I thought I would make a list of some of my influences. I am sure I am (accidentally) leaving out many important ones.
Teens & Early Twenties
- Fritjof Capra **** – from age 15 on I read everything I could find from him, very strong influence in his exploration of the intersection of science and spirituality. I also read many of the books he drew on
- Ken Wilber **** – I started with No Boundaries, and have read just about all of his books since
- Shirley Maclaine & Richard Bach – age 15 or so, and yes, I know, but reading their books did early on inspire me
- Parmahansa Yogananda *** – I read just about everything published by him, I even did some of his distance course
- Meister Eckhart – after the initial awakening, I found someone who was coming from the same place in his writings. (Although filtered through a different culture, tradition, and perhaps intentionally wanting to be a bit obscure.)
- Saint Francis ***** – very strong heart connection
- The Gospel of Thomas ***** – strong resonance
- CG Jung ***** – very strong influence, I read a great number of his books in my teens and early twenties
- Taoism, I Ching etc. ***** – I felt a strong connection to Taoism and read and reread a number of the classics, and also some more modern texts
- Rudolph Steiner ** –I read a number of his books as well, along with other Anthroposophical writings
- Tibetan Buddhism *** – many of the modern and traditional classics
- Zen **** – during my time at the Zen Center, I read a number of modern and traditional classics in Zen too
- Ecospirituality, ecopsychology, The Great Story **** – I have been deeply interested in this since my teens, and have read most of what’s been available on these topics. (Which, for a while, wasn’t that much.)
- Arne Næss **** – the ecophilospher, another one I feel a great kinship with and I love all of his books
Later on
- Douglas Harding *** – I really like his simple and direct approach
- Ramana Maharshi, Nisgaradatta, Papaji, Ramesh Balsekar, UG Krishnamurti etc. – I had a phase in my thirties where I read many of the modern classics within Advaita
- Adyashanti ***** – the teacher and teachings I resonate the most with. He feels like a brother on the path, one that’s older and wiser. (It also felt that way when I met with him a few years back.)
- Byron Katie **** – yes, very clear and has been very important to me
- Bonnie Greenwell **** – clear, down to earth, practical, insightful, experienced
- Scott Kiloby **** – I really like his ordinariness and down-to-earth approach, his clarity, humanity, and the approaches he has and is developing
Personal connections
These are people I have met with or done sessions with in person.
- Pamela Wilson **** – very clear, kind, helpful
- Barry Martin Snyder **** – a mentor during the most difficult times of my path
- Bonnie Greenwell **** – very experienced in supporting people in a kundalini and/or awakening process
- Adyashanti **** – just one meeting so far, but it was very influential on my path. He cut straight to what I was most scared about, and needed to do something about in my life
- Scott Kiloby **** – and the senior facilitators in the Living Inquiries. Have been important mentors for me
- Breema instructors – Breema has been very important for me, and I became an instructor and love it
- Vortex Healing healers – again, an important part of a phase of my process and I have benefited much from the classes and receiving (and giving) healing