Hometown: Benicia, CA
Occupation: Book editor
Age: 56

Q. Why did you decide to go on the pilgrimage to Shikoku?

A. I first read of the 88-temple pilgrimage many years ago in Oliver Statler's Japanese Pilgrimage, and have long wanted to participate in it. I have been a Buddhist practitioner for over two decades, and met my first Buddhist teacher in Japan. I have done self-directed pilgrimage travel in other parts of Asia, so it seemed a natural fit, especially combined with my love of hiking.

Q. What did you do to prepare for the journey?

A. I am a regular hiker/backpacker, so no special fitness program was needed to prepare for the hiking. But because the pilgrimage had special significance for me in regard to the recent and tragic loss of my teacher, I prepared a photograph of him and a set of prayers/dedications to offer alongside chanting the Heart Sutra at each temple. For me, the pilgrimage was an extended period of walking meditation and devotional practice, and an opportunity to express my deep gratitude to my dear teacher.

Q. What was the most memorable moment during your trek around the island? Most surprising? Hardest?

A. The following two encounters with fellow pilgrims—Japanese henro I met while hiking—may illustrate these questions. I hiked alongside a middle-age lady for awhile and we exchanged bemused comments (me in my rudimentary Japanese) about the weather—hard rain that turned to snow flurries. She soon pulled ahead of me and disappeared on the trail through the forest. Her cheerful spirit and stamina impressed me greatly. And I met a nice gentleman at the summit of Nyotai-san, the mountain between Temples 87 and 88, where we shared lunch while he told me the story of the mountain. This was on one of the hardest sections of trail, called henro-korogashi ("where henro fall down"). This gentleman was 80 years old, ill with cancer, yet he made this difficult hike weekly "for health." The spirit and resilience of the Japanese people is something I greatly admire, and these encounters put in perspective my own relatively minor travails.

Q. How do you feel about your experience now that you've returned?

A. After the Shikoku tour I had planned to visit my Zen teacher, whom I hadn't seen in many years, at his temple in Yamanashi Prefecture on Honshu. But he perished in the devastating events of March 2011 (earthquake/tsunami). So I dedicated my pilgrimage efforts to him, carried his picture and offered prayers at each temple in his honor. I also dedicated to the memory of my dear canine companion of 16 years who passed away just before I left for this trip. These acts of remembrance and honoring made the journey especially meaningful for me.

Q. Would you go again to Shikoku? Would you go on a different pilgrimage?

A. I already have plans to return to Shikoku in November 2015 to hike different parts of the route to 30 or so more temples, ones not visited on my 2013 trip.

Q. What would you tell someone who was thinking about going on a pilgrimage to Shikoku?

A. The Shikoku pilgrimage is open to anyone and no special connection to Buddhism or Japanese culture is required, so for many Westerners it is perhaps mostly just an interesting hiking trip in a beautiful part of Japan that is "off the beaten path." But being a Buddhist practitioner with a strong spiritual connection to Japan invested this journey with great richness and depth for me. It is wonderful that Japan's cultural traditions are so open to all, and its tradition of hospitality is unparalleled, but I would say that it is well worth the effort for would-be henro to delve into some of the deeper spiritual and cultural aspects of such a journey.

Q. Anything else you want to share with us?

A. The act of making a pilgrimage, however undertaken—even if just "for fun" or as cultural tourism—is transformative. By walking the way, you embody the Way.

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation: Freelance photographer
Age: 25

Q. Why did you decide to go on the Jesus Trail?

A. My dad unexpectedly died of a heart attack in June of 2013 at only 54, and I needed to take a break from my routine and re-evaluate where I was and where I was going.

I struggled deeply with my faith, and while I never left the church, I was slipping quickly. But every time I would return to coming to Him as I was and placing my faith wholeheartedly in Jesus again, the best way that I can put it is that I felt like I was returning home. Still, I felt that if I was going to continue my relationship with Christ, I felt the need to learn more about the region that Jesus spent time in.

