Global Spirit

In this episode, Global Spirit interviews two guests who use the power of story and storytelling to remember what's most important. Kay Olan, a renowned storyteller from the Mohawk nation in upstate New York, meets community organizer and youth mentor Orland Bishop, who brings the power of story and African wisdom traditions to his work with members of the notorious LA gangs, the Crips and Bloods.

Presented by author/actor/comedian John Cleese, GLOBAL SPIRIT is a unique inquiry into humankind's belief systems, wisdom traditions and states of consciousness. Hosted by author and spiritual seeker Phil Cousineau and featuring renowned experts such as Karen Armstrong, Robert Thurman, Deepak Chopra, Riane Eisler, Joanne Shenendoah and many others, this new critically acclaimed series takes viewers on a mind and soul-expanding journey, exploring the relationships between ancient wisdom traditions, diverse belief systems, world religions, metaphysics and modern science.

While the human ability to think and reason have certainly propelled human evolution forward, today more than 200 years after “the age of enlightenment” we find ourselves asking if knowledge and thinking are enough to really grasp the true meaning of existence? Or is there something more?

The ancient Greeks believed there was another dimension and they called it Sophia, wisdom, and believed it was the ultimate good. In Eastern traditions, wisdom is often synonymous with the Truth, the true nature of existence, available to those who can see beyond the ever- changing.

For thousands of years people of every tradition have embarked on long, difficult and often costly journeys to sacred places in search of various benefits, from health or material well-being to a spiritually transformative experience. But why have these millions of pilgrims endured such hardships? What are they ultimately in search of? "Sacred Travel: The Pilgrimage Experience" will utilize compelling film footage from India and Peru combined with deep studio conversation to shed light on this fascinating topic.