SLO LIFE Jun/Jul 2017

Recently, I left the comforts of San Luis Obispo
for the Holy Land of Israel on my yearly solo
pilgrimage. This is not a religious journey, as I have
no spiritual allegiances—hearing the muezzin call
to prayer conjures up the same feelings of holiness
for me as does seeing a monk in a saffron robe
or inhaling the aroma of burning incense—but,
religiosity is not necessary to be fascinated by Israel
and its significance in the world.
The Old City in Jerusalem is a place where living history rings true. There
is historical and religious significance in just about every square inch of the
walled city. And religious diversity fills the air with an inexplicable energy that
is truly unique to Jerusalem. Pilgrims from every corner of our earth line the
streets to experience religion in its truest form. The Wailing Wall, Dome of the
Rock, and Church of the Holy Sepulchre are all steps away from one another,
yet worlds apart. It’s a sensory and spiritual experience unlike any other.
Every year, the experience of Jerusalem overwhelms hundreds of tourists
resulting in the so-called “Jerusalem Syndrome” in which some tourists are
unable to contain their emotions after an afternoon at the Mount of Olives or
claiming to hear strange voices after walking the Stations of the Cross. But,
more severe cases result in these voices compelling them to do bizarre and
sometimes violent things.
Even more prevalent than Jerusalem Syndrome is “Camera Syndrome,” which
is the uncontrollable urge to take thousands of unnecessary and often intrusive
photos throughout each day. As I witnessed, this condition affects a majority
of religious tourists visiting the Old City. Selfie sticks have replaced Nalgene
water bottles and the sound of camera shutters have supplanted small talk.
After a few days in the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem, I was ready to head out
on a multi-day walk retracing Jesus’s footsteps from Nazareth to Galilee.
“Simply walking the land in Israel is considered a holy thing to do.”
— a common Israeli expression
The Jesus Trail is a 65-kilometer hiking trail connecting important sites from
the life of Jesus, as well as other historical and religious sites. The idea of
walking through a land so cherished by Jews, Muslims, and Christians seemed
like a worthy, if not holy, thing to do.
With only a backpack and a pair of walking sticks, I escaped the busyness
of Jerusalem for the solitude of a hike. The first leg of the Jesus Walk was
challenging—the terrain was not difficult, but finding the route was nearly
impossible. Without GPS or a map, I relied on locating the trail markers, rocks
painted with an orange stripe, to guide my way. After a few wrong turns, I
realized the naïveté of my plan to trek technology-free.
KIMBERLY WALKER is
a writer, traveler, and
entrepreneur who lives in
San Luis Obispo.
The never-ending search for orange painted rocks
became a lesson in staying present. After a few hours,
I looked up from the path and noticed I was walking
through a massive dumping ground, and hadn’t seen
a marker for a while. I stopped and scanned the
horizon in every direction hoping for an indication
of a pathway, but nothing materialized. It was just
trash as far as I could see. Before I could take another
step, and for no apparent reason, I fell. The weight
of my pack launched me backward onto the ground.
As I was pulling myself up, I spied an orange painted
rock in the opposite direction. I straightened myself,
gathered my walking sticks, and headed in the
direction of the newly found trail marker. >>
JUN/JUL 2017 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | 81