For the last four years, I had seriously considered hiking the Camino de Santiago. My intention was mostly to challenge myself physically and become stronger, sharper, and fitter. Little did I know that once I committed to going, the reward would be far greater than just physical strength.
A creative’s path to recharging: flowing with the slow rhythm of the Camino de Santiago
As we hiked through the hills of Asturias and Galicia, I stopped for an orange juice break after a steep ascent into a small Spanish village. A fellow hiker, a Frenchwoman, sat next to me, eager to chat.
I shared my thoughts during the hike with her: “I’m surprised. I’ve been very sensitive lately, and even driving to Spain from Slovenia felt so stressful—sitting in the car every day, feeling like a pancake. But now, we’ve been hiking for 8+ hours every day, sleeping in a different Albergue each night, yet I feel calm, alert, and present. I don’t feel stressed at all.”
“Well, how could you feel stressed if you’re walking in your own rhythm?” said Stephanié, as if she were reaching the same conclusions herself.
“Wow, you’re right,” I said excitedly. “You’re never walking too fast; you’re living in sync with your nature.”
“Or too slow… you’re not getting stuck either!” she replied.
That was truly an “AHA” moment. I realized how many stressors we experience in modern society, from traveling 100 km a day by car to juggling countless tasks.
But on the trail, life simplified. I didn’t worry about much more than where and when to eat, though I’d get pretty ‘hangry’ and tired after long days walking.

The question is—can I bring these golden lessons from the Camino into my everyday life and connect them with my creative work at Solspel?
We all need some quality time to reset…
If you’re a creative person, channeling your Life Force Energy to manifest beauty, you need to give your mind, body, and soul some time to decompress, recharge, and do nothing.
This actually applies to everyone, especially those with high-stress jobs who barely find time for themselves.
Take it from me: when we get so tangled up in daily tasks, we often don’t even recognize stress anymore. We feel low but don’t know why. We follow our routines, but somehow we still feel drained at the end of the day.
The reason is that we need a true reset on a cellular level—one that touches the nervous system. And that’s what the Camino did for me.
I came into deep connection with myself, with my senses, thoughts, and reactions. I became more aware of how I process life and found the capacity to sit with my hardest feelings and strongest irritations.
First of all, I needed to throw a big tantrum and a good cry!
it wasn’t all bliss and peace. On the contrary, it was a very raw, very human experience. I felt the full spectrum of emotions, but this time, I was more embodied. I gave myself permission to feel—to go deeply into each emotion and then let it go. It had been a busy summer, filled with Solspel markets and little downtime. The longest I stayed in one place was a week at my parents’ seaside house before gearing up for the next market.
I could sense myself gradually losing touch, growing irritated with almost everything but without understanding why. I questioned whether the Camino was right for me, given how much movement it involved, but deep down, I knew the decision was beyond my conscious control. It was written in my soul’s plan. Though I didn’t know it intellectually, my inner wisdom knew that something profoundly healing was on the horizon.
The first few days felt joyful, and I was in good enough shape to tackle 30-km days. Naturally, I was tired by day’s end, but the excitement of doing something new eclipsed my inner struggles. I was thrilled to sleep in a basic Albergue (Pilgrim’s Hostel), sharing a room with 20 other hikers.
Before long, though, the challenges began to surface. Shortly after a dreamy sunrise, I found myself hiking in a heavy downpour on top of a mountain, with icy water dripping down my face and soaking through my clothes. My tears of discomfort turned to tears of fear as I prayed for a warm shelter. Nothing else mattered—all my other “life problems” washed away in the rain.
In that moment, I was profoundly unhappy and longed only for the warmth of a fireplace. But now, looking back, I see it as the Universe offering me a grand opportunity to cleanse my whole system. I screamed, I shouted, I blamed everyone for my situation, and I cried until my heart was empty. The weather mirrored my turmoil, and I purged deeply—but afterward, I felt a profound emptiness. The good kind—an emptiness filled only with peace.

Day by day, I felt more connected, unlocking higher states of consciousness.
I’m smiling now, because the next time it rained hard and I was completely soaked, I found myself truly enjoying it. I felt bliss, smiling and playing like a child.
Every type of weather felt like a gift. In an ironic twist, the weather seemed to reflect my inner state more and more: our hiking days were filled with warm sunshine, even as rain was forecasted almost daily. We were so fortunate! Or maybe it was proof that our environment can mirror our inner world.
I felt Grace touch my heart and pour through me. Along the way, beautiful people inspired me, each showing their light. I remember one waiter—a man living a humble life, unnoticed by the world’s spotlight, yet so devoted to serving pilgrims a warm and delicious meal. He was my hero that day, reminding me to strive to be a better person. After paying, I shook his hand with gratitude, and I could see how touched he was by the simple gesture.
As I continued hiking, my heart overflowed with beautiful moments shared with remarkable people, and my gratitude for life blossomed. I felt humbled by the raw beauty of nature, yet even more so by the kindness and depth of humanity. This journey renewed my faith in people, reminding me how deeply beautiful they truly are. I walked away with a stronger sense of hope in the world, knowing that, at my core, I am a true lover of humanity.
