3 ms·
None whatsoever aside from the usual post-adventure depression. I've met several persons lost on pilgrimage routes due to mental breakdowns. It's a know proble
by tomcooks 5y ago
None whatsoever aside from the usual post-adventure depression.
I've met several persons lost on pilgrimage routes due to mental breakdowns. It's a know problem, people find happiness and an alternative life during a pilgrimage and keep on walking the routes back and forth through Europe until they run out of money and then become homeless. At the beginning of the French route towards Santiago de Compostela you might still find some mental health counseling offices.
- marttt 5y ago> It's a know problem, people find happiness and an alternative life during a pilgrimage and keep on walking the routes back and forth through Europe until they run out of money and then become homeless. Really interesting, thanks for sharing this. I've never been on a pilgrimage, but the mental side does seem to have similarities with a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat then. Occasionally, (beginning) meditators may experience something similar: struggling to re-enter the "real world" when the camp is over. That's why the last few days of a retreat are structured in a manner that prepares people for a "soft landing" in daily life. Most interesting to hear, though, that this phenomenon can be so serious in case of pilgrimages.
- tomcooks 5y agoI'm doing some research and publishing related to how to try and tackle the problem, if you're interested sign up at my site