What a miserable lot we humans are, wallowing in violence, oppression and cruelty. This was the starting point for Akram Khan's latest ensemble dance, "Vertical Road" (2010), which had its West Coast premiere Friday at Royce Hall, presented by the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA.

The "vertical road" was a spiritual journey, a loose depiction of the writings and philosophies of Rumi, a revered 13th century Persian poet and theologian. Khan, an award-winning British choreographer of Bangladeshi descent, began with the most base of human behaviors, setting the stage for a through-line that all could experience as the search for the divine progressed and the dance unreeled. Or, so one presumed.

It turned out to be quite a circular ride, ending as it began with the noise of gurgling water. The choreographic route was repetitive and far less inspirational than Khan's last group piece to be seen locally, "bahok," or his mesmerizing duet with ballerina Sylvie Guillem. His point of view varied little over the course of 70 minutes, making that short span feel endless.

Khan and fellow scenic designers Kimie Nakano (who also did costumes) and Jesper Kongshaug (lighting designer too) do deserve credit for the creation of "Road's" claustrophobic landscape. Using a simple sheer cloth drop and judicious pools of light, they significantly enhanced the piece's moodiness. The cloth suggested a division between earthly cares and grace; when it was dramatically jerked down in the work's final seconds, it was like the announcement of an arrival. The dancers wore draped, beige tunics and trousers, and anointed their bodies by throwing handfuls of white powder.

Khan devised dance phrases of unrelenting harshness. His earthbound humans rocked heavily from side to side, punched the air with closed fists, kicked like fighters and beat their chests. Dancer Salah El Brogy began by butting his head into the curtain sending ripples skyward and generally stood apart from the rest. He was at times a master puppeteer, manipulating the others' actions and triggering a slow metamorphosis to enlightenment.

Walking to the downstage right corner, he knocked over a set of giant dominoes. They, like the rippling curtain, were symbols of humanity's interconnectedness. Slowly, one dancer, then another, began to spin, a homage to the Sufi sect that seeks religious ecstasy through music and whirling dance.

This description implies a succession toward a catharsis that was, in fact, barely felt by this viewer. Khan was not helped was hindered, actually by composer Nitin Sawhney's irksome and repetitive score.

The uniformly strong movement interpretations from the dancers were the work's one constant. Their commitment kept "Road" on track. But even their excellence could not much improve the view.

calendar@latimes.com

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Dance review: A search for the divine in Akram Khan's 'Vertical Road'

These kaleidoscope-like photos of the interiors of domes show places of worship in a new, mathematical light

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Look to the ceiling for mathematical enlightenment

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaching from the Atishas Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Jangchup Lamdron) on October 4, 2012. (Phayul photo/Norbu Wangyal)

The long life prayers were offered at the Tsug-la Khang, the main temple near the Dalai Lamas exile residence in Dharamshala.

The tenshug was offered at the conclusion of the four-day teachings on Atishas Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Jangchup Lamdron) by the Dalai Lama. The teachings were requested by a group of Taiwanese disciples.

The main long life prayers and supplications to His Holiness were offered by Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism.

Born in 1926 in Tibet, Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, is the throne-holder of the Dorje Drak Monastery, and the head of the lineage of the Northern Treasures, the tradition which originated from the treasures of the great tertn Rigdzin Godem. Rinpoche is renowned as a holder of all the great Kama and Terma traditions of the Nyingmapa, as well as being a great exponent of the Rime, or non-sectarian, tradition.

More than 2000 disciples from 61 countries, including 800 Taiwanese attended the teachings and the tenshug ceremony.

According to statistics provided by Taiwans Interior Ministry, Taiwan's Buddhist population has over the years grown from 800,000 in 1983 to 4.9 million in 1995, and to 8 million in 2005.

Speaking to Phayul, Jung Jung Chang, a disciple from Taiwan said that after listening to the 77-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, he really feels peaceful within.

