Journeys of the Spirit® – Our Trip Leaders

At Journeys of the Spirit we love our trip facilitators and we know you will too.
We invite you to explore their websites for more information!

MEET: Fu-Ding Cheng | Shanti Gilbert | Susan Gregg | Dale Allen Hoffman | Catherine Just | Kathy Knowles | Joy Valenti Kochmer | Linda Jacobson | Miriam Martineau | Samvedam Randles | Carol Rydell | Jhon Tamayo | Katherine Woodward Thomas |

About Fu-Ding Cheng:

I had been reasonably happy in my life, but deep down, I had always felt a gnawing pang of loneliness, of being unheard, unseen, apart. It wasn’t until I came across this Path of Heart with Toltec shaman don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements) that everything changed.

During a “power journey” among the pyramids in Mexico, I participated in a ritual – “Jump to the Sun” – where unknown powers much greater than myself took over, and I became a flesh and bone conduit for energy between heaven and earth… After the ritual, nothing was ever quite the same. For the first time, I found myself living in the moment.

In my daily life as an artist and filmmaker, I had been given new eyes. Encouraged by don Miguel, I began to teach the shamanic practices, and found it deeply gratifying to help others through this wisdom tradition as they move towards the light.

Fu-Ding’s Biography includes his spiritual/shamanic workshops, as well his work as a shamanic artist and visionary filmmaker. While teaching film at the North Carolina School of the Arts, he integrated his spiritual discipline and craft by creating a groundbreaking new curriculum, Shamanic Tools for the Filmmaker. His series of prize-winning films, Zen-Tales for the Urban Explorer, was presented at the Hammer Museum in a special retrospective, and Dream-House, his children’s book was published by Hampton Roads.

About Shanti:

Shanti’s background includes graduate degrees in counseling and social work and 4 decades of working with teams, groups and families to create clear open communications and health. Her healing and spiritual background includes: Emergence as a Priestess and High Priestess in the New Earth lineage led by Nicole Christine, apprenticeship with don Miguel Ruiz, she’s worked with the Aztec Dancers in the interior of Mexico, and is an ordained Interfaith Minister, Pipe Carrier, Reiki Master and Integrated Energy Therapy teacher.

Shanti feels that this is an urgent time for people on the Earth School to come together and learn and manifest healthy ways of living. Shanti’s website

About Susan Gregg:

Dr. Susan Gregg had the privilege to apprentice with Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements and his mother Sarita in the 80’s. She’s also certified Reiki Teacher and Karuna® Master. In addition, Susan has been studying ancient Hawaiian Spirituality with Mahealani Kuamo’o-Henry – a Kumu ‘Elele (teacher and messenger) for her ancestors. With deep gratitude to her mentors, she shares this powerful combination and synthesis of teachings with all of us.

In addition, Susan is the author of nine books including The Toltec Way. Her two most recent books are The Encyclopedia of Angels, Spirit Guides and Ascended Masters, and The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Magical Plants.
Visit her website: www.susangregg.com

About Dale Allen Hoffman:

Dale Allen Hoffman is an “eternal student of the Aramaic teachings of Yeshua (Jesus)” and a 15-year teacher of spiritual insights from the ancient Aramaic language and culture. He is the Director of the international Aramaic Healing Circle. The essential core of Dale’s work is to help pierce through heavy religious dogma and to re-awaken the direct personal experience of the Divine Christ within ourselves which often lies embedded within the core of original Sacred spiritual texts.

Dale grew up in southern New Jersey with both Episcopalian and Methodist traditions, including intensive bible studies with his grandmother. When he was 9 he had a spiritual experience that he could not comprehend until he was an adult, when it would profoundly affect his consciousness. Introduced in his early 20’s to the native Aramaic teachings of Yeshua, he spent the next 14 years studying the works of many preeminent Aramaic language scholars. He is now considered by many to be one of the world’s leading authorities on the direct, practical application of the ancient Aramaic teachings of Yeshua. You can find Dale on his website.

About Catherine Just:

Catherine Just is an award winning, published photographer gracing the cover of National Geographic and inside the highly recognized magazines Inside Weddings and Photo District News. She was voted one of the best wedding photographers in the country by earning a spot in the “Top Knots” photography competition sponsored by Photo District News in 2005, and again in 2006. Since then she has been showing her work around the country and leading photography retreats to gorgeous sites around the world.

Studying with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements®, has given her a unique way of combining photography with spiritual practice, and the ability to use the viewfinder to see not only the reality around us, but more importantly, the reality inside us.
Visit her website at: www.catherinejust.com

About Kathy Knowles:

In the course of her work as an intuitive and coach Kathy Knowles inspires, facilitates and guides people to empower themselves and take ownership of their lives by teaching them to tap into their own intuition. With this ability her students move forward to create lives they are passionate about.

After many years of leadership roles in corporate human resources and working through her own life challenges, Kathy supports others in discovering and living their soul’s purpose, allowing them to become vibrant and successful leaders in both their personal lives and professional lives.

Kathy is a Certified Professional Coach receiving her credentials through the International Coach Academy. She’s also certified Reiki Master Teacher and Light Karuna Master. Kathy has studied with Laura Day, Intuitive and New York Times bestselling author.

