May 3, 2000
Web posted at: 7:30 p.m. EDT

(CNN) – Famed actress and spiritual traveler, Shirley MacLaine, has written a new book entitled "The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit." The book describes MacLaine’s physical and spiritual journey along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in Spain. Countless pilgrims throughout history have taken this journey including St. Francis of Assisi, Charlemagne, Dante and Chaucer. It is a 500 mile trek across mountains, valleys, cities and towns. Along the way, MacLaine continued her quest for spiritual enlightenment.

Shirley MacLaine has appeared in more than 50 films. She won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1984 and has also been awarded three Emmys and ten Golden Globes. In 1998, she received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her outstanding contribution to the entertainment field. In her latest film, "Bruno," she costars and makes her directorial debut. MacLaine is also the author of eight bestselling books including "Don’t Fall Off the Mountain," "Out on a Limb" and "My Lucky Stars."

Chat Moderator: Thank you for joining us today, Shirley MacLaine, and welcome.

Shirley MacLaine: Hello to everyone out there. I am familiar with this site; it is doing a wonderful service. I hope I can contribute.

Chat Moderator: When did you begin your search for spiritual meaning, and why?

Shirley MacLaine: I think that I have been mystically curious since I was about 10-years-old. I asked for a telescope so that I could look at the stars when I was that age. And I have had spiritual curiosity ever since. I don't know why this has interested me so much except insofar as I have come to understand that we are basically spiritual beings living in the physical and not just physical beings who have a soul/spirit.

Chat Moderator: How did you prepare for your journey?

Shirley MacLaine: I got some good shoes. But there is no way to choose the right shoes that will sustain you for over 500 miles at 20 to 25 miles a day. So get a pair of shoes and rehearse, a good hat, a very lightweight backpack and be prepared to be totally helpless and totally vulnerable. Take some potassium tablets and be open to anything that happens to you. There is no way to prepare yourself for the fear of wild dogs or the intense experience that happens to you while you are alone 10 hours a day. To prepare is more of a consciousness preparation than a physical one.

Question from AtlantaJoe: How did local residents respond to you as you made your way through the 500 mile journey?

Shirley MacLaine: The local residents ended up protecting me from the press. The press was terrible. They followed me, they ambushed me, they landed in helicopters and jumped out from behind boulders. So when I arrived in villages, the people who heard about my trek told the press I went in the opposite direction. Many people along the way would shout, "Ultreya! Ultreya!!" That means "moving forward with courage."

Question from Pompous-Pilot: Do you think the people on your trip were more willing to help you because you are Shirley MacLaine? And, if so, do you think that may have taken something away from your experience?

Shirley MacLaine: I think being a celebrity definitely took away from the experience, but that was my baggage. And I needed to resolve how I felt about being a celebrity. I learned that only one other celebrity had done this trek. That was a Spanish bullfighter, but he had his caravan waiting for him at the end of every day's journey. The Spanish people were very involved with my books and my film so they were curious as to why I was doing it.

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Shirley MacLaine.com The Camino

My reaction to the press was not very enlightened. I threw a boulder at one camera crew. The picture on the front of the book is a picture taken by a papparazzi. Simon and Schuster saw it in a Spanish newspaper and bought it so at least one good thing came out of the press following me.

Question from Burke: Did the past life stuff you talk about in the book come to you as you traveled?

Shirley MacLaine: Yes, the energy of the Camino enhances what you sense is under your conscience very profoundly. And when you are by yourself so long every day and night, you begin to touch the truth of the universe you have within yourself.

Question from Jill: That's terrible to hear about the press; I would think they would be more supportive. How do you feel about publicity?

Shirley MacLaine: Well, of course, I'm conflicted. When I want people to read my book, I do publicity like this. In my private life, I don't want any. So perhaps I want it both ways. That's what I'm learning, too.

Question from Santa: I hear the movie you just directed, "Bruno," is about who we are and how we grow. Please tell us about that.

Shirley MacLaine: This is a really fabulous little film called "Bruno." It stars Cathy Bates, Gary Sinise, myself, Jennifer Tilley, Gwen Verdon and a little boy named Alex Linz. It is the story of the little boy's triumph of individuality. It is a comedy drama.

