In Movement There Is Peace

by Elaine Orabona Foster, Joseph W. Foster (Contributor)

In Movement There is Peace is a powerful tale of travel, adventure and unexpected faith.
It begins with a doctor who walks away from her practice in order to cure her own paralyzing anxiety. Once free, she discovers that leaving is really only fleeing if there's no new direction. Could this be the reason for her husband’s sudden inspiration?

"I want us to walk the Camino de Santiago, it’s an 800 kilometer pilgrimage across Spain.”

After deliberating the wisdom of walking 500 miles with no planning or physical conditioning and little religious faith, the two set off to walk the “Way of Saint James.”

Their "no-plan” plan sets off a series of extraordinary events that can only be explained as divine intervention. It starts with an enigmatic suggestion from a former pilgrim who sends them off with a caution: "There are no coincidences on the Camino."

The tale itself is a funny, fascinating pilgrim's progress seeded by unique characters and full of amazing surprises. Follow along the pilgrim's path as it shares its secrets on how to:
Create a life that's unafraid of death
Make a leap of faith and land closer to paradise
Experience emotional lightness by carrying a smaller physical load
Journey without plans, and have more fun doing it

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir

308 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2013

About the author

Elaine Orabona Foster, Ph.D., ABPP, is the recipient of a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association (APA) for her pioneering work in psychology. She is an APA Fellow, and holds a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology.

Elaine is one of the first 10 prescribing psychologists in the United States.

She received a B.A. in psychology from New York University and obtained a full scholarship to study psychology at the doctoral level from Nova University. After completing a clinical residency in the U.S. Air Force, she went on to obtain a fellowship in psychopharmacology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD. She works extensively with soldiers afflicted with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. Elaine has taught classes and symposia on women’s issues, anxiety, depression, and cultural factors in medicine throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Her articles have been featured in World News networks and in addition to her featured books on Amazon, she has contributed to several books including: The Psychologist’s Desk Reference, Pharmacotherapy for Psychologists: Prescribing and Collaborative Roles, and Trauma Psychology [2 volumes]: Issues in Violence, Disaster, Health, and Illness.

From Elaine:
"I write books to help people find their strength and their lost learnings from childhood. Even though I prefer to stay indoors (some call me a hermit) I've been trekking around the world, sleeping in stranger's homes, riding crowded trains and generally doing everything but giving in to my true nature. Why? Because it's the best way to beat panic-- short of taking drugs!"

Reviews

[Tui Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully crafted and well edited piece of writing. I read it after I saw it being discussed on one of the Amazon discussion threads.

I rarely read travel writing. I'm glad I read this one and it will stick with me a long time. The journey undertaken may not have been the most challenging and dangerous journey in the world that someone could choose. This was not about becoming a world-beating athlete. This was a true personal journey, courageously laid bare for all of us to see and for all of us to learn from.

I have a distinctly negative attitude towards the Catholic church. (It's history appals me) The author is Catholic while I'm a shocking heathen, so I was well-prepared for a big culture clash. However, I do share with this writer, a belief in the existence of spirit. Because of this, I felt close to her and when she reached her final destination I found myself with tears running down my face. At no stage did I feel she "pushed" her religion. She simply EXPERIENCED it, honestly for herself, struggling with faith within herself, but deepening her sense of her own spirit and its connectedness with the power of the universe as she navigated her complex and demanding journey step by step towards the end. To me it was a microcosm of the journey of a spirit.It was a whole lifetime intensified into 800 kilometres of heat, cold, joy, fear, love, pain, beauty, humour and ultimate achievement.

If anyone else out there is feeling jaded in their life, read this book and let it inspire you to choose a PHYSICAL journey of your own; it doesn't have to be the Camino de Santiago, It does not even have to be in any distant country. It could be at your own back door. But seek out one that is likely to push you beyond your normal limits and allow you to experience nature. Then watch how you begin to feel the link-up between your own mind, body and spirit. You may well soon learn the deep truth of the story's title, "In Movement there is Peace." This book was so much more than a travel story. It was a clear demonstration of the relationship between mind, body and spirit.

It was described from two points of view with Joe and Elaine taking turns to narrate. We'd often read two takes on the same experience. This allowed me to get to know two people as I read. Joe was little less transparent to me, and Elaine more openly giving of herself. I sensed that physically Joe was well within his comfort zone, but perhaps struggling on a path towards self-understanding in other directions than the physical.

