Jules Heartly | May-June 2024

Anytime we hear about the Camino a Santiago, we think of the journey pilgrims and non-pilgrims take from Spain, Portugal or France to the town of Santiago de Compostela, originally a religious pilgrimage dating from the 1200’s.

El Camino de Santiago, for those not too familiar with it, also known as the Way of St. James, is a centuries-old pilgrimage route that stretches across Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle St. James are buried. For many pilgrims, walking El Camino is a spiritual journey that offers them the opportunity to reflect on their lives, connect with nature, and find healing and renewal.

In the same way, life itself can be seen as a journey full of ups and downs, challenges and triumphs, losses and gains. Just like how pilgrims on El Camino face physical obstacles along the way, we too encounter difficulties in our path – setbacks in relationships, struggles in our careers, moments of self-doubt, and insecurity. However, just as the pilgrims persevere and continue walking towards their destination, we too must keep moving forward and trusting in the process.

Throughout the pilgrimage, pilgrims often rely on their faith to guide them and provide strength when faced with uncertainty. Similarly, in life, having faith –whether it be in a higher power, in oneself, or in the universe– can help us navigate the unknown and find peace in times of struggle. It is this faith that allows us to believe in the potential for growth, change, and transformation.

Just as each step taken on El Camino brings the pilgrim closer to their destination, each experience encountered in life shapes and molds us into who we are meant to become. 

This time the journey, this Camino,   I am sharing with you all is the inner and outer journey of Hansel Santiago, a sorcerer, a magician, a human being who started its peregrination to the entertainment world at the early age of 10 when his father gave him a magician box, Gustavo Loria’s magic hat. 

Hansel Santiago is a magician who has captivated audiences both on live television shows and in the theaters of cruise companies all across the world. With his slick moves and mesmerizing tricks, he brings magic to life in ways that seem impossible.

Having studied journalism, an inner interest, he still pursued the world of entertainment within the magic realm and did not look back. 

Although he does write blogs and is involved in the media world, it is his magic that has allowed him to travel the world, fulfill his goals, have a family and meet famous people. 

With a motto of Failure Being Only Another Step to Being Successful, he has managed to step up that ladder, ignoring the missteps or using them only to secure the next day’s one. 

I had the opportunity to meet Hansel during a recent presentation at the MSC MERAVIGLIA SHIP where he awed the audience with his magic show.

Over coffee and a bottle of Pellegrino, I listened while Hansel Santiago shared his story .How he created a vision board when he was a teenager and how on it, he wrote “ To perform as a magician at a TV Show and also at a cruise”.

His first paid magic show was at the age of 12 at a family party. “I still keep the $20-dollar check,” he tells me, a smile brightening his face now back to memory lane. “My father gave me the $20 dollars so he could keep the check as Memorabilia”.  I think at that moment I thought I could live off magic, but years later, the yearning for journalism took me to graduate from college. 

“Everyone told me I would do good in the radio business.   I had what they called a “radio voice”. I still do and it is very helpful in my shows.” 

As Hansel takes the stage in front of a live television audience, the bright lights illuminate his face as he prepares to wow viewers with his mind-boggling illusions. The cameras zoom in close as he expertly manipulates cards and coins, making them disappear and reappear with a flick of his wrist. The studio audience gasps in amazement at his sleight of hand, while viewers at home are left scratching their heads in wonder.

But despite the thrill of performing in such a high-pressure setting, Hansel still feels a tinge of nervousness before each show. The fear of making a mistake or failing to impress weighs heavily on his mind, but he pushes through it, drawing upon years of practice and dedication to his craft. And when the final curtain falls and the audience erupts into thunderous applause, Hansel’s nerves melt away, replaced by a sense of joy and satisfaction that comes from knowing he has entertained and amazed so many.

In contrast to the controlled chaos of live television, Hansel also thrives in the more intimate setting of the theater on board a cruise ship. As the ship sets sail across the open sea, he takes the stage in front of a large eager audience, ready to transport them to a world of magic and wonder.

The cruise ship theater is a  space, with plush seats and elegant decor that adds to the air of mystery and excitement that surrounds Hansel’s performances. The gentle sway of the ship only adds to the feeling of enchantment, as his illusions seem to defy gravity and reason.

Once again, the nervous butterflies flutter in Hansel’s stomach before each show, but as he dives into his routine and sees the delighted smiles on the faces of his audience, those fears fade away. The sound of applause washes over him like a wave, filling him with a sense of fulfillment and pride in his abilities as a magician.

Hansel’s  path to where he is today professionally hasn’t been paved with roses. ..”During the COVID Pandemic lockdown, I took it to learn to cook high-end cusisine, and during the next two years I gained over 120 pounds!  I am overweight now, but I am confident I will soon reach a healthy weight again.  I wish I could rely on magic to make it happen ha ha ha” his whole body laughing at his own joke.

Hansel Santiago may have always dreamed of performing on television and on cruise ships, but his journey to achieving those dreams has been far from easy. Through hard work, determination, and a touch of magic, he has carved out a niche for himself in the world of entertainment, bringing joy and wonder to audiences wherever he goes. And though the nerves may linger before each show, the rush of happiness that comes with a successful performance is always worth it in the end.

His story is the one of many other pilgrims in the entertainment world and also in other professions. How many times have any of us walked the peregrine path like the Camino de  Santiago, stopping perhaps not at a series of towns along the way but at jobs, relationships, other places, etc and in situations that somehow led us to where we are supposed to be or where we meant to be or wanted to be?

And somehow it may be the place (geographical or personal) one dreamed of being all along. 

The challenges we face, the lessons we learn, and the relationships we form all contribute to our inner walk towards self-awareness, self-love, and personal growth.

In the end, El Camino de Santiago serves as a powerful analogy for the inner journey we all take in life. By embracing each step with faith, courage, and resilience, we can navigate the twists and turns of our path and emerge stronger, wiser, and more connected to our true selves.

Something Hansel Santiago @hanselkmagia has experienced and proudly shared with me and I am now sharing with you all. 

Have you ever felt this way? O thought about it?  Let me know by dropping a line or making a comment.

And thank you for reading my blog and following me on social media @JBRAdiant

WWW.JULESHEARTLY.COM