The Way of New Beginning
Discovering a New Spiritual Path on the Camino de Santiago
For author Mark LaRocca-Pitts, it was the adventure of a lifetime—a 1,200-mile, three-month walking pilgrimage from Paris to Santiago de Compostela. But when he received a vision from God for a new spiritual path called the Way of New Beginning, it became more than that. It became an experience that transformed his spiritual life.
In The Way of New Beginning, LaRocca-Pitts shares his experiences and offers an opportunity to practice this path so you, too, can transform your spiritual life. Combining anecdotal tales of his pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago with his training in Biblical studies and his experiences as a spiritual seeker and pastor, this guide develops the Way of New Beginning as a spiritual path open to all—regardless of faith tradition.
Using Genesis 1, Psalm 51, and other Biblical passages, The Way of New Beginning sets forth a step-by-step process, along with spiritual practices such as the Jesus Prayer and Centering Prayer, to help you walk the Way of New Beginning and experience spiritual transformation.
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What They Are Saying
“This is a special book about a Grail pilgrimage, a search for the heart of Christian spirituality, found through honest, committed, embodied travel where understanding the journey is the goal …. This is a book of light, spirit, humor, joy, and genuine insight, a gift from a traveler into diverse spiritualities who never loses his center. Down to earth, sincere, humble, and yet open to sacred presence, it is a gift meant to be shared with others, a heartfelt guide, and an inspirational teaching on walking the Way of the transforming Now.”
— Dr. Lee Irwin, author of Sophos Ontology: On Post-Traditional Spirituality.
“It has been said that walking the ancient pilgrimage route known as the Camino de Santiago is a profoundly spiritual — even mystical — experience. In this book, Mark LaRocca-Pitts offers us a beautiful memoir of his pilgrimage and how it shaped and enlivened his overall faith journey. I was hooked by his story from the very first paragraph, and I believe you will be too. Whether you are an “armchair pilgrim” or someone simply seeking your own invitation into a spirituality of new beginnings, Mark’s wisdom, humility and companionship will bless you along the way.”
— Carl McColman, author of Read the Bible Like a Mystic and Eternal Heart.
“In The Way of New Beginning, Mark LaRocca-Pitts, takes pilgrims, and others who read this book, on an in-depth pilgrimage of our own …. There are moments in his writing that reflect the magical realism of a JRR Tolkien or Isabel Allende, in which heart and mind, spirit and body arise in liminal moments, and nothing is ever the same again.”
— Rev. Dr. Brett Webb-Mitchell, author of Practicing Pilgrimage.
“Standing out among the many books chronicling accounts of walking the Camino de Santiago, LaRocca-Pitts’ narrative integrates personal story with theological reflection, “The Way of New Beginning” as a spiritual metaphor for a continued pilgrimage through life wherein the pilgrim remains present in the “Now-leaning-into-becoming.” This book will be extremely helpful in preparing the pilgrim’s heart for the spiritual practice of walking, becoming present with each footfall along the path to Santiago de Compostela.”
— Dr. Kip Redick, author of American Camino: Walking as Spiritual Practice on the Appalachian Trail.
The Author
Mark LaRocca-Pitts is a lifelong spiritual seeker with a passion for long-distance hiking. After completing his PhD from Harvard, he was ordained a United Methodist pastor and worked as a healthcare chaplain and as a church pastor. Mark lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Beth, and has two children.
Buy the Book
Combining memoirs of a 1200-mile Camino pilgrimage with theological reflections, The Way of New Beginning, like Paulo Coelho’s The Pilgrimage, will transform your spiritual life.