I wonder about Joe. His mystery intrigues me. I wonder if perhaps for such a man of eternal action he might also be in need of learning that there is another equally powerful truth. "In STILLNESS there is Peace." I wouldn't dream of suggesting he become any less of a man of action, but just perhaps for as little as ten minutes per day he tries to become still in both mind and body to allow himself to seek out the spirit within.

Elaine suffered horribly with pain in her feet and later in her hips. I'm an experienced endurance athlete myself, a typical Kiwi who lives in bare feet and/or flat shoes, and have done long marathon training runs in bare feet. Because of this background, it puzzled me that Elaine's problems did not decrease along the way. I was expecting her to find the walking ever easier as her fitness levels increased. But the penny dropped when Joe explained that she was a habitual wearer of high heels and carried her weight on the front of her foot from long habit. Foot pain would be the obvious result and it's a foregone conclusion that soon enough the imbalance would move up to the hips or knees. If any other high-heel loving readers out there are considering doing this walk, (or any other long walk,) consider visiting a foot clinic before you go, to have your walking action videoed, and analysed and then take advice and treatment from a trained podiatrist to ensure you have the correct inserts and shoe structure for your particular needs.

But in Elaine's own case, I believe the pain she suffered was pain she was MEANT to suffer. It was an integral part of her victory. Elaine's personal promise was never meant to be easy to accomplish.

People may belittle this walk because at any stage a walker can choose to jump into a taxi. To me that only adds to the achievement of those who resist that easy option, and continue towards their personal goals.
Surely having the easy option always readily available is a clear metaphor for modern life. But like Elaine, we may gain the universe, simply by committing ourselves to take the harder path.

[Sandra Heinzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I saw the movie, The Way, I've wanted to hike the Camino, along the same route as in this book. I loved the alternating points of view from the authors, as it provided even more depth to the book. And I loved the lessons of the day at the end of each chapter. I have never highlighted so much as I have with this book! I read it on my iPad and I loved being able to click on the links in the middle of a sentence to go to a site which provided more information. My only criticism is that I wish the book had photos as well, taken along the journey. In Movement There is Peace has only made me want to walk the Camino even more! Both the authors are wonderful writers, and I could see the things they described. I want to know what they have done since - have they taken any other trips?

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many books about the Camino de Santiago and this is one of my favorites. (I have walked the Camino Frances twice and the Camino Portuguese once.) It is interesting to see a husband's and a wife's perspective and challenges. This would be well worth reading before or after walking the pilgrimage.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Emilio Estevez's movie, "The Way" that is about a man's journey to connect with the son he lost by hiking the Camino de Santiago or "The Way of Saint James." This very old trek between France and Spain has been used for hundreds of years as a pilgrimage to gain absolution and thousands of pilgrims take this 500 mile walk every year. So when I saw this book mentioned on the movie's website, I jumped onto Amazon and bought it right away.

The book explores one couple's journey on the Camino and how the trek became a pilgrimage in a way for both of them. While Joe and Elaine are both dealing with different personal issues while on the trail, the trek brings them together in ways I think they don't even expect. The story is honest and the authors do a superb job of weaving their issues together as the hike unfolds. Both are struggling in different ways and they bravely lay it all out there which I think many will find very therapeutic because universally we all struggle for answers and meaning at some point in our lives.

I loved their approach to trusting that they would be taken care of on the trail and they always were. They also met some really amazing people on the course of the journey. The stories about the people along the way really are the essence for me of what makes hiking the Camino such an amazing process. I wanted to know at the end if they ever heard from ________ again but that is not in the book :)

The title is kind of ironic as neither Joe nor Elaine seems to find much peace during the journey. In fact there are lots of descriptions of aching, blistered feet, complete exhaustion and weariness. In fact Elaine says at the end that "mercifully the grueling days of hiking 28 km per day are over." I wanted more joy and more of a sense of accomplishment but both Elaine and Joe are very transparent about the fact that figuratively the pilgrimage they began on the Camino in many ways is not over.

This book is complex on a lot of levels but I really enjoyed it. It is not necessarily a book to read if you are trying to psyche yourself up to hike the Camino but it does provide insight into what it is like to become a pilgrim.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this travel journal, and as suspected, it created an intense desire in me to walk the Camino. Towards the end of the book, Joe the co-author and husband of the other author, struggles with his desire to always be on the move, seeking the next adventure. He had bought into the half-truth of "it's not the destination, it's the journey." His epiphany on the trek was that he had been a wanderer in his life, adrift with no purpose and he discovered that life without purpose is worthless. It is the journey AND the destination, that is the WAY to peace. This is a summary of the book...

