Cleese, who turned from Anglicanism to atheism at his British boarding school, has discovered the Meaning of Life. And he found it in the mineral baths at the Esalen Institute -- the famous spiritual retreat o­n the Big Sur coast.

The writer, actor and comic will discuss these and other discoveries at a series of Bay Area appearances this week. The proceeds will support Esalen, the California institute that has been cultivating social and personal transformation -- and giving some great massages -- since the early '60s.

"For example, beliefs in heaven and hell might affect those traits by creating perceived rewards and punishments that relate to `good' and `bad' lifetime behavior."

The data come from six international surveys, including o­nes by Gallup, the World Bank and researchers at the University of Michigan. They include questions about attendance in places of worship and religious beliefs.

There were four measures of economic development: per capita gross domestic product, educational attainment by adults, urbanization rate and life expectancy.