GRCC’s Camino of the Body & Mind is designed to be completed in 6 weeks, but it is not a race and sometimes it may take a bit longer. The real significance of the Camino of the Body & Mind is the meaningful journey that is designed to nurture both body and mind whilst also showcasing your local surroundings and raising much needed funds for Galway Rape Crisis Centre.
GRCC’s Camino of the Body & Mind – Reconnecting
The past two years have been incredibly challenging for all individuals across the world. Movement was restricted, relationships put on hold and adventures were abandoned. However, as the hustle and bustle of life came to a sudden stop, people began to discover and appreciate the often-overlooked beauty of our Irish landscape. Relationships have become more cherished; neighbours have become friends and society has realised the importance of the “little things in life”.
Our Camino of the Body & Mind is the perfect excuse to reconnect with an old friend, neighbour, or even new members of your local community. Ireland has a vast and beautiful landscape, filled with hidden gems and tranquil areas, which are often only know to their local community. As life begins to speed up once again and our days begins to fill with hustle and bustle, escaping into nature and finding peace within our surroundings is the perfect way to ease our mind and restore our bodies.
GRCC’s Camino of the Body & Mind 120km Route.
The suggested distance of our Camino is 120km over 6 weeks.
How these kilometres are divided into each week is up to you. You decide the route you take, the road you should follow and whom you wish to travel it with.
We encourage participants to explore their local surroundings and showcase their favourite spots on social media, tagging @galwayrapecrisiscentre and using the #grcccaminoofthebodyandmind. Individuals may use this journey to explore their favourite places, where they feel most at ease and happy. That could be a nearby beach, a hidden path in the woods, or even a climb up Diamond hill.
It has become apparent over the past two years that one does not need to leave the country to experience wonderful views and peaceful surroundings.
Fundraising
The Camino is a very special, personal journey, here is a quote from one participant, “To me…, (the Camino) is a very spiritual experience. It’s so much more than just a long walk. It’s about a community feeling, going back to that period when human beings had a sense of humanity and a sense of sharing”. Galway Rape Crisis Centre has been working extremely hard during the Covid pandemic to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of survivors of sexual abuse and violence in our community. There is no registration fee to participate in GRCC’s Camino of the Body & Mind, funds raised will be used to support survivors of sexual abuse and trauma in our community.
You can easily share your fundraising page with family, friends and work colleagues through social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Whats App, and they can donate directly to your page.
Social Media is not only useful in terms of creating much needed awareness but it also provides you with the ideal platform for sharing your progress and your fundraising page.
Mindfulness Hub
There are many reasons to do GRCC’s Camino of the Body & Mind, some may do it for religious or spiritual reasons, some do it to connect with nature, to experience a slower pace, to disconnect and take some time out. We have had a period in our lives that has been challenging on many levels and it is especially important we nurture our mind and spirit, our bespoke podcasts are design with this in mind.
Each stage of your six week journey is accompanied by a podcast created by holistic and wellness coach Sharon Fitzmaurice. There is specific theme for each mindfulness stage and each one is marked by a symbolic Celtic stamp. These stamps symbolise the different stage of your journey both mind and body can serve as a recorded of this.
Tracking you progress
You can use Strava to automatically log fitness activites. There are lots of popular fitness apps and services (including FitBit) that you can use to connect to a Strava account. You can track your progress on your interactive map and share with your family, friends and Camino Community. We would love to see your progress so be sure and tag us.
Have a question just email us at fundraiser@grcc.ie and we will be happy to help