Chapter 42: The Trust of the Spaniards alone is worth the price of the book, great story. "El Camino le ofrece a todos."

The Camino provides for all.

[Heidi Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. And I liked the way the book was written. It was a he wrote/she wrote kind of memoir - but he didn't write every day. Through this narrative, I found myself kind of falling in love with the individuals and then also with both of them as a married couple.
I particularly enjoyed the way she worked to overcome her anxiety through her Camino experiences and how they kept themselves open to the possibilities for 500 miles.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading a lot of books about different people's experience of the Camino de Santiago. I enjoyed this one because it was told from the point of view of both the husband and wife, and because they were so open about the effects of the journey on them individually and as a couple. It was told day by day, and each day's entry ended with the lesson they learned that day.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I couldn't put it down. The entire journey was a testament of God's subtle way of showing us that in the end we always search for him in everything. Beautifully written by Elaine and Joe Foster. Brutally honest and heartfelt. I loved it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable journey on the Camino de Santiago. I chose this to read because I have wanted to do the Camino since I first heard of it from a Spanish friend almost 20 years ago now, but the time or finances have never been right. My husband and I are now starting to plan the trip, likely still a couple years from now as we arrange prolonged time off from work. We are not Catholic, but love hiking, love the idea of seeing this part of the Pyrenees, and love the contemplation and spiritual renewal that occurs anytime one is out in nature and sharing new experiences. This book is a memoir of one couple's journey on the Camino. It portrays both the beauty of the area and people, as well as the arduousness of taking on such a long hike. There are many reasons people choose to walk the Camino - for this couple, especially the wife, it was to reconnect with her Catholic beliefs. The greatest lesson here is that God supplies (though the wife often states the Camino provides). Being forced to relax, to take on what each day offers, to rely on others, and accept grace in tough times is a gift that the Camino offers here. The alternating chapters from her view vs his view work for this book. Overall, it was an enjoyable read - sometimes humorous, sometimes too neurotic (especially her), sometimes inspiring. I was happy at the end that she found what she had hoped for from her journey.

[Mark Gannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defiantly an interesting read, and there is something for everyone. Elaine and her husband Joe reveal a lot about themselves within the book. I enjoyed their writing style, which at times felt more like a conversation between good friends rather that either author writing about a set of facts. It is interesting to see Elaine's progression back to her faith, which doesn't happen as a 'BAM' moment from heaven, but is rather a gradual awakening to it via the kindness and help she receives through the people she meets. Likewise, Joe's gradual awakening to why he takes on so many adventures are an enlightening moment.

This may sound funny, but some scenes remind me of the movie Evan Almighty, where God is explaining that ARK actually stands for A.R.K., or Act of Random Kindness- and Elaine and Joe encounter a lot of those on this trip.

This also the first book on the Camino I have read where the right gear for The Way are listed (or at least, the right gear for the authors). A bonus for anyone thinking of doing it.

[Marie (UK) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read The Pilgrimage by Paul Coelho ably his journey on the campano de santiago. In movement - is utterly more readable and more likely to drag you in than the Coelho book. I loved the quotes and thoughts that began and ended each chapter. Although there is a great deal of religiosity in the book it does not make it a religious tale. There was lots that made me think of my own travels on the South west coastal Path in England where solitude and oneness with nature alter your perspectives on life. It is a very easy read that take me to the trail the authors follow

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A highly personal account of a couple’s pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. I found it interesting from the point of view of planning a possible trip, and also learning about the current favourite walking tour in Europe. To be honest, the book made me rethink my eagerness to attempt the Camino because it really highlights the physical demands of the route. At the same time, I enjoyed reading about the friendships that emerged on the path and the way the narrators were made to face their own limiting beliefs. Written in chronological order in both the husband’s and wife’s voice, this is a thoughtful and illuminating read.

[Donna Pelletier · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a couples pilgrimage on The Camino de Santiago in France/Spain. I liked the book, it is well written and I like the way the narrative goes back and forth between husband & wife. I am still looking for a book that describes the actual trail and scenery in a little more detail. The books I have read about the Camino de Santiago seem to deal more so with the communal and psychological aspects of the walk.

