PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTEXTS OF THE WAY OF ST JAMES AS A WAY OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT

The article examines the psychological and socio-cultural influence of the Way of St James (Camino de Santiago) on the process of self-development and the formation of meaningful life orientations. The theoretical section analyses modern approaches to self-development, the role of transformational experiences, and the significance of pilgrimage as a socio-cultural phenomenon that goes beyond traditional religious practice. The empirical section presents the results of a study conducted among pilgrims and a control group and reveals a correlation between indicators of self-development and meaningful life orientations, which indicates the complex dialectical nature of these processes. The results of the study define the role of the Camino as a space for integrating physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of life, promoting harmonisation and self-development of the individual.