John’s Awakening
John awakened to fundamental levels of reality as a teenager, and teaches that life’s meaning can be known and lived through “core-splitting honesty.” His life and teaching have been informed by direct knowing, a true inspiration that he encourages in those he meets.
The son of Dutch immigrants in Stettler, Alberta, John’s father taught him shoe repair when he was a boy, leading John to become a skilled orthopedic shoe maker.
During his youth, John was more focused on adventure than higher and deeper things — until he stumbled into an immense awakening. At the age of 17 John’s life was irrevocably changed. Dimensions flooded John’s being and he saw that his life would be absorbed by what he had come to know. Seeking understanding of his early awakening, John immersed himself in the study of the Bible, among other religious and spiritual texts.
As a young man, John worked as a junior pastor at an Edmonton church, but realized that his calling would require his own new approach to communicating ideas about spirituality and philosophy.
John began inviting a handful of people at a time to sit and talk in his living room. It was there that John started revealing realities and speaking from the heart, attracting more people to his unique approach to spirituality.
Much has evolved and changed since those early days.
Thousands of people have discovered inspiration and personal change from the ideas that John has to share.
John remains devoted to the source of his awakening, the same truth that revealed itself to him when he was 17. He brings that depth of awareness to his work with others by offering a profound look into who and what we are.
John responds to invitations around the world and holds regular meetings at The College of Integrated Philosophy in Edmonton.
He holds four meetings per week, regular events abroad, and four major seminars in Edmonton. (Though many of these meetings have been curtailed during the pandemic, John continues to offer virtual meetings, and looks forward to returning to the in-person gatherings that are so important to him.)
At the College’s Jewel Cafe, those interested in John’s teachings can interact with him in a casual setting with tea and coffee, often dining together before the meetings officially begin.
Regardless of the setting, John always finds a way to connect with others. He encourages all levels of development and supports others as they grapple with personal and practical questions about their lives.
