Stone Traditions (not those of Mick and Keith)

Placing stones in sacred or symbolic places is an ancient practice, present in many cultures and religions:

• In Judaism, placing a stone on a grave is a sign of respect and lasting memory; the stone remains, as a symbol of a memory that cannot be erased.
• On mountain trails, travelers left stones to mark their passage, guiding those who followed.
• In Celtic and Roman traditions, cairns (mounds of stones) were used to mark places of spiritual transition or as offerings to protective deities.

These practices found fertile ground on the El Camino and I understand that along the Camino de Santiago, you will now notice numerous rocks left along the path markers, stacked in formations or in random disarrayed piles.

Carrying rocks on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage is now a meaningful tradition for many pilgrims. For many pilgrims, the planning stage of the Camino includes not only getting gear and training for the walk but also collecting your rock for the pilgrimage. The carrying of a small stone by pilgrims holds different symbolic meanings and personal significance, but some common reasons for carrying a stone are listed below.

Symbol of Burdens -The rocks may represent the burdens or emotional weight that a traveler carries with them on their journey. By carrying the rock and physically feeling its weight, pilgrims may reflect on their life’s challenges and seek a sense of release or healing during the pilgrimage. Once El Camino has provided the healing the pilgrim is seeking, they will leave their rock, symbol of their burdens, behind on the Camino trail and continue their journey.

Looking For an Answer – Many walk the Camino de Santiago looking for an answer to a question. They’ll carry their stone in their pocket ahead of time and think about the question as they continue through their daily life. Once on the route, they ponder the same question in search of an answer, spiritual or physical. When the Camino provides the answer the pilgrims are searching for, they deposit their rocks on the Camino route and continue on. [As I get older, I seem to have more questions than answers and I don’t think Air Canada will let me bring enough stones.]

Connection to loved ones – Some carry a stone for those who’ve passed on or are needing healing in their life. They feel the stone is their loved ones accompanying them on their journey. When they’re ready to continue walking on their own, or feel content and at peace, they’ll leave their stone along The Way.

It’s worth re-emphasizing that the significance of carrying a rock can vary greatly from one pilgrim to another. For some the Camino de Santiago can be a deeply personal and introspective journey and individuals may choose to engage in different traditions or practices that resonate with their own beliefs. Often it is simply a prayer without words and leaving it is an act of faith

Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) -Regardless of intention, there is no specific place the stones need to be left. You will find these piles of stones all over the Spanish routes, but there is one spot preferred by pilgrims. One of the most popular locations to leave these stones is at the base of the Cruz de Ferro, which stands tall between the towns of Manjarín and Foncebadón along the French way (Camino Francés) – a different route than the one I am taking. – The following is an impage of that huge wooden pole with the iron cross at its peak:

Greg’s Choice of Stones

I like the idea of carrying a stone with me and depositing it at an appropriate spot. At the time of writing this, I have not decided what I want my stone to represent and I have not selected my stone. AI suggested the following stone could represent some of the gaffes in my life:

I am fortunate that at this point in my life I do not feel the weight of any physical, financial or emotional burdens so my stone can symbolize something else. I don’t expect the Camino to answer the big questions that I have at this point in my life (i.e. is that all there is? – what existed before the Big Bang? etc.). So this rock has been rejected:

However, I do feel blessed to have had so many good people in my life. So I will probably try to find a stone that reminds me of all of those friends and family (alive and passed) and leave that stone to signify my gratitude to all of them.