sharing among the three of us, and to a continued friendship during the first part of the Camino, while our paths still intertwined. On our pilgrimage, new and days-old friends would appear and disappear, and help would arise spontaneously whenever we were in need. An inspirational example of the resilience of the body and spirit was our friend, Dennis, from Quebec. Four months after a double lung transplant, he embarked on the Camino, in the spirit of humility and surrender. Witnessing Dennis’ spiritual transformation was definitely one of the highlights of our Camino.

Bob

: On a pilgrim’s walk of 12 to 16 miles a day, it is essential to find ways to enjoy the experience and to persist, even when it seems challenging, tedious, or even impossible. Thankfully, the incredible natural and human-made beauty throughout the countryside of northern Spain was a balm to eyes and soul. Green everywhere: the spring wheat fields, rolling hills, and verdant forests. Throughout the towns and small cities were castles, ancient stone houses and walls, churches, and convents – all with an abundance of spring flowers and shoots. I particularly loved the red poppies, which were in profusion along the country trails, and lanes and the fairly flat five-days on the meseta (plain).

As I trod in the footsteps of others who had walked and worshipped for nearly a millennium, I came to a deep appreciation of the images of Jesus, Mary, the Last Supper, and Santiago (Saint James), the Pilgrim apostle of Jesus, who had preached to the Celtic inhabitants in the first decade after the Crucifixion. I was fascinated to learn the story of how the bones of St. James came to Galicia, and eventually to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (burial ground of St. James). After St. James went home to the Holy Land after 10 years of preaching to the Celts, making a number of converts to the new faith, he was ordered to be executed by King Herod Agrippa. His body was transported to Galicia by his two acolytes, who faithfully protected his remains until their own deaths. The tomb of Santiago was eventually discovered by a seer in 840, after which time the bishop moved them to what is now the Cathedral of Santiago, the ultimate destination of all pilgrims on the Camino.

St. James was depicted as a simple pilgrim, with rustic clothes, a staff, and a scallop shell, the emblem of the Camino. Contemporary international pilgrims look far spiffier (at least at the beginning of the walk) with their colorful daypacks, hiking poles or staffs, and carefully chosen hiking or walking shoes. Just about everyone ties the signature pilgrim’s scallop shell on his or her pack. As the days and weeks wear on, clothing and gear become dirtier and more worn. Not to mention the ubiquitous foot plasters and knee/ankle bandages, supports, kinesiology tape … whatever works to relieve pain and make it to Santiago!

Judyth

: As a doctor writing for a medical journal, I would be remiss not to mention self-care for health issues on the Way. As we’ve already mentioned, first and foremost are the feet! Camino books, forums, blogs, and articles filled with well-meaning advice and admonitions about foot care, including comments like “Only an idiot would buy new hiking shoes on the Camino!” My body withstood the rigors of hiking day after day for at least 5 or 6 hours quite well with the exception of my not normally problematic feet. The terrain is highly variable: from forest trails to village roads to crossing and walking alongside asphalt roads. In spite of well-worn hiking shoes, insoles, and my new Merino wool socks, my feet were my weak link. I only got one (huge) blister the entire time, and that was following an excessively battering and long day of descending 3000 feet on rock paths. It was the pads and arches of my feet that were excruciating and made me wonder, at times, if I could finish the just-short-of-500-mile trip. In addition to our homeopathic kit, which we take everywhere, we went prepared with high potencies of the most common first-aid remedies (Arnica, Rhus tox., Ruta) and even Cimex (homeopathic bedbug), which we thankfully never needed to use.

Compeed is a well-known British brand that saves the day on the Camino. It sure did for us! We had ordered the deodorant-stick-like foot lubricant ahead of time and used it every morning first thing before putting on our hiking socks. My shoes were super comfortable and faithful hiking companions for 3 to 4 years. But I neglected to examine the tread, which, three-quarters of the way to Santiago, looked like a bald tire underneath one heel. The Compeed plasters saved us! These are soft, waterproof plasters/bandages that last for 4 to 6 days of showering and hiking. Some are cushiony, which, along with Coolmax socks that I purchased in one of the villages, and a very occasional ibuprofen (for the first time in my life), I made it to the end without succumbing to even a local taxi! Bob’s knee was 90% pain free, which was nothing short of a miracle. (His Chilean knee surgeon was impressed.) Foot problems significantly affect most pilgrims. It is common to see socks removed during snack and meal breaks to let the feet breathe (good idea). In fact, the first couple of days, we hiked a bit with a super-fit Danish pilgrim who stopped every hour to air out his feet.

Judyth and Bob

: There is so much more we could say … but hopefully this capsule summary gives you a taste of our experience. When we share with each other what we most gained/learned, simplicity, flexibility persistence, and a communal spirit are high on the list. We shared the company of many wonderful fellow travelers from around the world, many of them in their 50s and 60s, some well into their 70s, and we heard reports of hikers who were over 80 and 90 years young. Many pilgrims return, either to continue the parts of the Camino that they missed, or to walk the other less-traveled Caminos. In fact, 237,886 pilgrims completed the Camino in 2014! We may go back in the future to hike for a couple of weeks on the Northern Spanish Camino. It is said that the Camino really begins when you return, and we both are feeling subtle transformations deep within. We are changed in ways we are only beginning to realize. Someone asked us recently if we had any “rapturous” experiences during our pilgrimage. We both agreed that arriving at the Cathedral in Santiago with all of its beauty, glory, and majesty, was ecstatic. We heartily encourage those of you who feel the Camino calling to go. We can assure you that it will be a life-changing experience for you in ways that you never imagined!

Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman are licensed naturopathic physicians, board certified in homeopathy. We are authors of nine books, most recently The Savvy Traveler’s Guide to Homeopathy and Natural Medicine: Tips to Stay Healthy Wherever You Go! We have been in practice for over 30 years, and have shared a passion for healing, nature, hiking, traveling, and spiritual practice. We live on Whidbey Island, Washington, and in Pucón, Chile. We practice at the Northwest Center for Homeopathic Medicine in Edmonds, Washington, and treat patients in person and by phone or videoconference. You can contact us at 425-774-5599, drreichenberg@gmail.com, or drbobullman@gmail.com.

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