I really appreciate all the teachings and the services to humanity that His Holiness the Dalai Lama continues to tirelessly render, Chang said. I have learned a lot from his behavior.

The Dalai Lama, after a hectic two-week long trip of the United States, beginning October 8, is scheduled to give three days of teachings on Chapter 24 of Nagarjuna's Fundamental Treatise of the Middle Way (uma tsawai sherab) at the request of a group of Koreans from October 29 to 31 in Dharamshala.

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Taiwanese offer long life prayers to the Dalai Lama

WENATCHEE M&M Productions won another award last week as its documentary, The Lost Secret of Immortality makes the rounds on the film-festival circuit.

The Great Lakes International Film Festival selected Lost Secret as Best Religious/Spiritual/Christian film Saturday.

The film also won a Silver Palm award at the Mexico International Film Festival in June and best spiritual documentary at the New York International Film & Video Festival last year.

The Lost Secret of Immortality was based on a book by Barclay Powers that explores the theory of the Philosophers Stone, enlightenment and Eastern belief systems.

M&M cameraman Brett McGinnis traveled to China and the Philippines to film martial arts and meditation experts in remote villages. Powers directed the film.

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Locally made film wins again

By DR. RAYMOND ANGELINI For The Saratogian

It seems we are constantly being inundated by the media with images of human suffering. We have to look no further than our morning papers for evidence of this. How do we meaningfully and effectively respond to such suffering and tragedy?

I believe that one of the most natural responses to human suffering is to tune it out or ignore it. However, the first step to spiritual enlightenment and social change requires that we bear a compassionate witness to human suffering. Even if there is nothing we can specifically do to help someone who is suffering, there is tremendous spiritual power in remaining aware during someones time of trial.

Buddha was born a wealthy prince. His father, in an attempt to protect him from the trials and tribulations of life, built a wall around the palace. However, Buddha knew that there was much more to life than what was contained within the walls of his fathers palace. Buddha realized that he had to experience suffering to become truly human. Buddha believed that we must open our hearts to suffering in order to become instruments for its transcendence.

This openness to human suffering is called compassion. Compassion is not merely an emotion, it is a spiritual force. It is Gods spirit in action. As Marianne Williamson says in her book, Everyday Grace, Humanitys next great leap in consciousness will be that love is a power to be applied no less than the power of steam or the power of the atom.

So how do we allow the force of compassion to become active in our lives? Every time we bring a meal to a shut-in, hold the hand of a dying friend or take political action to bring about more just social policies, we are practicing active compassion.

However, individual acts of compassion will not in and of themselves be enough to bring about the transformation that is needed. We must strive as a nation and a world to make love and compassion the center of all of our personal, social, political and economic enterprises.

We are at a crossroads in human history. We must all make a choice whether money and power or love and compassion will form the future foundation of our society. If we fail to make a decision, life will make the decision for us. We can either consciously make the decision through wisdom, or unconsciously make it through pain.

I firmly believe that it is Gods will that we become loving and compassionate. I believe that we will ultimately get there, but how we get there, and how soon, is up to us.

Dr. Raymond Angelini is a licensed psychologist and a business and personal coach. His column is published in The Saratogian on the last Saturday of each month. Mail questions to Raymond F. Angelini, Ph.D, P.O. Box 4816, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, or email newhorizons@spa.net.

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Your Higher Self: Compassion is key response to human suffering

The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama leaves the Tsug-la Khang temple for lunch on the first day of the teachings on Atishas Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (jangchup lamdron). At the request of a group of Taiwanese, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to give four days of teachings from October 1-4, 2012 at the main temple, Dharamshala. (Phayul photo/Norbu Wangyal) [Monday, October 01, 2012, Phayul]

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The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama leaves the Tsug-la Khang temple for lunch on the first day of ...

Overcoming a Parents Worst NightmareBereaved Mother Offers Tips on Her

Most Important Life Lesson

Perhaps the worst thing that can happen to a parent is experiencing the loss of a child. However, as one mother shares, its possible to turn ones devastation into spiritual enlightenment and to weave the tragedy into the fabric of your life and your family.

