I consider July 1963, to be that watermark where my inner quest of discovery began.  Of course it extended back much further, that search for the divine within the universe - but that summer before I started college was when I sensed in a real way for the first time a peace, and joy, and light within my soul.  Late at night, along a northern Indiana lake, I simply said, "Jesus, if you are everything that men say that you are, I'm willing to give you a try!"  And a peace flooded from within me that emerged as a feeling that I was one with the universe - no longer on the periphery looking in, but rather at the center of all of creation.  And more than that, I sensed within me a calling to share this reality with others.  Since my spiritual framework at that time was the Methodist Church, I simply changed my goal from an engineering major at a university to a Bible and Theology major at Taylor University; preparing myself to enter the ministry.

But as I embarked upon the quest, my inner desire was that God might teach me what He wanted me to know, might remove from my belief system all things that society had imposed upon me that might limit my knowledge of Him, and that He might free me from all prejudices that hinder His power from flowing through me.  In other words, my quest and path tended to cut across traditional lines, not fit into them.  Over the following four decades I often bumped into challenging issues that I had to press through to experience my ever expanding vision of the Kingdom of God.  And during much of that time I at least tried to keep my experience within the evangelical Christian perspective.

My first spiritual mentor was Loran W. Helm, a Methodist evangelist who lived a few miles from my home.  He taught me (mainly through his example) that one could be guided inwardly, that it was possible to actually know and understand the will of God, and that a great awakening was coming in the latter days that we needed to prepare for.  Loran’s message was very focused on the need for self-denial and obedience; numerous times over a 20-year relationship I saw the power of God work through him to my benefit.  In one of his meetings in April 1964, I experienced what I refer to as my hot oil experience – a warmth that flowed down my body from the top of my head to my heart.  From that time on, I have experienced an inner voice that assists me with spiritual knowledge.  As my friend (and second spiritual mentor), Lavon Brock, and I attended Loran’s meetings, we began to understand those gifts of healing that we possessed and began to see unusual miracles happening in our midst.  Lavon worked in a local factory and led singing for me as I preached in various congregations; he had a simple faith and was present with me when I experienced my first physical healing through laying hands on someone, and on many other significant occasions.

Through Loran Helm, and those close to him, I was introduced to mystics like Madame Guyon and Fenelon, to the writings of Watchman Nee and other deep-feeling Christians, and to the ministry of E. Stanley Jones, a Methodist missionary to India who had integrated the message of the Kingdom of God into a society that was based on other religions.  I had the privilege of two physical meetings with E. Stanley, and read most of his writings.  His vision expanded mine and allowed me to see the Kingdom of God from a larger perspective.  His wisdom and counsel also expanded my ministry in praying for the healing of others.  I consider him to be a very important spiritual mentor to me.

For over forty years I have had the calling and the gifts, but much of that time I have attempted through self-effort to bring the reality of them into being.  Yes, there have been highpoints, and miracles have occurred; but the sweetness of the mature fruit had not been experienced.  Around 1990, Lavon died in an accident.  And looking back, I think that something went dormant in me.  A wilderness experience began that I didn’t begin to emerge from until 1998.  In October of that year, at a Billy Graham crusade in Tampa Stadium, I committed anew to my calling and gifts; simply desiring to be what God wanted me to be in the universe.  

Shortly after that, I met a person who challenged my narrow perspective of the Kingdom of God, expanded my understanding of my own worth and the meaning of unconditional love, and ultimately assisted me to encounter my soul at a very deep level by choosing to be true to herself.  Pat Pendergast – a mystic whose soul is a friend to Albert Einstein, Joseph Campbell and the Dalai Lama – patiently showed me a broader path that could encompass an understanding of the universe that proclaims ultimate goodness and love.  Together, we discovered the power of Reiki I and Reiki II attunements and the writings of Gary Zukav.  We  applied  within both of our lives the principle of soul growth as we proceeded on our individual journeys.  Pat was destined for Reiki Mastership first, and later brought it to me in January 2004.  As a Reiki Master, I have found the path that blends together my gifts of healing and teaching.  Early on my Reiki journey I was told to "let Reiki teach me".  And that is what I continue to do.

So the quest goes on for me.  Not limited to a segment of society now (the Christian Church) but expanded to a universal forum.  My desire is to be free-to-be what I am designed to become, to grow in the experience, and to inspire others to discover their own souls, to become themselves, and to experience authentic power.  One way that I am doing this is through my program Tapping Your Intuition and Walking in Infinite Light which I am presenting to groups throughout North America.  

I consider myself Christian, for I am a follower of The Christ (though some in the church might not see me as such). I'm not satisfied to simply accept doctrine at face value, as you can see from my views on Christianity and Reincarnation.  My openness to "truth" has allowed me to become accepting of all people no matter what their "belief system" might be.  Within the discovery of "oneness" I am finding my true individuality.

 We live in revolutionary times that demand a revolutionary message.  My first spiritual mentor, Loren Helm, spoke of a great awakening that would come.  One of my recent teachers, Gary Zukav, talks about what can happen on the earth when we choose authentic power.  

He states:  “Humanity, the human species, is longing now to touch that force (authentic power), to shed that which interferes with clear contact…. We need to give that which we as a species are now touching consciously for the first time a vocabulary that is not clouded so that it can be identified clearly in the acts and judgments of the human race, so that it can be seen clearly, and not through veils of mystery or mysticism, but simply as the authentic power that moves the force fields of this Earth of ours.” (taken from Seat of the Soul, page 13)

Yes, an awakening is happening.  And its no wonder WHY!  We are coming to the end of an age, the completion of a sun-spot cycle that will perhaps throw our Earth into chaos and a new beginning in the next few years, just as it did 5,000 years ago.  For a further explanation of this, read The Mayan Prophecies by Adrian G. Gilbert and Maurice M. Cotterell.  This "new beginning" does not mean destruction of our world, but rather the start of the era of the "Fifth Sun"; a time when we as a race can become more human.  We can make an impact in the struggle that is occurring before that time begins. 

And I continue to be amazed at the various ways that the Kingdom of God reveals itself, particularly in this age of the Internet.  One example is Adam, a teenage healer who has wisdom beyond his years and is effectively sharing his gift with hundreds in a healing ministry.  DreamHealer, his journey thus far, can be ordered from his web site.   A second is the message of Neale Donald Walsch about humanity creating a new form of spirituality.  And a third is the writings of David Wilcock that expands on the RA channeling contained in the Law of One.

I am learning how to BE and I continue to like what I'm becoming!

Please contact me if I can be of assistance!

The aura pictures below were taken with the same Kirlian camera over a period of 18 months.  The higher dimensional energy has so integrated into Mark's aura that it is difficult to make out his facial features.