The Camino Within Podcast

Finding Yourself Through Adversity

We return to a childhood rooftop in Lebanon—a place of fear, loneliness, and awakening. In this final chapter, a painful memory becomes a metaphor for life’s darkest moments. The lesson? No one’s coming to save you—you must rise on your own.
From that rooftop to the roads of the Camino, the journey isn’t about finding all the answers. It’s about discovering your inner strength, your guiding stars, your truth.
Takeaway: You’re not lost—you’re just unfamiliar. Keep walking. Trust your path. Bon Camino. 🌟🪨➡️

The Camino Within: Bike Lessons for Life

In this powerful reflection, the humble bicycle becomes a life teacher. From hills to headwinds, every challenge faced on the Camino echoed deeper truths.
Five key lessons emerged:
Your drive matters more than the wind.
Focus on one pedal at a time.
Shift gears to match the path.
Be prepared to fix your own flats.
Keep moving forward—always.
Just like in life, it’s not the perfect conditions that define us, but how we respond to the unpredictable.
Takeaway: Conditions will change—but your commitment, your progress, and your will to keep pedaling are what truly carry you forward. 🚴‍♂️💫

Journey Beyond Arrival

This episode captures the bittersweet arrival at Santiago de Compostela—a moment filled with awe, pride, and deep reflection. Reaching the destination feels heavenly, but doubt soon creeps in: Now what?
The Camino teaches that it’s never really about the end—it’s about the transformation along the way. While many pilgrims stop, some continue to Finisterra, the “end of the earth,” only to discover… there’s more.
The true lesson? Life keeps going. And we must too.
Takeaway: Celebrate the moment, but don’t cling to it. Growth lives in moving forward—not holding on. 🌍✨

The Night Before the Last: Camino Reflections

In this reflective episode, we arrive at the emotional edge of the journey—the final stretch of the Camino. As the path fills with new faces and “Buen Camino” echoes more often, there's a mix of joy and quiet sadness in the air.
The night before the last is filled with presence. Pilgrims walk slower, hold conversations longer, and wish for just one more moment on the road. There’s a shared reluctance to let go, rooted in the fear that the meaning of the journey will vanish with the destination.
Takeaway: Don’t fear the ending—every ending carries the seed of a new beginning. Stay present, and carry the Camino with you. 🌅

There is No Winter

In this episode, we reflect on life’s unpredictability—how even the best-laid plans can’t prepare us for every storm. A freezing night on the Camino becomes a metaphor for life’s coldest seasons. But the warmth we seek isn't found in perfect weather—it's found in connection, in memory, and in the people who light up our lives.
From a cold church floor to the heart of a Montreal winter, we’re reminded: real warmth doesn’t come from the sun—it comes from within.
Takeaway: The seasons may change, but with the right people and mindset, you can carry summer in your soul. ☀️

Reborn – There is Nothing Wrong with You

In this episode, we explore a moment of awakening on the Camino journey. As the road becomes smoother, so does the mind—opening space for deep realization. The key insight? We are shaped by systems we never chose—our culture, education, even our beliefs. But that doesn’t mean we are bound by them.
The message is clear: You are not broken. You simply haven't yet peeled back the layers of who others told you to be. Real transformation begins when you leave judgment behind and view the world through your own eyes—not someone else’s lens.
Takeaway: Push your limits, trust your own voice, and discover who you really are—because it’s your life, and it’s in your hands. ✨

The Energy of Purpose: Why We Feel Tired

In this episode, Tarek dives into the deeper difference between being physically tired and feeling perpetually drained. He reflects on how true exhaustion often stems not from effort, but from misalignment—with our work, our purpose, and ourselves. Through the story of a fellow pilgrim who left the Camino due to a lack of internal drive, he explores how passion and purpose fuel us, even during the hardest climbs. A powerful reminder to reflect, realign, and rediscover what truly energizes you.

Lessons from the Downhill

In this episode, Tarek shares a raw and challenging moment after reaching the peak of the Camino. A dizzy descent, bike breakdown, and emotional low point lead to an unexpected gift: the kindness of strangers and powerful lessons in resilience, gratitude, and rest. He reflects on the importance of celebrating progress, learning from hardship, and remembering to breathe—literally. A reminder that even in our lowest moments, there's something meaningful waiting to be found.
 
 
 
 

Cruz de Ferro – Leave Your Burdens Behind

In this powerful episode, Tarek reaches Cruz de Ferro, the symbolic halfway point of the Camino—and a place of deep release. With a single stone carried since childhood, he lets go of decades of pain and reconnects with a higher power. Surrounded by millions of rocks left by pilgrims before him, he is reminded of our shared humanity and the silent struggles we all carry. A moving reflection on forgiveness, faith, and finding peace.
 
 
 
 

War up Foncebadon

In this episode, Tarek reaches the highest point of the Camino and discovers that the toughest climbs often bring people closer. Inspired by two determined pilgrims and his grandfather’s wisdom, he reflects on how shared struggles unite us. It’s in the uphill battles—literal and metaphorical—that we find connection, kindness, and strength. A reminder that we rise higher when we lift others along the way.