About Justin
My spouse Craig and I live along the banks of the 300 millon year old Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania with our dogs Yeshe (whose name means "Wisdom") and Benny. Our rescue dogs have been important spiritual companions and teachers for me. Our home is on the path of Canada Geese and White Egret flight to and from the creek to the river. Silver Maple in our backyard is the World Tree and home of a vibrant squirrel and winged community.
I celebrate the spiritual giftedness of the LGBTQIA+ community and work for healing in community weaving together chaplaincy, spiritual pathfinding, poetry, Reiki and contemplative walks in nature.
As an interspiritual companion, I practice reciprocity and relationship with the More-Than-Human world through offering and time wandering the land, Tibetan Buddhist meditation, Slavic shamanic traditions and reverence my roots in Celtic and Eastern Christianity.
Education and Experience
2022 New Contemplatives Cohort Member with SDICompanions.org
Association of Nature and Forest Therapy: Guide-in-Training (in-process)
Studying "The Way of the Guide" in Relational Forest Therapy
One Spirit Learning Alliance: Supervisor for Interspiritual Counseling and Companionship Program 2021-Present
Oasis Ministries: Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides
Deepening Year of Spiritual Direction Practice (in-process)
Supervisor for Year II of Spiritual Direction For Spiritual Guides
2019-2021 Certificate of Completion
Foundation for Shamanic Studies Trained
Advanced practice and training in:
Shamanic Journeying, Power Soul Retrieval,
Death, Dying, and Beyond
Professional Chaplain
Experience in Palliative Care, Grief Support, Developing Meaningful Ritual, Group Spiritual Direction
Master of Theological Studies
Focus: Ecological, Celtic, Contemplative Spiritualities & Social Justice
Master of Education, Master of Spanish
Language Education for Communication & Cultural Connections
My Philosophy
I honor the life experience and unique self each person is. I believe that there is an original goodness, original blessing, a Buddha nature that is our deepest essence and point of connection with the human and more than human world. The Wild part of Wild Spirit Paths is an invitation to return to that primordial, natural giftedness as the place from which we begin and repeatedly return in the spiral of our life journey. Spirit invites your understanding of the Divine/God/Higher Power into relationship with you in life, the Path that is yours to travel.