Articles on Nature
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Never Stop Walking: A Pilgrim’s Return to the Camino
This past July, I walked the Camino de Santiago for the second time — this time with Shalem. From July 18 through July 24, 2026, nineteen of us made our way from Oia, Spain, to the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, covering roughly one hundred miles along the Portuguese Coastal Route. Three…
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One Step at a Time
There is something beautifully simple in waking up with one main task for the day: walk. That is the invitation on the Camino de Santiago. To pick up your backpack and put one foot down after the other, until you reach that day’s destination. On our first day of walking this past July, strapping my…
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More Board/Staff Contemplative Recommendations
“The Green Chapel” Substack by Gideon HeughI have frequently thought of Shalem when reading posts here — Gideon writes with beauty, nuance, and deep sensitivity. (Available to subscribe and free to read.)-Laura Lee Ernst, Board of Directors Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow…a 1959 novel about a wealthy, middle-aged American who feels unfulfilled and…
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What Brings a Person to God is Holy – Whether You Like It or Not
“That tree is very important for me,” an older Jesuit said to me, almost 30 years ago. We were at Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester, Mass., standing on the broad lawn that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. It was a bright day and the sun glinted off the water. He pointed to a lone evergreen…
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Surprised by Joy
Recently a fellow spiritual guide described her surprise and delight at the joy she experiences meeting with directees. I’m not sure why, but I was taken aback. Because I experience it too- I just hadn’t expected it. When I thought about it, remembering the pursed lip smile of my spiritual director as he slightly nodded…