I have something the people out there can do. The distributor is Lions Gate Films. Please email www.lionsgate.com and say, "When will we see Shirley's movie, ‘Bruno’?" It will help them make up their minds what to do with it. It is a picture that the minds in Hollywood don't know how to market.

Question from Pompous-Pilot: Like all stories, all journeys have a climax. On your journey, where would you say the climax was?

Shirley MacLaine: You know, many of those who had done the Camino told me that the journey would begin when I finished with it. Therefore, the climax of the journey has climaxed with the writing of it.

Question from Burke: Your meditation video was a big hit. Any chance you would do another?

Shirley MacLaine: I have set up, as a result of what I experienced on the Camino, a web portal: shirleymaclaine.com. And, on the portal, I will offer my "Going Within" tape as well as all of my books as well as the audio of the books.

I also will have pages and informational content on sacred sites, transformational travel, women's health, the aging process, meditation and stress management, the spiritual side of health, chakra balancing, reflexology, dream interpretation, numerology, astrology, clairvoyance, prophecy and chat rooms that deal with reincarnational experiences and UFO experiences. I also am going to have a little page on pet spirituality.

I have found that when I tried to find these subjects on the web, it took me all day, so I'm doing a portal where it will all be accessible. I hope people will log on and tell me what they want to see. I want their input. It’s shirleymaclaine.com. It is in the process of growing because it has just gone up; bear with me.

Question from kyata: Shirley, why did you decide to promote your book on the Internet?

Shirley MacLaine: Because the Internet is probably the most democratic way of communicating and it also touches an America out there that movies and television don't understand.

Chat Moderator: Are you satisfied with the results of your journey?

Shirley MacLaine: The results of my journey are still occurring. This very chat is a result of the journey; so far I'm satisfied with this.

Question from kyata: How long did it take you to write?

Shirley MacLaine: Well, it is interesting. It took 30 days to make the journey and six weeks to write about it. The same guide on my journey helped me write the book.

Question from kyata: Do you think that the way the media interprets your spiritual interests has become better now that time has passed since "Out on a Limb"?

Shirley MacLaine: I definitely think so. Some of the things I've been saying for 25 or 30 years are now mainstream interest. They will still make jokes about me; I hope they will be funny. I never really got cruel reactions. I got reactions that they thought I was a little whacky but I think we need comedy relief with some of these subjects I write about. Some of them are downright scary.

Question from Pen: You wrote once that a guide told you that the world consciousness was changing to accept more metaphysical and spiritual concepts. Do you think we're doing better at that than we were, say, ten or twenty years ago?

Shirley MacLaine: I really think we are doing better. The proof was New Years Eve 1999/2000. It was a very spiritual transition with people all over the world getting along. I sat in front of my TV and marveled that Y2K did not happen. Instead, people were dancing and singing and happy together. The alignment on May 5 will be extremely important to use as another event to raise consciousness.

Question from Burke: Which particular guide helped you along your journey?

Shirley MacLaine: John the Scot. He was a guide that I apparently had a lifetime with during Charlemagne's time. And he also guided me when I was writing the book.

Question from Adrian: Shirley, ever notice that people who claim to be reincarnated were always the Queen of Sheba or Napoleon or some such, and never the guy who cleaned up the elephant dung in the Coliseum?

Shirley MacLaine: That isn’t true. I have touched into many of my past lives where I may not have cleaned up elephant dung in the coliseum, but I think I may have been a hooker there. I think everyone is special. That is kind of a cliché to think that reincarnated experiences told by people are always famous. Even the man cleaning the elephant dung in the coliseum could possibly be a master.

Question from Pompous-Pilot: When your movie is released, are you going to come back and do another webcast on CNN.com?

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Shirley MacLaine: I think that might be fun. I really like your feedback on what I've done, so please contact and email lionsgate.com. They bought it; they don't know what to do with it. Maybe we can show them that "Bruno" is the light side of the darkness in "Blair Witch." I'll keep you posted on my Web site.

Chat Moderator: Do you have any final thoughts to share with us?

Shirley MacLaine: Yes, I would like to encourage you all to take part in traveling your own inner Camino. As some of the great poets have said, the only journey worth taking is that within yourself. So love and light to you all. Let me know what you want on my web portal. There are many things happening in the spiritual and metaphysical world that even I am not aware of.

Chat Moderator: Thank you for joining us today!

Shirley MacLaine: Love and light and keep traveling within.