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Wayne Neller

Forty Year Circle Of Love

Posted on May 11, 2015 Leave a Comment

Screen shot 2015-01-12 at 10.33.58 AMContrary to what “modern” scientists claim, miracles can and do still happen.

Although it was marvelous, it was not a surprise to see Wayne post, “Love that musing,” about Sharka’s last post. In fact, I would also not be surprised if he found her words and photo spine tingling, soul-touching and heartwarming. After all, 40 years ago this spring, Wayne was a sophomore at St. Helena High School and he had just devoured Richard Bach’s powerful little book, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull.” Ironically, Bach’s “New-Age Spirituality” resonated mysteriously with the ancient wisdom of Wayne’s Native American, Choctaw heritage. What became a monumental turning point in his life evolved from the simple acceptance of Bach’s challenge:

“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding. Find out what you already know and you will see the way to fly.” ― Richard Bach

The hybridization of beliefs led Wayne to enroll in a fledgling, experimental advanced biology class called Biodesign. This eventually led him to a beach in Mendocino Ca. where he underwent a spiritual awakening that can only be described as a modern miracle. The event not only radically changed his life, but mine as well and the evolution of the Biodesign Class.

Understandably, he wanted to share his miracle with others and so he went on to become an ordained priest and dedicated his life to serving the spiritual needs of others. It is not hyperbole to say that his life and work have touched the minds, hearts and souls of many thousands of people around the world, and include planting seeds of love and laughter in India. His latest calling is ministering to people whose lives have been spiritually ravaged by alcohol and substance abuse.

As a biology teacher, trained in “traditional methods and materials of biology,” the word “miracle” was not in my lexicon. Wayne’s spiritual encounter was a “wake-up-call” that perhaps I was missing some of the most important lessons of biology.

“ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark: 8:36, KJV

Neither one of us knew it at the time, but Wayne’s epiphany was a catalyst for me to add the unprecedented “spiritual dimension” to the Biodesign Class. Actually, this was nothing more than illuminating and emulating the works of John Muir, R.W. Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and countless other inspired Naturalists. Their collective message that man must go into the wilderness and seek being “born again” is the same message that Richard Bach, Black Elk, Rumi, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Moses and Jesus Christ all described as an essential aspect of becoming a harmoniously balanced physical, mental and spiritual human being.

A few years later, I discovered the amazing book, “The Immense Journey,” by Loren Eiseley who wrote:

“The reader who would pursue such a journey with me is warned that the essays in this book have not been brought together as a guide but are offered rather as a somewhat unconventional record of the prowlings of one mind which has sought to explore, to understand, and to enjoy the miracles of this world, both in and out of science.”

Wayne’s story, briefly recorded in “Biodesign Out For A Walk,” is potentially a very scary story. Every reader will draw his/her own conclusions, but some will likely be forced to view Wayne, as one British scientist described C.S. Lewis, as either a liar, lunatic or “Bozo the Clown,” or an honest young man who went through a transcending experience that cannot be described in Earthly terms.  Those who are courageous enough to read it may intuitively understand that for such an event to occur, their egos will likely have to be diminished. For many, the bright lights of “civilization” have spiritually blinded them and they will not be capable of:

“overcoming the limitation of believing what their eyes are telling them and discovering how to spiritually fly.”

As far as the evolution of the Biodesign Class, it is impossible to discern the overlapping boundaries between Wayne and Me. Truly, without him, and countless other spiritually curious and courageous students, I would have spent my teaching career thinking that dissecting pigs was the ultimate experience for high school advanced biology students.

Little wonder Wayne commented, “Love the Musing.” (that Sharka posted)

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

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Posted in: Reflections | Tagged: bio-spirituality. freedom of religion, Biodesign Out For A Walk, Loren Eiseley, Wayne Neller

Doctor—Lawyer—Indian—Chief

Posted on January 12, 2015 Leave a Comment

Screen shot 2015-01-12 at 10.33.58 AMPerhaps the most common mantra I chanted was, “I don’t care what you think, I care deeply that you think.” Contrary to what many people think, an overwhelming amount of education involves massive memorization and minimal original thought. I preferred the Socratic method of teaching, which involved asking students what they thought about reading assignments, and literature cited. If what they thought was their prerogative, what their eventual life-style, career choice or spiritual path (if any) was even more so.