I dont think any parent ever gets over the loss of a child, says Caroline Flohr, whose memoir Heavens Child, (www.heavenschild.com), recounts the transformative death of her 16-year-old twin daughter, Sarah.

Through the web of pain, I have been amazed by the power of family, love and faith in healing. I have learned that death defines not the end of the journey, but a beginning.

Flohr reviews some of the milestones in her journey to inner peace:

Deeper meaning: Through the death of someone so important, you will be changed. The question is how you will be changed. Will you grow, or become diminished? Flohr grew with the realization that death so often viewed as an end is just the beginning of another phase of existence. One of my favorite quotes is from poet Rabindranath Tagore: Death is not extinguishing the light. It is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.

Celebrate life: When the bereaved are able to look at the life of a person who has passed and see more beauty than pain, they should rejoice. The reality of a persons absence will always have an element of sadness, but the joy of wonderful memories is even more powerful. When loved ones leave this Earth, graces are given to those relationships left behind. These are gifts. When we can acknowledge them, our lives can expand in the present.

Ready for anything: Once youve experienced the worst and pulled through, you know you will be able to weather just about any adversity. Maya Angelou wrote, You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it. Have faith in that inner strength we all harbor, Flohr says.

Appreciate what you have: Life as we know it will come to an end. This includes everyone we know, love and care about; its a fact that we often forget, and its as startling to remember as it is true. Come good or bad, we do not know what the future will bring, which means we should take every opportunity to fully embrace the present, and our loved ones.

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Overcoming a Parent’s Worst Nightmare

A new book by Marc Leavitt takes the reader behind the scenes of 'Spiritual Enlightenment'.

Roseland, Virginia (PRWEB) September 27, 2012

Marc kept meticulous journals detailing the day to day, month to month, and year to year unfolding of the self in detail. His book, Enlightenment: Behind the Scenes is a very personal account of an incredibly impersonal process broken down step by step and presented to the reader almost in slow motion. Marcs story of Enlightenment centers on four life altering Visions that spontaneously occurred while he was living out his day to day life. Until that time, Marc had never experienced anything remotely out of the ordinary. It was after his repeated visit to the world renowned Monroe Institute that things began to take a dramatic turn.

After returning home from a weeklong meditation retreat at the Monroe Institute, Marc writes that I would find myself spontaneously thrust into a vastly more expansive perspective which placed the entire world in a wholly new context. These Visions were progressive in nature as they clearly and pointedly demonstrated the Grand Design of Reality. Describing his book, Marc continues, I outline a play by play account of how four of these Visions shaped a new understanding regarding the true architecture of Reality and how this understanding resolves one of our greatest philosophical paradoxes, the relationship between mind and matter / God and the world.

The current trend is to call this subject Advaita, Nonduality or not-two, which infers that there is only God or more specifically, only Awareness. The implication being that the entire universe along with its inhabitants is actually none other than God or Awareness manifesting as this world of appearances. Marc points out that prior to the word Nonduality, the popular buzz word associated with the subject of Spiritual Enlightenment was Oneness. Of course, the view that the entire world is a manifestation of God or Awareness has a long history in all major religions generally referred to as the Perennial Teachings.

Marc describes that There is an evolutionary flow that dictates our understanding of these Perennial teachings is becoming ever more nuanced by taking us from One-Ness to Non-Dual to a Tri-Unistic perspective. The concept of the Triunity is also found in all major religions as a means to describe the multifaceted aspect of God. Marc maintains that the mystery of our relationship to God is revealed in this Triunistic model of Reality. He concludes, What the Triunistic perspective brings to the conversation is specifically just how and why we are all One and specifically how and why the relationship between man and the world or even man and God are nondual in nature. Whereas the current teachings in Nonduality simply assert that everything is God or Awareness, Marc clearly explains for the first time in lay terms how a Triunistic perspective of Reality explains the natural mechanism that ensures that God or Awareness manifests as the world we all know as home.