Lessons of the Camino de Santiago
If I can share a few insights from the trail (at least the ones that have stayed with me), maybe it will inspire you to allow yourself to embark on such a journey. And in doing so, it also lets me mindfully integrate the richness of this multi-sensory experience. After all, there are things worth writing about beyond jewelry.
Move your body, baby!
This one may seem obvious, but it deserves emphasis! Humans were made to move. Our ancestors, nomads at heart, didn’t have cars or planes—they spent their lives walking. On the Camino, I felt this ancestral connection, like reconnecting to my primal self. With each step, the worries I carried either dissolved into the ether or became lighter, as movement anchored me in presence. Moving the body is a powerful medicine; in fact, it’s transformational when you can sustain that movement for hours. Every day brought me closer to my true essence, a reminder that movement itself is the best form of healing.
Take time to adjust to everyday
Walking the Camino gave me a profound understanding of my own rhythms and the impact of certain behaviors on my well-being. Out of the 19 nights I spent on the trail, I scrolled through social media before sleep only twice—and those were the mornings I woke up feeling noticeably off. My mood was heavier, irritation came easily, and even my dreams seemed darker, disconnected from my best self. By contrast, when I honored my need for solitude and quiet, especially in the mornings, I woke up with a sense of inner joy and clarity. I had space to listen, to give, and felt connected to a sort of “inner psychic” insight, allowing me to process my experiences in a healthy, grounded way.
The power of simplicity
I adore fashion, design, and aesthetics, but carrying only a few essentials for this three-week journey was liberating. Yes, there were days I felt a bit gross, wearing the same clothes and envying pilgrims who appeared more put-together. Yet, nothing was more rewarding than a hot shower after a long hike. It left me wondering: can I maintain this underlying gratitude for the simple things in my everyday life? Why do we so easily lose sight of these privileges? Simplifying my experience reminded me how little we truly need to feel complete and content.
The importance of shared humanity and support
Before starting this journey, I had no idea how much human connection would mean to me on the Camino. Looking back, I realize this is what I am most grateful for today. Connecting with many strangers as fellow pilgrims became my entire universe in those moments; with some, we shared only about five minutes of conversation or hiked together for a day before parting ways—I have never seen them again. Yet, I carry those moments in my heart so profoundly. They shared their stories, and I shared mine—our wins and hardships in life. We were never meant to become lifelong friends or have monthly Zoom calls to update each other; we were simply meant to share those brief yet profound moments. Through these human connections on the Camino, I’ve come to understand the deeper meaning of life and how everything that comes also goes. However, the departure of those moments doesn’t diminish the beauty that was created through our bonds.All the relationships I built on the trail have reassured me of how important community is and inspired me to invest in what truly matters.
Life truly is a “step by step” journey
In the beginning, I found myself lost in my thoughts many times a day. As the days passed, this happened less frequently, and when it did, I simply returned to my breath. I am grateful for the physical challenges, such as the steep uphill paths, as they forced me to breathe and be present with my discomfort, resisting the urge to escape it. I felt the backpack on my back with every step, my heart pounding, and my sweat dripping down my forehead. Now, as I write this and deeply integrate what I experienced out there in the wild, I understand that those heaviest moments of the Camino placed me in a state of “timelessness” and turned my focus inward. I don’t even think I was thinking, as my body demanded my full presence. My heart needed to be heard pounding, and my breath needed to be inhaled and exhaled.
This is how I learned resilience and patience through both pain and beauty. If I paid attention to each step, all my pain would resolve by the end of the day.
Create and manifest from the place of expansion
Walking is healing, and as the Life Force energy flowed through my spine, I experienced a profound expansion of both Mind and Spirit. It was always after a few hours of walking that the most exciting ideas would come to me—my long-forgotten dreams from years ago returned with even greater power and the belief that anything is possible. I found inspiration, developed stories, and designed a new winter collection. I also released a few grudges I had been holding onto. All these victories were deeply intertwined with the feeling of expansion.
However, there were times when I would wake up the next morning feeling completely contracted, with only negative thoughts running through my mind about all the great revelations from the previous days. I tried not to become too attached to these destructive thoughts, recognizing their toxicity. But soon after I started walking again, expansive thoughts would greet me once more. Through this experience, I learned about the processes of the mind and the natural path of evolution. I trust that I can continue to develop higher states of consciousness in my life after the Camino, resisting what the mind desires and instead focusing on trusting, believing, and dreaming big.
As I reflect on my transformative journey along the Camino de Santiago, I am filled with gratitude for the profound lessons I learned about human connection, resilience, and transceding every challenge with pure presence. I thank every single factor and person that inspired me to walk this walk and I trust that going on a through hike can heal everything.
I didn’t receive all the answers I had been so desperately seeking, but by the time I completed the hike, I realized I no longer needed them. I was at peace with the unknown.