Most students went on to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, engineers, architects, social workers, psychologists, biologists, house-wives (or house-husbands) and several became ministers, pastors and priests.

Wayne Neller is a Choctaw Nation/St. Helena Native. He attended local schools and after graduating from St. Helena High School, became an Episcopal priest, ecumenical pastor, substance-abuse counselor and author of several Christian evangelical programs. However, chapter 29 “Wayne” was not featured as a veiled form of evangelism, but as an extraordinary example of what one student experienced. For all I know, he might have become a lawyer, Buddhist monk, Sufi guru, or Native American Shaman. This, however, was his path and may or may not resonate with others.

When I began scribbling down the first stories, the thought that they might end up in book form never entered my mind. The plan was to collect some of the best stories and take them to Kinko’s and print 9 copies, one for each grandchild to read later. By a very strange synchronicity, ex-colleague Linda Wiliamson reentered my life and asked to see my scribblings. Amazingly, she tamed the beast, corrected many errors, reorganized the chapter sequence and produced something that Outskirts Press wanted to publish.

However, when the time came to submit Linda’s carefully edited manuscript, chapter 29, simply titled, Wayne, became problematic. I had major concerns about whether to include it or not. I sent final drafts of the chapter to friends who I knew were believers, non-believers and religious fence sitters. This list included the owner of a bookstore, high school English and humanities teachers and my support team. Shockingly, they were unanimous in their feeling that the chapter should be included. I think I was subconsciously hoping that they would discourage me. My battles to add a spiritual dimension to the Biodesign curriculum predicted that including the chapter would automatically cause the book to be banned from  reading lists at all public high schools, colleges and universities. However, equally concerning, I worried that potential readers would falsely assume that the book was defined by chapter 29, rather than chapter 29 merely being one of 31 chapters.

I thought I made it clear that I was presenting many ways that people connect Nature with spirituality in a non-preferential manner. When readers of Biodesign Out For A Walk have mentioned that they thought the book was written from a Christian perspective, I didn’t k now if they were being critical or complimentary. I pointed out that quotes and references were used from Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Atheism, Secular Humanism, Agnosticism, Pantheism, Shamanism, Sufism and Native American Spirituality. All of these ideas were presented as a spiritual smorgasbord with no intention to influence or recruit students for any particular doctrine or “ism.”

In a discussion with Rabbi David Wolpe, Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard professor and world-renowned anthropologist, ironically borrowed the acronym NOMA from the Catholic Church. NOMA stands for “non-overlapping magesteria.” Gould stated:

“Science and religion are different enterprises and serve different purposes in our lives. Science is a limited domain about discovering facts and religion with other, and perhaps more important, questions such as why we are here and the purpose of the universe, about which science has nothing to say.”

The one area of science that might allow peeks through the wall separating it from religion could be wilderness studies. Great naturalists like Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace, Gregor Mendel, Louis Agassiz, Henry Thoreau and John Muir saw “God” in many aspects of their work.

In the end, the decision to include the chapter was facilitated by six members of my support team. My wife, my gifted editor and Abraham Maslow, who properly stated that identifying and discussing origins of human spirituality is not tantamount to teaching religion. After walking with John Muir and Loren Eiseley for over 50 years, I can safely say that they would embrace and applaud Wayne’s story.

And finally, Wayne was the most important factor as to whether to include his story or not. He understood well that it might encourage and inspire some readers; he also knew that it could generate anger, ridicule and rejection.

It is remarkable that Wayne heeded Loren Eiseley’s message about the importance of serving others and that he followed John Muir’s model of not worshiping the “Almighty Dollar” and worshiping the “God of all creation.” Wayne’s path was his path and I had nothing more to do with it any more than if he had chosen to be a doctor, lawyer or Indian chief. 😉

In the end, I thought that sharing his story was more important than any possible book sales that I might lose. It was simply the right thing to do. Surprisingly, of all the hundreds of e-mails, Fb comments, messages, letters and notes I have received, not one has been critical or mean-spirited about Wayne’s story.

Lowell H. Young, Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

https://www.facebook.com/biodesignoutforawalk

Posted in: Reflections | Tagged: bio-spirituality. freedom of religion, Biodesign Out For Walk, existence of God, faith, Lowell Harrison Young, science and religion, spirituality, Wayne Neller

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