Marc Leavitts ebook Enlightenment: Behind the Scenes is available on Kindle, Nook or http://www.enlightenmentbehindthescenes.com

Marc Leavitt Reality Publishers 434-277-9518 Email Information

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Behind the Scenes of Spiritual Enlightenment

Harold Sherritt analyzes spiritualist principles in informative nonfictionSunrise, FL (PRWEB) September 22, 2012 Harold Sherritt sets out to enlighten readers about metaphysical principles and how to apply them in their daily lives in his nonfiction guide, “In Search Of Spiritual Understanding: A guide to spiritual enlightenment and health” (published by AuthorHouse).Applying the knowledge he ...

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Author Discusses How Metaphysical Concepts can Transform Lives

Lululemon: not about to kiss the communitys ass.

When Lululemon opened on 75th Street and Broadway last month it seemed like a match made in heaven: a place for wealthy Upper West Siders to buy overpriced yoga apparel. After all, if wearing beautifully-crafted clothing while reaching spiritual enlightenment isnt living the upscale Bohemia dream, what is?

But the clothing store has, in just a short time, broken the unbreachable etiquette of the neighborhood by refusing to contribute to the West 75th Street Block Association party, reports DNAinfo.

The store cited its corporate policy against contributing to community groups when block association president DeAnna Rieber asked for a donation of a raffle item or demonstrations. Then things got ugly.

And you thought these kind of things only happened in Brooklyn!

Theyre all smiley on the surface but not when it comes down to participating in the community theyre part of, Ms. Rieber told DNAinfo. It seems very self-indulgent. I think they take care of their own, but that care doesnt go beyond their own self-interest.

Ms. Rieber was apparently unmoved by the stores suggestion that she send residents to the free 9 a.m. class the store holds every Saturday, plus a promise of in-store refreshments throughout the day. Because, you see, the party begins at 1o a.m. and the point is street interaction.

Carolyn Manning, a spokeswoman for Lululemon, toldDNAinfo that the store does not generally offer free products becausewe feel it undervalues both the product and what our guest generally expects.

While its unclear if the well-heeled residents of the Upper West Side will return the snuband forgo flattering, status-symbol spandexLululemon might be well advised to bring a freshly baked pie or a pot of geraniums to Ms. Riebers door.

kvelsey@observer.com

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Battle of the BoBos: UWS Block Association Enraged By Lululemon’s Stinginess

Travel for moral and spiritual enlightenment is nothing new. Records of pilgrimages date back millennia. Some sites have long histories of hosting pilgrims, including Jerusalem and Mecca. Some like El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico are more recent popular destinations.

This and next week, Bon Voyage features pilgrimages. I asked authors who contribute to the Record Searchlight's Voices of Faith religion column if they'd been on a pilgrimage. Here's what some of them shared.

VATICAN CITY AND ROME

Sacred Heart Catholic Church deacon Mike Evans of Anderson visited Vatican City in August 1978, and again in October 2004.

"It was great to see how things had changed over time and also not changed," Evans said. "Rome is indeed the 'Eternal City.' "

Since the First Century, the Vatican has been the central location for the Christian faith, Evans said. It's rich in history.

Points of interest Evans visited include the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica and square in Vatican City, and the Coliseum, Spanish Steps, various castles, bridges and catacombs in and around Rome.

"The only way to see the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel in depth is to book a tour," Evans said. "You get picked up at your hotel and don't have to stand in a long line for admission. Then there is the interpretation by the tour guide that makes everything understandable (and) more exciting."

Rome is a big embarkation/disembarkation point for cruise ships. Evans recommends cruise travelers take the shore excursions offered to passengers.

"The operators provide the bus, the guide and narrative. (It) saves time and confusion," Evans said.