Q. What was the most memorable moment during your time in Israel? Most surprising? Hardest?

A. When I got lost on the second day of my Jesus Trail hike, I had a piece of bread for breakfast and a bottle of water for the road. I decided to opt out of buying a proper breakfast from my hostel because it was supposed to be a short hike—a few hours long to the next stop in Kibbutz Lavi. Little did I know that when I left that morning, I was about to have one of the longest days of my life. I knew that I was close to Kibbutz Lavi because of the foldout map that I had on hand, but you don't go through Kibbutz Lavi as it appears on the foldout, and you also can't see it from the trail because it's over a hill and I was looking for a sign that didn't exist. I knew after hiking at a moderately quick pace that I had passed the city because I had already been hiking longer than the written estimate, but I didn't know by how much since I never saw it, so I decided to keep going. Every additional step took more energy and hope away from me, but it's pretty unbelievable how much I learned. I saw one person while on my hike, a man in his car who looked straight at me after I waved and yelled for his help but chose to drive away. I had never forgiven a person so quickly when I realized that the anger that I felt was draining all of the energy I needed to complete the hike. Matthew 6:25-27 lingered in my mind for a lot of my journey: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" I knew that if I had stopped, then my dad would be sad. And if there's one thing a son wants to do, it's to make his dad proud. So I kept going, and towards the end of my journey right before climbing a steep incline a few hundred feet tall I heard a group of Israelis just ahead under a tree who would end up giving me tea made from some leaves picked on the side of the road, water, a piece of bread and a beef hot dog. They had decided to camp under the tree and save climbing the incline for the next day. Soon after I left them to continue, I would see the breath-taking Sea of Galilee between two giant cliffs and arrive at the guesthouse where I would have a home-cooked meal and an air-conditioned room.

Q. How do you feel about your experience now that you've returned?

A. I'm glad that I did it, but traveling in Israel was a much bigger experience than what I had in mind. I initially intended to seek solid evidence of this and that, to breathe the air Jesus breathed so to speak and to come back with an ironclad decision on whether to continue my relationship with Christ or to abandon the faith. And faith is just not that simple. On the door of the Garden Tomb is written "He Is Not Here. For He is Risen". I traveled a long way to look for something to re-affirm my faith, just to arrive and realize that what and who I was looking for was at home the whole time.

Q. Would you go again to Israel? Would you go on a different pilgrimage?

A. I would consider going back to Israel, but I would go with a friend or two the second time around. Unfortunately, there's still a lot of racism in many parts of Israel that made the experience a lot more than what I had hoped for. Since returning, I hiked a 125km portion of the Camino de Santiago from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, another pilgrimage in Spain, and I'd do another in a heartbeat.

Q. What would you tell someone who was thinking about going on the Jesus Trail?

1. Don't get lost.
2. Try to trick yourself into thinking cow poop doesn't smell that bad.

Hometown: Miami Beach, FL
Occupation: Yoga teacher, massage therapist
Age: 33

Q. Why did you decide to go on the pilgrimage to the Kumbh Mela?

AI heard that this was the largest spiritual gathering on the planet and infused with Indian and Vedic history and culture. As a yoga instructor of 10 years, I wanted to visit India for a long time to connect with the motherland. This festival was the perfect event to motivate me to do a spiritual journey to participate in this bathing experience of cleansing in the Ganges. So I organized a sacred journey to this festival to bring others along for the ride and brought a group of 20 people.

Q. What was the most memorable moment during the Kumbh Mela? Most surprising? Hardest?

A. The most memorable moment was walking throughout the Kumbh Mela and seeing all the Nagas and Sadhus and the different camps. I had never experienced so much energy in my life. It was like stepping onto another planet so different from America or anything I had ever witnessed. So many different aspects of the Hindu religions, gathered all together peacefully.
The hardest part was when a monsoon and torrential rains hit our camp the first night! Many of our group members' tents flooded and clothes got wet. I reminded people that we came all this way to bathe in the Ganges and the Ganges bathed us! The next morning was tough, everything was muddy and we had to clean up and dry our clothes. It was all part of the adventure and in divine flow.

Q. How do you feel about your experience now that you've returned?

A. I felt as if I dropped into the heart of India and received blessing. A great deal has happened since I returned from this mystical journey. I stepped into this deep connection with spirit, myself and India.

Q. Would you go again to the Kumbh Mela? Would you go on a different pilgrimage?

A. Yes, absolutely. It was a great experience. Maybe a little rough at times, but for most part a true test of openness of the mind and full understanding of the spiritual energy of India.
We took another group on a spiritual pilgrimage to Peru and Macchu Picchu. The trip was another magical journey of cleansing and personal growth and transformation. It was a great success and I absolutely LOVED Peru!

Q. What would you tell someone who was thinking about going to the Kumbh Mela?

A. I would tell them to get ready for entering into another dimension, one of Indian spiritual culture that will knock your socks off!

Q. Anything else you want to share with us?

A. I am looking forward to leading more sacred journeys and experiencing and activating myself as well as these sacred sites on the planet. I feel taking groups on these journeys is a catalyst for spiritual healing and transformation in your life.

Hometown: Framingham, MA
Occupation: Software developer
Age: 31

Q. Why did you decide to go on the Hajj?

A. After my divorce, I needed some form of support and I looked no where but this pilgrimage. Having grown up in Saudi Arabia, you hear and see the festivities around Hajj every year. My parents went for Hajj when I was a child but I do not remember anything of it. Going to the Hajj was also for me a chance to go back and revisit these cities I had visited in my youth.

