"The only journey worth taking is the journey within." - Yeats

       Shirley MacLaine has a new book: The Camino: A Journey of Spirit. In it she chronicles her solo spiritual pilgrimage: an intense, 4 week, 500-mile spiritual journey, on foot, which begins in France, crosses over Northern Spain and ends at a cathedral called Santiago de Compostella Camino. This centuries-old pilgrimage runs along the ley lines of the Milky Way. For thousands of years the Camino has been traversed by saints, sinners, generals, misfits, kings and queens. All have traveled this trek with the intent of finding deep spiritual understanding. The energy felt on the Camino emanates at a very high frequency and, when experienced by human consciousness, is said to induce clarity of thought, experience, memory and revelation.

      According to MacLaine, the experience of complete surrender to God and self is the motivation behind most attempts to make this trek. MacLaine said she was drawn to this journey by the energy on the trail and by the idea of becoming essentially helpless and vulnerable.

     She explains, "Spirituality is the authentic journey of one's capacity to feel. You could define it as the theopathic state, and when your emotions align with the Divine you understand more of who you are."

     This 60 - ish, talented, famous author and actress's inspiration to take a journey on the Camino was a search for the same soul - stirrings that call many of us: the desire for more openness, more freedom, more internal knowing, expanded wisdom and inner peace. Her journey included sleeping under the stars or on the floors of 'refugios' in poor villages, sunburn, blisters, attack dogs, escaping the paparazzi and fear of the unknown. In return she uncovered past lives and new understanding about who she is and where she comes from.

       I couldn't put the book down. I admire and relate to MacLaine's courage. She is constantly pushing through her own internal barriers and expanding her understanding of the Universe.

       For the past two years I have been traveling my own Camino. Embarking on intense emotional healing and developing solid spiritual practices through a seminary/healing school developed by Dr. Jerry Epps. Like MacLaine, my journey has been about becoming more aware of my feelings, healing and opening to Spirit, bringing everything unhealed to the surface.

     Instead of becoming vulnerable by stripping away all of my possessions and walking alone for 500 miles in a foreign country, I have been introduced and guided to my own Inner Healer via breath work and by the intuitive energy of Dr. Epps. This incredibly natural process of breath work takes you out of your logical thinking mind and opens you to awareness of your true feelings and to other realms.

      What is this 'work' and how is it like a Spiritual Pilgrimage? For me, breath work involves the clearing of the areas within me that are unhealed and sometimes unseen. Many of these old beliefs, thought patterns, wounds are the places where I remain stuck. I found that I was applying all the tools, prayers, affirmations and meditations and I was still not authentically joyful and at peace inside. Through the powerful, intuitive guidance of Dr. Epps and the invoking of our natural internal healer through breath work, the old patterns are encountered, transformed, and finally transmuted.

      Epps states, "I know of nothing faster for rooting out that which holds humans in fear/limitation. If one is willing to wait 20 to 30 years and follow a spiritual path, most of the wound energy may dissolve naturally. I find that this 'work' is FAST!"

      He states, "Breath work is one of the processes I use to help the client reach the goal of wholeness and healing. It begins with the client breathing deeper and faster for an extended period of time. This quickly takes the client out of the street - conscious logical mind and allows them to get in touch with areas they are usually not conscious of. To be able to deeply experience an emotionally charged issue (even for just a few seconds) helps to release trapped wound energy."

Through this work one can become:

1) non - blaming and non - projecting,

2) fearless,

3) compassionate,

4) willing to be emotionally vulnerable,

5) humorous,

6) high self esteem,

7) creative,

8) self accepting,

9) in touch with inner God Self,

10) enjoys engaging life - seen as vibrant, passionate, or very alive.

      MacLaine asks, "Are you ready to explore your innermost thoughts, beliefs and ideals? Are you ready to surrender to yourself? If you are, then this, or any other pilgrimage will be a wondrous journey."

      Are you unable to journey the Camino for four weeks? I highly recommend reading MacLaine's book, you'll feel like you are right there with her.

      I also recommend attending a workshop, entitled "Horse Whisperer" led by Dr. Jerry Epps on Saturday, August 19 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., held at Unity North Atlanta Church in Marietta. Call 678-819-9100 for registration and fee information.