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Bon Voyage: Pilgrimages, part one

One of the great things about living in America is having the opportunity to interact with great societal institutions that are dedicated to the educational advancement, cultural enrichment and spiritual enlightenment of the human race.

Such as the cable company.

The specific cable company to which I refer is Comcast, but I hold a similar level of admiration for all cable companies. Frankly, they are marvels of organization, competence and genuine concern for the welfare of the various population bases that they serve.

It was thus with great reluctance that we recently parted company with Comcast, at least in regard to its provision of cable television service to our domicile. We still get their Internet service. At least as of this morning.

For those of you not familiar with Comcast, it is a 47-year-old company headquartered in Philadelphia. It is the largest provider of cable television and home Internet service, and the third-largest provider of home telephone service, in the known galaxy.

In 2010, Comcast was honored by The Consumerist a sub-subsidiary of Consumer Reports as the worst company in America. In 2011, it lost the Golden Poo Award to oil giant BP, and this year to EA, the video game maker. I for one believe it is quite possible the 2011 and 2012 results were rigged.

The reason my wife and I decided to cancel our cable TV service from Comcast, and replace its entertainment amenities with a used Scrabble game and some postcards of the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wis., was what in divorce cases they delicately call "irreconcilable differences."

These differences centered on Comcast insisting that in return for more money every month, it would provide us with less product. For approximately $100 a month, we had a choice of entertainment venues that included a "travel" channel in which various people travel around for no apparent reason other than to eat fried insects; a food channel in which people who look suspiciously like the people on the travel channel share recipes for fried insects; and 135 channels imploring us to buy sequined luggage sets or faux topaz bowling balls.

I actually don't know what we paid for cable, because it was "bundled" with our Internet service. "Bundling" is a cable company term meaning "mind your own business." There were also charges for "modem rental," "digital box interface" and "oxygen molecule tax."

Now, you would think that a company with billions of customers wouldn't care if a lowly Sacramento couple wanted to drop its service. You would be wrong. Comcast clearly did not want us to leave. I think it was a pride thing. I think that Consumerist Golden Poo Award really stung. I practically had to beg.

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On the Lighter Side: Comcast worth its weight in Golden Poo

London, Aug 1 (IANS) Pot-bellied Buddhist monks, striving to reach spiritual enlightenment, could be hampered in their pursuit of nirvana because of obesity and lifestyle diseases, a study has suggested.

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Half of Thailand's Buddhist monks are obese: Study

August 01, 2012 06:13:31 GMT Admitting he's tired of rapping, Tha Doggfather embarks on a journey in Jamaica where he gets a spiritual enlightenment and declares, 'I always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated.'

has debuted a trailer for his documentary film "". In the sneak peek, the rapper-turned-reggae artist shares the story behind the making of his new album of the same name and his transformation into Snoop Lion. "F*** Snoop Dogg... All that s*** be out here. Rastafari called me," so he says of his trip to Jamaica which inspires him to become his new Reggae persona.

In the video, Snoop states that he is the reincarnation of as claiming, "I always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated." Explaining that he's already tired of rapping, the 40-year-old artist meets a high priest in Jamaica to get a spiritual enlightenment. "No more. You are the light; you are the lion," so the priest tells him.

In partnership with Snoopadelic Films, VICE Films presents "Reincarnated". The documentary follows Snoop as he embarks on a journey to Jamaica to record an album with Diplo. While there, Snoop, who finds himself embraced by the Jamaican people, is positively impacted by Rastafarian culture and eventually becomes reincarnated as Snoop Lion.

The documentary will premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival in September.

AceShowbiz.com

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Snoop Dogg Shares How He Becomes Lion in Trailer for 'Reincarnated' Documentary

JULY 27, 2012 is "Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Day," a special national working holiday, pursuant to Republic Act 9645, signed on June 12, 2009, to recognize "the exemplary feat of INC in leading its members towards spiritual enlightenment and good citizenry." This year, the INC is celebrating its 98th Anniversary, with activities designed to prepare its millions of followers for the church's ...