Q. What was the most memorable moment during the Hajj? Most surprising? Hardest?

A. The whole trip was memorable, every moment of it. From seeing the minarets of the holy mosques from the bus, to stepping for the first time in to the grand mosque. I felt at peace, in the midst of the chaos of 2 million people.

What surprised me was how the best part of both worlds coexist. You might think, these two cities are old school, and old buildings, but you would be wrong. High-tech gear everywhere, the galaxies and iPhones are all around, the technology used to keep the place cool, the huge umbrellas. The western shops with the local shops together. You get the best of both worlds. Starbucks, H&Ms, the Body Shops and then the local souks selling the best of the best oil perfumes.

The four days in Mina Camp were the hardest. That is the one thing about Hajj that no one can prepare you for. And in all honesty that is what Hajj is about. Staying with people in such close proximity. It was a true test of what Hajj is all about. Test of patience.

Q. How do you feel about your experience now that you've returned?

A. A lot of it feels like a dream, a happy dream. It was the best two weeks of my life. You come back to the regular paces of life and now and again I ponder about my experiences. The peace you feel in the Prophet's mosque, it's nowhere else to be found.

Q. Would you go again on the Hajj? Would you go on a different pilgrimage?

A. I would love to go do Hajj again, and now that I have experienced it, maybe I would be better prepared the next time. Although I feel you can never be prepared for what comes your way in Hajj.

Q. What would you tell someone who was thinking about making the Hajj?

A. Forget everything you know about Hajj, all the books you have read, all the lectures you have attended. You are going to Hajj for one thing and one thing only—sacrificing yourself for the sake of God. Embrace it, don't be bogged down with too much technicalities. You are going there to meet your Lord, be free and embrace Him. Be very patient. Be patient, no matter what people do and say. You are in front of God, He will make your journey easier for you.

Q. Anything else you want to share with us?

A. Something I had talked about during Hajj with one of the camera guys: sacrifice. In life there is a lot of sacrifices, but sometimes you understand why you are being asked to sacrifice, but other times, you aren't told anything. Just like how Abraham was told to sacrifice his son. Without reason. That is the real lesson of Hajj for me, learning to sacrifice and being patient.

Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Executive director of an Orisha community organization in New York City; Doctoral Candidate at Harvard University
Age: 33

Q. Why did you decide to go on the pilgrimage to Osun-Osogbo?

A. I help lead travelers on biannual spiritual journeys to Nigeria with the Orisa Community Development Corporation and the Osun festival is always the highlight. As a devotee of Osun, I am ever excited to attend and participate in this wonderfully massive collective uplifting of energy and to see the sights and hear the sounds through the eyes and ears of those who are coming for the first time.

Q. What did you do to prepare for your trip?

A. Planned, packed, and prayed. Those are my three Ps of any type of travel. I've spent a good deal of time in Nigeria so it's like going to another home for me.

Q. What was the most memorable moment during your trip? Most surprising? Hardest?

A. The most beautiful and memorable moment was seeing the faces of the initiates, Alafia and Oni, as they came out of their period of seclusion. I could see and feel the energy of Osun around them and it was simply gorgeous! Going down into the grove during the festival is always a bit of a challenge during the festival because of the crowd, and I actually cut my back going into the main shrine house but I wear the scar proudly.

Q. How do you feel about your experience now that you've returned?

A. I feel great and I can't wait to go back.

Q. Would you go again to Osun-Osogbo? Would you go on a different pilgrimage?

A. I am going again this year and taking another group of devotees; I can't wait to share this beautiful experience with them. I would also love to go on other pilgrimages, the Kumbh Mela looks amazing!

Q. What would you tell someone who was thinking about going on a pilgrimage to Osun-Osogbo?

A. I would say, "Let's go!" I'd also say be sure you are in good health as the journey can be physically taxing: it's hot, it's crowded, the walking surfaces are uneven, and there's quite a lot of walking. But the energy is like none other and it is always worth the journey. I'd also advise to go with reputable people, and going with all the reverence due Osun and the people of her land.

Q. Anything else you want to share with us?

A. The ability and willingness to express gratitude is one of the highest forms of moral fortitude. I thank WGBH for the opportunity to share this beautiful and oft-misunderstood tradition with the American public. I also thank my Harvard advisor, Jacob K. Olupona, for recommending me for participation in making the documentary and, most of all, I thank the people of Osogbo for keeping their annual covenant with Osun and keeping her worship alive. Ore Yeye o!