The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho

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Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is an amazing writer. Admittedly, I say this having only discovered him and his books three days ago or so. I also have only read The Pilgrimage (I’m almost finished reading it). Today, I purchased The Alchemist; a dear friend just handed me a copy of By The River Piedra I sat Down and Wept last evening when our paths crossed at a local cafe. So, it’s a very premature statement that I make, but I am confident in its truth nonetheless. I will be spending the next few days working my way through Paulo Coelho’s stories. When I complete my journey through them, I’m sure I’ll repeat my proclamation of Coelho’s gift and talent, especially if The Pilgrimage is any indication of what is to come.

Paulo Coelho’s personal story is amazing. Paulo, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was actually institutionalized three times by his parents who believed him to be mentally deranged. Paulo escaped from the mental institution on three different occasions. He went on to become an incredible writer. He wrote The Pilgrimage, The Alchemist, Brida, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, The Fifth Mountain, Veronika Decides to Die, The Devil and Miss Prym, Eleven Minutes, Like the Flowing River, The Valkyries and The Witch of Portobello. Paulo is also known for pirating his own books via peer to peer file sharing. He was finally caught pirating his own books by his publisher (HarperCollins) when an executive recognized the notes included in pirated copies were identical to the notes from Coelho’s personal manuscripts. The Alchemist has sold more than 65 million copies.

I’m enjoying The Pilgrimage, a lot. The story itself is wonderful, but I’ll remain silent on that so as not to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. I’ll only say that if you need to be inspired as regards journey and discovery, then you should read The Pilgrimage. One of the most fascinating aspects of the story is what Coelho calls “RAM Practices.” RAM Practices are spiritual exercises that are introduced as the story’s journey unfolds. A few examples follow.

The Seed Exercise

Kneel on the ground. Then seat yourself on your heels and bend forward so that your head touches your knees. Stretch your arms behind you. You are now in a fetal position. Relax, releasing all your tensions. Breathe calmly and deeply. Little by little you will perceive that you are a tiny seed, cradled in the comfort of the earth. Everything around you is warm and delicious. You are in a deep, restful sleep. Suddenly, a finger moves. The shoot no longer wants to be a seed; it wants to grow. Slowly you begin to move your arms, and then your body will begin to rise, straightening up until you are seated on your heels. Now you begin to lift your body up, and slowly, slowly you will become erect, still kneeling on the ground.

The moment has come to break completely through the earth. You begin to rise slowly, placing one foot on the ground, then the other, fighting against the disequilibrium just as a shoot battles to make its own space, until finally you are standing. Imagine the area about you, the sun, the water, the wind, and the birds. Now you are a shoot that is beginning to grow. Slowly raise your arms toward the sky. Then stretch yourself more and more, more and more, as if you want to grasp the enormous sun that shines above you. Your body begins to become more and more rigid, all of your muscles strain, and you feel yourself to be growing, growing, growing – you become huge. The tension increases more and more until it becomes painful, unbearable. When you can no longer stand it, scream and open your eyes.

Repeat this exercise for seven consecutive days, always at the same time.

The Speed Exercise

Walk for twenty minutes at half the speed at which you normally walk. Pay attention to the details, people, and surroundings. The best time to do this is after lunch.

Repeat the exercise for seven days.

The Blue Sphere Exercise

Seat yourself comfortably, and relax. Try not to think about anything.

1. Feel how good it is to be alive. Let your heart feel free and affectionate; let it rise above and beyond the details of the problems that may be bothering you. Begin to sing softly a song from your childhood. Imagine that your heart is growing, filling the room – and later your home – with an intense, shining blue light.

2. When you reach this point, begin to sense the presence of the saints (or other beings) in which you placed your faith when you were a child. Notice that they are present, arriving from everywhere, smiling and giving you faith and confidence.

3. Picture the saints approaching you, placing their hands on your head and wishing you love, peace, and communion with the world – the communion of the saints.

4.  When this sensation becomes strong, feel that the blue light is a current that enters you and leaves you like a shining, flowing river. This blue light begins to spread through your house, then through your neighborhood, your city, and your country; it eventually envelops the world in an immense blue sphere. This is the manifestation
of the great love that goes beyond the day-today struggle; it reinforces and invigorates, as it provides energy and peace.

5. Keep the light spread around the world for as long as possible. Your heart is open, spreading love. This phase of the exercise should last for a minimum of five minutes.

6. Come out of your trance, bit by bit, and return to reality. The saints will remain near. The blue light will continue to spread around the world.  This ritual can and should be done with more than one person. When this is the case, the participants should hold hands while they do the exercise.

The RAM Exercises are a fascinating aspect of an even more fascinating story. It’s a great book. It reads like a parable for personal spiritual growth and self-discovery. If you are looking for these things, Paulo Coelho is a good place to start. You will not be handed spiritual growth and/or personal discovery, all wrapped up nice and neat for you to simply possess at will, but you will most definitely be inspired to start your own search for them.

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