In the latest edition of MysticMag interviews, we sit down with Bill Epperly, a spiritual coach and energy healer, to explore his unique journey from science to spirituality. Bill shares insights into his holistic approach, combining mindfulness meditation, VortexHealing, and spiritual coaching to help individuals overcome challenges, find healing, and awaken to a deeper connection with life.
Who is Bill Epperly? What can you tell me about yourself and your professional journey?
I sometimes think of myself as a pragmatic mystic. I have been walking the spiritual path most of my life through all kinds of states, from dark nights to great illuminations. By grace, I have experienced a stable spiritual awakening. I have always enjoyed sharing what I have found with others, and over the years that has led me to offer spiritual coaching, energy healing, and training in mindfulness meditation.
In my teens, I identified as an agnostic (Christian) with a deep fascination with the big questions of life. This curiosity led me to pursue a PhD in biochemistry, through which I hoped I might understand the nature of life at the deepest level. Instead of finding the answers I was seeking through science, life suddenly opened up another path for me. One day, totally unexpectedly, I had a spontaneous awakening while attending a lecture by the Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast, OSB. That experience shifted my focus from science to spirituality. Over the past 40 years since my initial awakening, I have studied many spiritual practices. I have done my best to integrate them into a multifaceted approach that includes Buddhist, Christian contemplative, and Kashmir Shaivism teachings.
What are the main ways you work with people through spiritual coaching?
My coaching work with individuals focuses on healing, mindful self-awareness, and spiritual awakening—three aspects of spiritual life that are deeply interconnected. We discuss the challenges they’re experiencing in their spiritual life as well as their goals. Sometimes, having a coach to discuss what’s happening in your spiritual life is a huge help. During spiritual coaching sessions, I may introduce VortexHealing to clear difficult issues. In other cases, I will incorporate practices from the mindfulness meditation tradition into the session. It all depends on what feels right for the person in that moment. I intuitively blend VortexHealing, mindfulness, and spiritual coaching to work with each person’s unique situation. This flexible approach helps people deepen spiritually and learn to trust their inner wisdom. It helps them cultivate present-moment awareness so they can really be here/now in their lives. Ultimately, my goal is to help people find freedom from the issues that limit them, so they can live rich, rewarding lives.
How do you use mindfulness meditation to help people deal with stress, anxiety, and everyday life?
Mindfulness meditation is a body of powerful practices from the Buddhist tradition. Mindfulness meditation can help us to realize just how fragmented our attention is. It reveals how often we are lost in worry or daydreams. As we realize how “all over the place” we are, we develop an interest in doing something about it. Through mindfulness practices, people can learn how to bring their attention back to the present moment.
Mindfulness meditation can be taken up as a spiritual practice leading to awakening or as part of a wellness program designed to improve physical, emotional and mental health. Some people are interested in both paths. I work with all types of people!
For those who practice mindfulness as a spiritual path leading to awakening, I offer a combination of spiritual coaching and mindfulness meditation training. I show them how to get started with their practice: proper posture, a beginning meditation practice, and the guidelines they need to feel confident that they are practicing correctly. Once they’ve started, I guide them as needed to stay on track. As their mindfulness deepens, they learn to integrate their new-found mindful awareness into every aspect of life— including work life, personal relationships, and the many simple moments of the day. One of the great fruits of mindfulness meditation is the ability to really enjoy the ordinary moments of the day, like a cup of coffee or a hug from a friend. Over time, this mindful presence can lead to a profound awakening to one’s interconnectedness with all life, deepening their overall sense of well-being and spiritual awareness.
Can you explain how VortexHealing works and how you incorporate it into your practice?
I have been interested in energy healing for decades, and have completed several workshops, but it wasn’t until I discovered VortexHealing that I felt that I’d found my path (vortexhealing.org). One of the things I love about it is how it integrates so well with my understanding of the body from my scientific training. It embraces my science-based understanding of health, even as it also transcends it and takes it way beyond the health of the physical body.
VortexHealing is a form of Divine Energy healing in which the healer channels directly from the Divine source of all life. VortexHealing is very powerful. A short list of issues where it can be useful include:
- Healing emotional issues like anxiety, depression, grief, and trust;
- Clearing bacterial and viral infections;
- Making genetic modifications to enhance well being;
- Healing on all levels – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual;
- Catalyzing one’s spiritual growth and development – including awakening.
Sessions can be online or in person. A typical session will begin with a discussion of the client’s life situation. During this discussion, we will decide on a focus for the day’s healing. This is followed by the actual energy healing, which may last 45-60 minutes. During the healing, the client may sit comfortably or recline. There isn’t much for the client to do except relax and receive the healing. While they are resting, I channel Divine energy while holding the intention to heal the issue we have identified. After the healing, we have a brief discussion of anything that has come up during the session. Sometimes there are next steps to follow that will help deepen the healing as it continues to unfold in the days after the session. VortexHealing is a pretty incredible healing tool. There are many levels of healing that may be addressed over time. For those who really go deep, it can even become a path to spiritual awakening.
If you are looking to deepen your experience of the Divine in daily life, I invite you to contact me for a consultation to explore how I can support your spiritual journey.
To learn more about Bill’s work, you can visit IntegralAwakenings.com, billepperly.com, and weddingsbyrevbill.com. You can also contact Bill at [email protected]