[Julia Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give five-star reviews but this book really touched my soul. I have read many Camino related travelogues and the lessons learned with both husband and wife were rather life-changing. This is a fab book for anyone who is at a crossroads in their life as it digs into aspects of anxiety, death, divorce and trust.

It is well written and flowed easily with many laughs out loud moments.

[Kamimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to remember this camino. Loved the format of both partners sharing! And appreciated the maps at each chapter. Was a bit more personal than informative of the camino. Appreciated the natural facts like about the the trees. Wonderful to remember and reflect on my own camino alongside these authors.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the most realistic book about the camino

This book could have been written about my wife and my journey last year. All they did was change the name and swapped some of our traits.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter lent this book to me, saying that she liked the way the two authors shared their Camino experiences in tandem. Kind of like Karen and me, walking the pilgrimage route together in 2014. The two authors had an amazing, compelling experience walking the Camino. Intriguingly, the book says little about the places they ventured, focusing instead on their relationships, transformations and sacrifices to finish. The title might better have used the word joy instead of peace. It was what they found. Having completed the Camino in 2014, I found myself walking with them, appreciating how their personal experiences added to what many pilgrims share.

[AS · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Takes place in Spain -
This was a lucky find at a used bookstore. I enjoyed following this couple along their way as they walked the Camino de Santiago. They were a wonderful team for each other, and at the same time, they kept it real. No pretense, no pretending to know how to do it perfectly. They were open to the experiences that came up, including some emotional meltdowns, and just kept going, continuing to work through whatever came up.
I would have enjoyed more descriptions of the places they passed through along the way, though I suppose that would be a different kind of book.

[Alysia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I kind of enjoyed it but I probably wouldn't have finished it if I hadn't been reading it for a book club. I just got a bit bored while reading it I guess. But I liked the writers, I liked the adventure of what they were doing and I respected their reasons for doing it. I just felt sometimes they were trying too hard to portray some profound lesson learned each day.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was a bit more emotional at times then I would have preferred. However, I read the story mainly because I wanted to learn about the Camino de Santiago and Spain. I learned a great deal about both by reading this book.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've thought about walking the Camino since good friends of mine shared their experiences. This book takes you through the sometimes grueling, sometimes joyous journey in a very readable way. Now I'm not sure if I would be up to the challenge! I loved reading about it though.

[Elizabeth wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Not just your average Camino travel journal. This book provides a true insight into the daily life, the struggles and the joy.....real food for thought if you are truly considering the journey.

[Mary Tock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read before you walk

Enjoyed reading the authors stories and thoughts as the terrained the Camino. A must read if you are planning a pilgrimage or just need a meaning and renewed spiritually.

[Tertia Malyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Great read, particularly if you are planning to do the Camino. Loved reading from the different perspectives. Thoroughly enjoyed the easy reading style.

[Paula Yerke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book about walking the Camino from 2 perspectives- a husband and wife team. Surprisingly, it took away some of my desire to walk it. She was too good at highlighting the pain!!

[Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A borrowed book...but so good that we'll buy our own copy.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Camino therapy

[Kaleigh Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring story! Would love to read again!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This book was received as a Free Advanced Reviewer's Copy**

I'd never heard of The Camino De Santiago before reading this book. The Appalachian Trail, yes. The Camino, no. Maybe that's because even though it is a 800 km trek, it's more of a spiritual journey than a physical one. After all, you're supposed to receive forgiveness at the end and it's considered a pilgrimage.

Elaine Foster, a Psychologist, takes an early retirement to work on her own issues. Her husband, Joe, encourages her to walk the Camino with him. So they get ready to travel and fly over to Spain to begin their journey. Aside from the brutal physical aspect of it, it proves to be an emotional journey for them. They learn things about themselves, relationships, and other people and also meet quite a few eclectic people also traveling the Camino for their own reasons.

Elaine and Joe both take turns writing this book. It's broken up into each day (or almost each day, not every single one is here) and they both tell what they experience in that day in their own sections (labeled as who is narrating). They actually must be well suited for one another as I found their "voice" to be quite similar. They both focus on the emotional aspects of the journey and the introspection they experience. Joe tends to focus a little more on the food they encounter while Elaine focuses a tad more on the people. They're both brutally honest about their feelings and own perceived shortcomings and I think it was courageous that they could talk about their weaknesses like that. Perhaps that freedom is just one of the many things they learned on the Camino. I also liked some of the people they got to meet along the way. It was such a varied group and they all seemed like good people. I can't really recall any mean person that they encountered.

