Rebeka Neitsov found freedom from decisions on Camino pilgrimage

Rebeka Neitsov told ERR’s Klassikaraadio that she went on a pilgrimage because she needed time for herself and wanted a break from responsibility and decision-making.

Neitsov, who works in communications at the Ministry of Education and Research, said she had been under intense pressure at work, making numerous decisions every day.

“I simply felt that I needed time when I did not have to make a single decision,” she said. “The pilgrimage route itself guides and carries you, so you do not have to constantly think ahead about your next step.”

She said she also wanted to feel that she did not have to be responsible for everything all the time. At times, she described it as handing responsibility over to the universe and seeking reassurance that some things were not solely hers to decide or carry.

The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrimage routes leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.

Neitsov said a substantial community forms among pilgrims, and she remains in contact with the group she travelled with.

During the walk, she was able to identify the issues that required attention after the pilgrimage. “Ideas and emotions came to me that I understood needed further work,” she said. “I was able to put aside what was secondary or less important.”

She said one disappointment was that the time for herself became more limited as she approached Santiago. Pilgrims seeking a certificate must collect various stamps and walk at least 100 kilometres.

Neitsov walked just under 300 kilometres in total. She said she never considered giving up, although some people stopped because their bodies could no longer cope.

She recalled that she began crying two kilometres before reaching Santiago. “I felt so good on that journey. I was able to let go and be exactly who I am,” she said, adding that she would definitely go on another pilgrimage.