About Linda Jacobson:

Linda’s life has been committed to creative and spiritual unfoldment. She believes that creativity is a manifestation of the divine spirit flowing through us and is a powerful energy for healing and transformation. Her passion is to share this with others through her paintings and teachings.

Linda Jacobson is a professional fine artist & award winning educator. She exhibits her visionary paintings nationally and internationally and has lead innovative seminars on the creative process worldwide for over 20 years. She was named “Instructor of the Year” by UCLA Extension. Her work is informed by her life-long study of Buddhism, Jungian psychology, mythology and Meso-American shamanic practices ,and she was a personal apprentice to don Miguel Ruiz. Linda currently teaches at Otis Art Institute and UCLA Extension. She received her degrees and studied art at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Otis Art Institute and CSUN.

About Miriam Mason Martineau:

Evolutionary educator & mom, Miriam Mason Martineau, argues that the dichotomy many women experience between motherhood and self actualization needs to be transcended, and motherhood itself needs to be radically re-contexualized within an evolutionary understanding of transformative parenting.

She holds an M.A. in Psychology from the University of Zurich, with specialization in Youth and Child Psychology, and has been working in private practice as an integral therapeutic counselor since 1993.

She is passionately interested in parenting as a spiritual path – both in theory and in practice – a humbling and delightful adventure it is! She is vice-president of Next Step Integral, an international organization that brings an integral perspective to ecology, education, parenting and community.

About Samvedam Randles:

Samvedam Bettina Randles, Dipl. Psych. is a German Psychologist who graduated from Wilhelms-University in Muenster, Germany. In the US she is licensed as a mental health counselor and bodyworker. After training in traditional Psychology she spent several years in India.

Samvedam worked as a trainer for the International Breath Institute, Colorado eventually designing her own breath training which she has been conducting over the last 8 years. She studied the systemic work of Bert Hellinger, Family Constellations, and is a graduate of the Hellinger Institute USA. Apprenticing with teachers such as Osho, Dr. Salvador Roquet and more recently with John Perkins/Llyn Roberts has prepared Samvedam to accompany others on their inner journeys. Samvedam is the founder of the Inner Arts Institute and loves sacred journeys and vision quests!

About Carol Rydell:

Carol is the owner and manager of Celestial Earth, and a shamanic healer who lives her inner wisdom while empowering others to find their soul’s calling. She is a certified Priestess Process™ Facilitator, a Magdalene High Priestess, an ordained minister, Shamanic Astrologer and spiritual counselor.

Carol creates and holds healing space for people to uncover their individual Sacred Work. She has skillfully integrated her experiences as a student of mystical knowledge and wisdom teachings studying with Shamans, healers, and curanderos of South, Central, and North America.

As an adventurous spirit, she loves facilitating retreats and travel to sacred sites. Carol Rydell is a dynamic speaker and a powerfully effective facilitator. You can visit Carol on her website.

About JhonT:

From experience comes innovation. Jhon Tamayo developed the Atmananda Sequence while exploring Ashtanga, Iyengar and Hatha styles for twelve years as Director of Atmananda Yoga Center.

His sequence is a series of 7 levels of yoga, fully stretching and strengthening the entire body. Specifically designed to cover the range of forward bends, back bends, twists, inversions, and arm balances, it allows the daily practitioner to meditate in the postures. No longer affected by physical tensions and mental distraction, the yogi connects fully with his or her inner self. Just as the human is not flesh alone, Tamayo’s broad knowledge of yoga’s philosophical aspects make his classes fully comprehensive.

About Katherine Woodward Thomas:

Katherine Woodward Thomas is a national bestselling author of Calling in “The One,” a licensed psychotherapist, and the co-creator & co-leader of the Feminine Power Global Community, a thriving learning community serving tens of thousands of women worldwide.

She is also the co-creator and co-host of the highly acclaimed Women on the Edge of Evolution teleseries, which gathers thousands of women weekly to engage the biggest questions facing women today regarding our role in co-creating the future of our world, and featuring the world’s most preeminent female luminaries, thinkers, scientists, artists and agents of change. Katherine is an honored member of the Evolutionary Leaders Group, which both supports and promotes a call to conscious evolution.

About: Joy Valenti Kochmer

Joy Valenti Kochmer’s Yoga journey of self-discovery started over 18 years ago. In her mid-20’s she was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (stiffening of the spine), multiple herniated discs and osteoporosis, coupled with a history of depression & panic attacks. After finding no positive results with allopathic medicine, Joy felt a call to action to create a new life for herself – YOGA!

For the last eight years Joy has been sharing her knowledge, experience and expertise in her classes, workshops and Teacher Trainings programs as a Yoga Alliance certified teacher impacting hundreds of lives! Her eclectic style of teaching is strong, soulful and inspiring. Joy has also found a transformational voice in guiding meditations, specializing in Yoga Nidra. You can find Joy at her Studio Om Joyful Yoga sanctuary located in Cooper City, FL. The sanctuary offers a wide variety of classes for Yogis of all shapes, sizes and experience levels.