The dual writing style was a bit repetitive at first, but as the book got further in they had different things to talk about. In addition to their feelings of walking the Camino, they shared a little bit about equipment, a lot about the different places they stayed every night, and there were even a couple of recipes included in the book. In fact, the only thing that didn't have a lot of description was the trail itself. I was a bit saddened at the lack of scenery and mountain trails in the writing. There was a little, but the hostels they stayed at generally got more description than the beauty of nature. I understand that it was a spiritual journey, so emotions and people were of utmost importance to write about, but surrounded by all that beauty I just can't imagine not writing chapters upon chapters about it. It was still good writing though and it kept you engaged throughout the entire book. In fact, I'm not religious at all (and religion was a theme in this book) but there were several passages that really moved me, and one most poignantly right now "No matter how prepared we try to make ourselves for the inevitable reality of death, the work of true grief will always feel raw and painful. Accepting this truth helps to separate pain from unnecessary layers of suffering (pg.161)." I have a pet that was recently diagnosed with kidney failure. And it doesn't matter that I knew she was growing old, it still hurts to know that I'll be losing her at some point when she's been the only real constant in my life. But this sentence helped me to realize that even though it hurts, I can still enjoy what time I have. Maybe not what the author intended by this lesson, but still one that helped me.

Will I be hiking the Camino any time soon myself? No, probably not. I'm not at the point yet where I can just up and go because of responsibilities that keep me tied down. But it's always a possibility in the future and I am very grateful to this book for not only showing me the emotional path it offers, but letting me know of its existence in the first place! This is an excellent read for the traveler, self-help aficionado or lover of non-fiction journeys.

In Movement There Is Peace
Copyright 2013
296 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2013

[Gayle Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW
The book is about two adults with discord in their minds and emotions. They are strong, though, because they chose to tell of their weaknesses and strengths to make themselves better and help others help themselves.

Ms. Foster has been a doctor, a medical officer, a professor and an expert in psychology. This is over a span of twenty-five years. She was divorced which took a toll on her self esteem. She bore children. Being a girl from the city she was shy,fearful of germs and full of anxieties. She quit her profession after trying to help veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. She had begun to suffer the same traumas as these soldiers that she was trying to help. She didn't feel in touch with God even though she was Catholic raised and had attended a twelve year catholic school.

Her relationship with Joe had some problems. Joe had been married several times and was an active person. His time was spent mostly in the country. Joe was carrying a burden of guilt because he had not taken a yearly hike with his father this year. His father died on the hike.

Joe had decided to walk the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It is thought of as the Christian pilgrimage. Joe thought it might help remove some of the guilt he felt over his father. He wanted Elaine to go with him but he knew she was not physically nor emotionally ready for such a trip. He finally talked her into going and she went because she loved him and wanted to be part of his life. But deep inside she felt afraid and not ready for such a trip. I don't feel that the book was a page turner. It wasn't that kind of book. The book is about inner strength and weaknesses that all of us have. Through those strengths and weaknesses changes take place. I am not a religious person, but I do feel I'm spiritual. Ms. Foster describes many of her own anxieties. The characters in the book each help in overcoming the fears and anxieties that hold them back. They share these anxieties during their long journey. The author tells of how everyday in life is a special experience and should be enjoyed. Sometimes our lives are so hectic that we don't take time out to enjoy the good things in our lives. We don't smell the flowers. When the bad things happen and they overwhelm you, anxiety and panic may set in. They can overcome you. There are so many people out there in our world that have such bad anxiety and panic that they are in deep pain. They feel lost and alone. I wonder if taking the 500 miles of stumbling would help us. It is a thought for consideration. I know my review doesn't even touch the surface of this book. If there is anyone out there in need of help to overcome anxieties that have limited their lives or made their lives a lonely, fearful place, you should get yourself a copy of IN MOVEMENT THERE IS PEACE. It may help you to live a different life a little at a time. It's no cure all, by no means. It is help for those who seek change. The author is giving us a tool to help with the pain. The reader may feel close to Ms. Foster if they too have these problems. She is brave to come out and admit it and still write about it. It's a hard subject. Thank you Ms. Foster.

I would give this book 4 STARS.

I was given a complimentary copy of IN MOVEMENT THERE IS PEACE from the author, Elaine Orabona Foster, Ph.D. and contributer Joseph Wilbred Foster III, for my honest opinion.

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