The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit, by Shirley Maclaine

I hope most of you are familiar with Shirley Maclaine, the actress and dancer who became popular during the Fifties and Sixties, and who still takes occasional, eccentric older roles (notably as Lady Cora’s mother in Downton Abbey).  The first in her series of spiritual memoirs, Out on a Limb, became a landmark of New Age literature after it came out in 1986.  As a result, she was much chastised and ridiculed, a perhaps more-enlightened Gwyneth Paltrow of her day, and has become more selective in her roles in recent years.

In 2000, she published The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit, a chronicle of her 1994 journey on the Camino de Santiago, the famous 800-kilometer pilgrimage on foot across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostella, where the remains of St. James are reputedly buried.  It is a pilgrimage made by peasants and kings, old and young, Christians and non-Christians alike, following a traditional Roman trade route to Cape Finisterre, literally the end of their known world.  Lit at night by the Milky Way overhead, it is said to follow one or more ley lines.

Maclaine tackled the Camino at about age 60, at a juncture in her life, and in part inspired by a dying friend.  The book documents the rigours and wonders of the journey itself, her dealings with travelling companions, and her increasing efforts to dodge the press as they discovered that she was making the pilgrimage.  She also had issues with wild dogs, though the press was probably worse.  Along the way, she had dreams and visions of past lives, accompanied by a spirit guide calling himself “John the Scot”.  These culminated in a vision of what can only be called a New Age creation myth, in part involving extraterrestrials and past lives in Lemuria and Atlantis.

One can be forgiven for doing a little eye-rolling at her visions, but as she says, each person’s experience on the Camino is different, and what worked for her doesn’t necessarily work for someone else. Take it as one woman’s spiritual journey, or as a travelogue, or as a guide for anyone considering taking the Camino themselves.

Summer festival time is upon us again; see the calendar for details.

August Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MDT.

Jul 27-30:  Calgary Folk Music Festival.  http://www.calgaryfolkfest.com

Jul 28-29:  Peak of Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower.

Jul 29, 2:00 pm: Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet in Pearce Estate Park.
Jul 29, 8:00 pm: Paranormal Investigation at Twin Cities Hotel, Longview, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.

Jul 30, 10:00 am:  Diagon Alley in Kensington.

Jul 31-Aug 1:  Traditional Lughnasadh, Freysblot, Lammas, etc.

Aug 4:  An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power opens at Landmark Cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huX1bmfdkyA

Aug 4-7:  Panfest 2017, south of Edmonton. http://www.panfest.ca

Aug 4-12:  Calgary Fringe Festival. http://calgaryfringe.ca

Aug 5:  Coll/Hazel Tree Month begins, according to Robert Graves.

Aug 5, 11:00 am:  Inglewood Sunfest.  https://inglewoodsunfest.ca/

Aug 5, 7:00 pm:  COGCOA Coffee Cauldron.  http://cogcoa.ab.ca or Facebook.

Aug 5-6:  Didsbury Days of Yore Festival.  http://mountainviewartssociety.ca/

Aug 7:  Heritage Day and similar Civic Holidays (most of Canada).

Aug 7, 12:11 pm:  Full (Sturgeon, Bear, or Corn) Moon.  Lunar Eclipse (not visible in North America).

Aug 12, 10:00 am:  Calgary New Age Craft Market at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall.

Aug 12, 7:00 pm:  Mercury Retrograde until September 5.

Aug 12-13:  Brooks Medieval Faire.  http://brooksfaire.com

Aug 12-13:  Peak of Perseids Meteor Shower, hampered by gibbous Moon.

Aug 15-26:  Globalfest International Fireworks Festival at Elliston Park.  http://globalfest.ca

Aug 21, 12:25 pm:  New Moon. “Great American” Solar Eclipse begins 10:20 am; maximum coverage (in Calgary approx. 80%) at 11:33 am; ends 12:50 pm. Tinne/Holly Lunar Month begins.

Aug 25-Sep 4:  Calgary Pride Week.  http://calgarypride.ca

Aug 26, 2:00 pm: Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet in Pearce Estate Park.
Sep 3: Calgary Pride Parade, and Pride in the Park at Prince’s Island.