z11. Rabanal

Empathy

Helps us to practice the art of containing other people's stories with compassion and clarity.

Notes from Elizabeth's Camino: The day that we walked through Rabanal was one of earthen tracks and deep conversations. One of the gifts of the trail is that you never know with whom you will walk and how that conversation will change your relationship or even your sense of yourself. On this day, I walked with my friend from the Netherlands who had already been walking for over three months when he joined our group. We talked of his life, and he told me of his experiences with the death of his father when he was a young boy. After that morning, he and I had many nice moments of pure silliness. One was eating the best chocolate pie I have ever tasted during our afternoon in Santiago. Much of this was due to the fact that we had gone deep that morning. The trail had helped me to see and hear him as we walked together. In my experience of life, the gifts of a listener who can contain your story and stay connected to you after the telling is done are the most precious gifts we can give each other. This Essence is there to support us in this

-Helpful us be open and gentle hearted when life calls us to listen to those we know and love as well as strangers who need our listening ear.