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Celebration: IGLESIA NI KRISTO 98TH ANNIVERSARY

The Herald-Dispatch

FILE--Cast members from "The Andy Griffith Show" pose in this undated photo. From left: Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife, Ron Howard as Opie Taylor and Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor. Episodes of the show are used in "Finding the Way Back to Mayberry," a Bible study class developed by two Alabama men who believe watching "The Andy Griffith Show" can help lead to spiritual enlightenment. (AP Photo/Viacom, file)

The Herald-Dispatch

Actor Andy Griffith, center, shares a laugh with North Carolina Gov. MIke Easley, right, and Griffith's wife, Cindi, left, after the governor was mistakenly introduced as former Gov. Jim Hunt during a ceremony naming part of U.S. Hwy 52 the Andy Griffith Parkway during a ceremony in Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, N.C., Wednesday Oct. 16, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

The Herald-Dispatch

Don Knotts, right, and Andy Griffith appear together at the unveiling of a star for Knotts on the Walk of Fame in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles Wednesday Jan. 19, 2000. Knotts, in the memorable role of Deputy Barney Fife, played across from Griffith in the "Andy Griffith Show." (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

The Herald-Dispatch

Actor Andy Griffith, left, smiles as North Carolina Gov. MIke Easley applauds after they unveiled a sign naming part of U.S. Hwy 52 the Andy Griffith Parkway during a ceremony in Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, N.C., Wednesday Oct. 16, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

The Herald-Dispatch

Actor Andy Griffith, right, waves to the crowd as his wife Cindi, gives him a hug during a ceremony dedicating part of U.S. Hwy 52 the Andy Griffith Parkway in Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, N.C., Wednesday Oct. 16, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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Gallery: Andy Griffith through the years

Buddhist Channel Tuesday 3rd July, 2012

Against the materialism prevalent in society, the obsessive search for money, worldly possessions and the pervasive spiritual crisis, Thai Buddhists state that "the path to enlightenment" indicated by the "awakened" is the only way to create "a world of peace." Coinciding with the celebrations for Buddha's enlightenment 2600 years, better known as "Buddha Chayatee (BC)," the faithful wanted to promote meetings and events aimed at reinforcing the...

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Thai society rediscovers the values of the Buddha to combat materialism and economic crisis

(PR NewsChannel) / July 3, 2012 / GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.

"Duran Duran, Leo, and the Universe: My Spiritual Journey on the Road to Awareness" by Jill E. Stacy

Duran Duran, Leo, and the Universe: My Spiritual Journey on the Road to Awareness (ISBN 0615605524) by Jill E. Stacy is an unusual memoir of a spiritual journey that ranges from her traumatic childhood to her personal encounters with celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and the band members of Duran Duran. She handles her haunting story with honesty and humor, sharing her strategies for healing.

Stacys inspirational book briefly revisits the darkest moments of her childhood when she was sexually abused. In her early 40s, she finds some age-old techniques to address her childhood traumas in a way that finally allows her to heal. Using ancient healing methods and meditation, the author shows how she was able to wade into the distant past and learn how to unthread the unresolved issues that had tangled her life.

Over the course of the book, Stacy watches her life turn around as she realizes lifelong dreams. When she has run-ins with Leonardo DiCaprio and the music group Duran Duran, she interprets these happenings as good omens. These unexpected occurrences lead the author back on a spiritual path and reveal to her the positive energy that flows throughout the universe. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can help others who have lost their way find their path back to healing.

Duran Duran, Leo, and the Universe ultimately concludes that we are connected in intricate and meaningful ways to one another and to the spacious universe. Told with a light touch and an open and wise mind, this work will appeal to seekers of all sorts who are interested in enlightenment, new age healing and spiritual philosophy.

Duran Duran, Leo, and the Universe: My Spiritual Journey on the Road to Awareness is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.

