Das Hospital der Seele

Dear ones,

in the past few days, I had another wonderful experience.

My dear Camino friend Svend sent me some photos and wrote that it is a must to visit the Hospital del Alma - the Hospital of the Soul in Castrojeriz when walking the Camino. 

So Hanni and I were on our way together and reached the city of Castrojeriz around noon. At the entrance of the town, we found a restaurant and had a snack. With Svend's tip and photos in mind, we continued following the Camino through the city. Unfortunately, we didn't see anything that indicated the Hospital of the Soul. So we had already given up on finding it and headed towards the exit of the city. 

But then suddenly I saw Svend's bike leaning against a wall. Above it, there was a small round sign saying Hospital del Alma. The entrance was simple and resembled others in Spain. A small sign in the window mentioned that admission is free and one should respect the silence in this place. 

So Hanni reached for the door handle and opened the door. Immediately, a wonderful meditative music reached our ears. When entering the Hospital of the Soul, Hanni got stuck for a moment with her big and heavy backpack. She took a step back and we both looked at each other and burst into laughter :D

Even with the backpacks in our hands, it was really difficult to enter because the entrance was very narrow. In the first room, a pleasant coolness greeted us and we placed our luggage near the entrance. I was immediately overwhelmed by so many impressions. No matter which corner, wall, or niche you looked at, there was something to see and admire everywhere. It was simply overwhelming. Wonderful photographs of and about the Camino were hanging on all the walls. Under each picture, there was a sign with thought-provoking quotes. There were old chairs, stools, and armchairs scattered around. At first glance, it seemed a bit random, but it felt like everything was exactly in its rightful place. There were small artworks everywhere, often radiating the charm of "homemade". The atmosphere in the rooms was breathtaking. It seemed that every little gem in the individual rooms emitted something that is simply good for the soul. It may sound silly, but with each minute spent there, more and more peace returned to the soul. A place for introspection and contemplation. 

In total, the building spanned two floors. The upper floor was similar to the lower one in its layout. In addition, there was a wonderful garden in the backyard, which was delimited at the end by a natural rock wall. In this wall, there was a cave, almost like a tomb, into which one could take a few steps. At the end of this cave stood a large wooden cross. The whole scenery resembled a small underground chapel. 

In front of the mentioned cross, there was a long massive wooden beam on the floor, on which pilgrims from all over the world had placed photos of family or friends, bracelets, or letters and poems. In another corner, there were several wooden walking sticks. On one of them hung the picture of a smiling girl of about 6 years old... What story might be associated with it...?

I stayed in this silence for a while, far away from any sounds of civilization or nature. It was simply incredible. 

Words cannot fully describe this little place on Earth. One must experience it and feel it for oneself. Only then can one understand the magic that envelops the soul like balm! 

Ultreia!

Nicole