The Pilgrimage

I loved this book because it was very thought-provoking and gave me some great personal insights. At the time of reading, I was planning to walk the Camino de Santiago for the first time and was really interested in reading about others who had gone before. I enjoyed following this complete journey and sharing the thoughts, wisdom, and lessons that came up. 

Self-knowledge is a powerful thing, and I wondered about my own Camino trip and what kind of experience I might have had. This book certainly motivated me to start planning my own Pilgrimage. It is a book that… show more.

This deeply moving tale in Coelho’s well-known philosophical style was my first-ever conscious encounter with key principles of transformation. I’d read some of his other books but although they were uplifting, this one resonated so powerfully I realised it contained keys to unlocking my own self-exploration. It touched me so deeply I created a list of quotes that resonated with me and kept them close, even learning some by heart.

This book actually preceded the more famous Alchemist written by Paolo Coelho, but served as its inspiration. It is one of two autobiographical works by Coelho and recounts his journey across Northern Spain along the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago. When Coelho walked the road in the 1980s, it was neglected and almost entirely forgotten. His work has inspired hundreds of thousands to revisit that magical path! I was fortunate enough to walk the road in 2007 and I credit that experience to reading The Pilgrimage at 15.