2026 TRAVEL PROGRAMS with PHIL COUSINEAU
April 6 - 16, 2026
IRELAND: The Myths, Music, and Magical Literature of Connemara, Clare, and the Aran Islands with Phil Cousineau.
Join storyteller Phil Cousineau on a pilgrimage and cultural adventure to the Wild West of Ireland, where Celtic folklore and Viking legends exist side by side with Christian mysticism and the finest Irish music, literature, and movies.
Today's Ireland is a place where art and poetry, legends and mysticism converge in a seamless manner. Travel with us to explore the spiritual genius of what the ancient Celts used to call "The Back of Beyond," the world of saints and scholars, poets and singers.
Our pilgrimage focuses on the glories of Western Ireland, including three glorious days in the Aran Islands, as well as the sacred sites of Clonmacnoise Monastery, the Holy Well of Saint Brigid; the lunar landscape of the Burren, Thoor Ballylee (Yeats' Tower), Lady Gregory's Coole Park, Roundstone's Bodhrán (Irish drum) Shop, and much more. Invited speakers, contemplative nature walks, time for journaling, and lively discussions with Phil Cousineau make this a truly unforgettable tour. We look forward to seeing you there!
Please contact Helen at info@sacredearthjourneys.ca or (toll free) 1-877-874-7922 for additional information or to express interest.
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September 30 - October 12, 2026
GREECE: The Wisdom of The Odyssey: A Journey to Greece with Phil Cousineau - Life Lessons from Homer's Epic
Join mythologist and author Phil Cousineau on a journey to ancient Greece to visit the legendary sites of Homer's greatest heroes, Odysseus and Penelope. Together we will explore why this mesmerizing story has shaped our history, philosophy, art, and imagination for over three thousand years.
We will travel across the wine-dark sea and the mythic landscape of the Peloponnese, to the world immortalized by Homer, with a special emphasis on recent archaeological findings, such as recognition that the Palace of Odysseus on Ithaka was a cult temple for centuries, and the new findings at Nestor's Palace in Pylos.
Inspired by Phil's forthcoming book, The Wisdom of the Odyssey, and Christopher Nolan's epic blockbuster movie version of The Odyssey coming out in July 2026, we will reflect on Homer's themes of enchantment and disenchantment, the struggle between humanity and the gods, the search for the soul, and the redemptive power of love as Penelope holds off the Suitors until Odysseus' long-awaited return. Of special interest for us will be the extraordinary new translations and novels that give long overdue attention to the strong female characters in Homer's epic, including Penelope, Circe, Nausicaa, Calypso, Athena, and Aphrodite.
Our journey will take us to sites like the Theater of Dionysus, birthplace of Western drama; the awe-inspiring National Archaeological Museum of Athens; Ancient Corinth with its Temple of Apollo, home of King Sisyphus, reputed father of Odysseus; the famed Corinth Canal; the citadel of Mycenae, the kingdom of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra; the Menelaion near Sparta; Nestor's Palace in Pylos; Ancient Olympia; the mythic island of Ithaka and the ancient site of The School of Homer; Delphi; and Eleusis, the sacred site of the Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone. Each day will be enriched by soulful discussions, special guests, and meaningful conversations every day with Phil (who has been studying and writing about The Odyssey for over four decades) that aim to bring Homer's immortal world vividly to life.
To learn more about this small group travel program to Greece, including the full description and itinerary vist the Sacred Earth Journeys website or please contact Helen at info@sacredearthjourneys.ca or (toll free) 1-877-874-7922.
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Telling stories on "A Pilgrimage to the Mystery Centers of Ancient Greece."
Phil Cousineau has led small group travel programs to sacred and culturally rich places since 1984.
Phil Cousineau: Small group travel journey leader since 1984
Phil Cousineau led his first travel program to Ireland in 1984 with poet Robert Bly. The story of the group's visit to a local pub with poet Seamus Heaney, who regaled the group by reciting Yeats to them by heart, is legendary. Phil Cousineau's next trip, in 1985, was an exploration of Arthurian England with Marion Zimmer Bradley (her first trip to England) and Geoffrey Ashe. The high standard for Phil's travel journeys with unique itineraries and soulful storytelling at sacred sites was cast.
Other past travel programs include "Bohemian Paris," "Myth and Mystery in the Mediterranean," "The Soul of Ireland" and "A Pilgrimage to the Mystery Centers of Ancient Greece," to name a few. Phil has led tours for Cross Cultural Journeys, Timeless Travels, The Joseph Campbell Foundation, the Institute of Imaginal Studies, Book Passage, and for the last several years, for Sacred Earth Journeys.
Enjoy these interviews with Phil Cousineau on Turning Travel into Pilgrimage and the Importance of Pilgrimage in today's fast-paced world.