Places of Peace and Power

Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage by Martin Gray

Since ancient times certain sacred sites have had a mysterious allure for billions of people around the world. Legends and contemporary reports tell of extraordinary experiences people have had while visiting these magical places. Different sites have the power to heal the body, enlighten the mind and inspire the heart. What is the key to the mystery of these sacred sites and how are we to explain their enduring power?

In this presentation Martin will discuss the mythology, archaeology and history of sacred sites, and also present a fascinating explanation of the miraculous phenomena that occur at them. Featuring 240 of Martin’s most beautiful sacred site photographs - changing every 15 seconds - the slide show simultaneously functions as a group shamanic event with images of different sacred sites resonating with different people during the entire course of the slide show.

Martin Gray is a cultural anthropologist and National Geographic photographer specializing in the study of pilgrimage traditions and sacred sites around the world. During the past forty years he has traveled extensively in 165 countries to visit more than 1500 of the most celebrated holy places of human civilization. His books include Geography of Religion by National Geographic, and Sacred Earth by Barnes and Noble. His beautifully illustrated Places of Peace and Power web site at sacredsites.com is a comprehensive source of information on these subjects and has had hundreds of millions of visitors.