Do you believe in magic?

Last Saturday, we finished the Via Francigena with a beautiful group of people. This program was the second edition of a collaboration between the Walking Mentorship and The Transformational Travel Council (TTC), bringing a truly extraordinary experience to life.

Building on last year’s walk, we were able to dig deeper and visualize our ideal futures even more clearly. And beautifully, the three newcomers in this group seem to have been bolstered by the remaining participants to rise to the occasion. The air seemed to spark with positive and creative energy from the moment the group gathered.

We had all just walked a week together last year, but that created deep and powerful bonds between us, so getting back together felt like a dream come true.

On the morning of our first day, we started walking and came upon a youth festival set up on the path we were following. As we started our day, it was fun to exchange ideas with the youngsters who were finishing their night.

Walking amongst the postcard landscapes of the Alps is in itself a motive for awe. The majesty of the mountains, the delicate beauty of the wildflowers, the distant sound of happy cow bells, the crispiness of the morning air, and the company of fellow walkers looking for their better selves.

As Jake Haupert, CEO of the TTC and fellow walker in this adventure, said, humans' ability to experience awe opens the doors for deep internal transformation.

As our feet walk the paths and our senses are spoiled by the natural beauty, our brains glow. The combined effect of walking and nature sets the perfect conditions for the mentoring process, and we start our internal voyage.

Going up from the Swiss valley up to the Col du Grand San Bernard, we witness the layers of History that have walked this path - from the Roman legions, Hannibal’s elephants, Muslim toll collectors, Napoleon’s coup de grace in his war with the Austrians to the Monastery at the top that has been there for over 1.000 years with the door that doesn't have a lock, so it is always open to welcome the people in need.

From the Col, we ascended to the summit by the Swiss flag, from where we could see the Montblanc, massive among all the peeks of the Alps, and our perspective broadened further. After we took a plunge in the Alpine lakes with their crystal clear icy water under the radiant skies, and as Herman Hesse said, we stared God in the eye.

In the Col, we cross to Italy and start our descent. As the walk requires less strength, the internal process keeps going deeper, requiring more commitment and deeper thinking.

Nourished by the delicious Italian food, we continue to be awed by the beauty. The different perspective of walking downhill helps us start looking further into the future and gain a deeper perspective. As we walk along man-made, century-old water channels, our energy is replenished, and our steps seem light.

Arriving in Aosta and climbing Pila Mountain, we had the individual time to reflect, commit to our outcomes, and set a plan to reach them. Getting a different perspective of the Montblanc and an open horizon to the Matterhorn across the many peeks of the Alps gave us a notion of how much we walked, bolstering us to take on the challenges ahead.

As non-official tradition goes, you can be reborn if you go through the cript of the Church of Saint Orso, under the arch, through the hole under the altar and out through the other arch.

Whether you believe in magic or not, rituals have an impact and help set the ground for change and evolution. For a week, we followed a route that has been traveled for millennia, experienced awe at nature—including the beautiful sharings of the other walkers in our group—dug deep into what we want to improve in our lives, stared God in the eye, and committed to being our better selves.

In one week, we forged friendships that will last a lifetime and made the world a little bit better.

As we toasted each other at the program's closure, it was clear that we had all changed. We got to know each other better, and we got to know ourselves better. And we feel we are in a safe place within this group of walkers. Thank you, Aniseh, Ann, Brandon, Heather, Jake, Jen, Jo?o, June, and Paul, for sharing this magical week with me.

I truly believe this is magic. But you don't have to trust me - actually, it is best that you don’t - you can decide by yourself by joining one of our upcoming programs in the?Camino de Santiago?or down south to the?Costa Vicentina.?

Podcast

At the beginning of August, we had the pleasure of hosting Yulia Denisyuk in our podcast. Yulia is a Storyteller, travel journalist, photographer, writer, and Telly-Award-winning filmmaker with work in The New York Times, National Geographic, TIME, BBC Travel, AFAR, Lonely Planet, and more. She is also the founder of Travel Media Lab, a brand consulting, creative, and educational studio. Yulia hosts Going Places, a show about people and places near and far. She believes that through exposure to other cultures, ways of life, and modes of thinking, we become more tolerant and gain a new understanding of ourselves and our relationship with the world. Yulia is a beautiful human being. Yulia is an extraordinary human being. Enjoy!

+?Yulia Denisyuk

+ Find Yulia on?social media

Listen here

Upcoming Programs?

As we approach the end of the year, below are our upcoming programs with available places.?

BACK TO THE CAMINO?- ?2 places

Join our partners on “The Way.” In October, we are back in Camino for one more journey of self-discovery where you can explore the needs, desires, fears, and obstacles that keep you from reaching your potential. Apply?here

COSTA VICENTINA?-?2 places

The fisherman’s trail is one of the most beautiful coastal trails in the world. Join our partners Jo?o and Nuno on this journey, always by the sea and with plenty of space for yourself. Apply?here

ALUMNI PROGRAM?-?4 places

For the first time we will have an exclusive alumni program. We will wrap up the year in the stunning Sierra Blanca in the south of Spain. This is the opportunity to meet old and new friends. ?Apply?here

How can we walk together?

Walking Mentorship is a labor of love that helps you gain deeper insight and equips you to create a meaningful impact on your life and those around you.

How can we work together? We keep things simple by offering?Individual,?Group,?and?Corporate?programs. Find the best fit for you and?book a call with one of our mentors.

Until then, keep walking with me,