About the Author: A registered nurse, Jill E. Stacy is married with two children. To process the traumatic events in her life and honor her redemptive experiences, she began writing her memoir to share her intriguing story with others.

MEDIA CONTACT Jill E. Stacy E-mail: jestacy@bresnan.net Phone: (970) 985-1337 Website:www.pinklestonebooks.com

REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE

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Woman survives childhood trauma, gains spiritual awareness in uplifting memoir

Last year, Judith Lucy went on a quest for spiritual enlightenment.

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Having a ball on stage

We call Global Spirit the first internal travel series, because the topics and the discussions so often lead to a kind of inner exploration. Unlike programming on Animal Planet or National Geographic, Global Spirit is not about discovering anything that is outside of yourself. The opening program in our series, The Spiritual Quest, was one of our more exciting and challenging to produce.

Our only chance to have renowned author Karen Armstrong on a program was to meet her in New York, on a particular evening that she was free. It was her last night in the U.S. before she flew back to England to work on a new book for the next six or seven months. Since we so wanted to have Karen on our series, and because Tenzin Bob Thurman lived in New York, we decided to ship the Global Spirit set from San Francisco to New York, and do this program in an auditorium at CUNY. For me, as the producer/director, this show had all the excitement of New York, with a new setting, a new crew and even a live audience of 500 people!

For Karen and Bob, it was one of those first-time meetings that we try to achieve on Global Spirit -- to bring two people together for the first time, in this case, two highly articulate teachers and authors from distinct religious traditions, who have always wanted to meet each other. You can sense a kind of magic in the air, as they both experience the sheer delight of discovering things about each other theyve always wanted to know. Yes, it was an uplifting show, with a good amount of spontaneous humor.

As I am originally a filmmaker, on Global Spirit, we typically combine compelling experiential film segments with deep conversation, to let both film and conversation do what each does best. However, The Spiritual Quest is one of only two of our programs that doesnt incorporate what I call experiential video segments.

I remember the frustration of not being able to either produce or to find video footage that would somehow illustrate or speak authentically to the personal, spiritual quest of a Karen Armstrong or a Robert Thurman.

The Spiritual Quest relies more on the visual power of storytelling and real conversation. The program is full of rich, personal stories including some colorful, surprising, coming-of-age tales like that of the 19-year-old Thurman and his Mexican friend getting turned back from joining Fidels revolutionary army by Fidels recruiters: I was 6 3 and my Mexican friend was 51 and quite rotund. So they said: Ah, here is Don Quixote and Sancho Panza but we cant use you! Quixote, that blonde head of yours will be blown off immediately.

Our series host Phil Cousineau, a true spiritual seeker himself, who deftly poses the perennial questions, then jumps in to share the occasional hilarity. The personal chemistry between Armstrong and Thurman is stimulating and electric. This is of course something we can never totally predict, or even understand. For a producer, its the x factor, that mystical psycho-spiritual alchemy between two guests or actors that either ignites or doesnt. And here we were very fortunate -- both Thurman and Armstrong were witty and they connected effortlessly in humorous ways over a wide range of topics, including their shared monastic periods, their triumphs and disillusionments and their admittedly nave quests for what they thought of as enlightenment. Now older and wiser, they are able to look back and share some of those raw spiritual ambitions of their early 20s, now redefined, but still burning brightly, perhaps as a more enduring spiritual quest for a life of true peace and compassion. Robert Thurman meeting Karen Armstrong was a meeting of two oceans.

Global Spirit is an invitation to enter some uncharted seas for a unique inner journey. And while this new series might not have the ratings of an Animal Planet Special or a National Geo Explorer, there are for the brave of heart, some uncharted continents awaiting. - Stephen Olsson, Director of Global Spirit

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 Deepak Chopra, Karen Armstrong, Robert Thurman, Riane Eisler 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.

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Global Spirit: The Spiritual Quest With Bob Thurman And Karen Armstrong (VIDEO)