Stages of Pilgrimage: Preparation

When I teach on facilitation I often talk about five phases of any event we are involved in. These are; Visioning and imagining the event, preparing for it, actually facilitating, following up actions, then evaluating. Different personalities are better or worse at different aspects of these phases. My strengths are in 1,3 and 5. My failings in careful preparation and direct followup.

So to the Via Francigena, lots of great visions of preparation but I find myself setting off and needing to 'fly by the seat of my pants'.

The plan was to to be perfectly fit and speak some basic Italian. The reality is we only managed a dozen or so training walks and the Italian is limited to "non parle Italiano, mi dispiace".

I think our gear is in better shape. We have poured over various packing lists and asked more experienced pilgrims their advice on what to take and what to leave. Merran and Sophia should weigh in at under 10 kgs pack weight and I should have not too much more. We have a late Autumn trip involving some fairly solid mountain terrain through the Apenines, so we need to be prepared for snow and wet conditions.

A good test will be how the iPad works as guidebook, GPS unit, blogging tool, communication device and storage unit for all our essential I formation. Now if it gets lost, stolen, damaged or wet........

Merran and I have both spent a lot of time looking at the route, reflecting on options and trying to get our heads around what it will be like to spend 40 days on the road, walking, eating, sleeping and constantly seeking. ..seeking the way, seeking a place to shelter, seeking something to eat,... I guess in one way there is nothing you can do to prepare fully for uncertainty. It is a part of the pilgrimage journey.

Plans will always remain just that, plans only. I think the best piece of advice we have been given so far came from Fr Paul Castley, when he was over for dinner. paraphrased it goes a bit like this.... "Do not be a slave to your plans and expectations on a pilgrimage, be ready only to accept whatever gift you are offered on your journey, and be ready simply to give as you go".