Bill Epperly

I have a relational style, relating to mentees as they are, inviting them to investigate whatever they feel called to explore. I am comfortable with silence, but also enjoy other ways of being in relationship. No topic is off-topic and almost nothing is inappropriate to bring up. Sessions may include time for gazing, meditation, co-meditation, focusing, as well as lots of time to talk, share and hang out together. I see the mentor-mentee relationship as a form of spiritual friendship in which two share the ongoing adventure of the spiritual path.

My spiritual story begins in early childhood when I had important experiences in nature. I have grown into a nature mystic and love being out in the wilderness. I try to go camping whenever I can, either alone or with my wife. I have a deep felt-sense of connection to the natural world and love to experience communion with plants, animals, earth, water and sky. Out of my love of nature, when it was time for college, I majored in biology, then biochemistry, believing that studying life in the lab would help me discover the mystery of life with a capital “L.”

My spiritual journey has been about awakening and healing. Traumas I experienced as a child left imprints on my life and my ability to live easily in the world. I have wrestled with anxiety, depression, self-doubt and a lack of basic trust most of my life. Looking back, I can see that all my major spiritual experiences have also had a healing aspect. Today, I still feel the residue of these challenges, but I can also point to many transformational moments that have fundamentally altered my experience of life.

My spiritual life has been rich and varied. I grew up Methodist but spent most of my first 25 years as an atheist or agnostic. I think the modern category of spiritual but not religious, SBNR, would have described me well during that time. After a profound early awakening in 1987, I felt called to investigate both contemplative Christianity and Buddhism. My interest in Buddhism led me to experience 3 years of residential Korean Zen Buddhist training. These days, I feel that I am Buddhist and Christian and something more than either.

Today, I live in the city of Chicago with my wife Claire. Here, I’ve learned to cultivate a spiritual life in a large urban environment plagued with poverty, violence and urban decay. It’s my experience that awakening does not necessarily require a certain kind of job or environment. What it seems to require is a strong intention to awaken and a willingness to creatively cooperate with the awakening process, wherever it may lead. If you’re interested in connecting to explore working with me as a Mentor, please contact me today. I’m happy to have a short Skype or phone conversation to meet you and learn about your ongoing awakening process.