From a very early age, Ben was drawn to indigenous cultures and their spiritual practices. He was particularly fascinated by the paranormal. As a people, many indigenous cultures lived with a foot in two worlds. Indigenous peoples throughout the world relied on the assistance of supernatural forces to assist them in their everyday lives.
By the age of 12 Ben was reading everything he could find about tribal cultures. Around the age of 14 Ben began to learn of the traditional medical, psychological and spiritual practices of a number of different tribes of North America. It was then that Ben decided that if he ever found the opportunity, he would train under a traditional American Indian doctor.
While still in high-school, at the age of 17, Ben decided to live among the people he loved and admired and moved to a community of predominantly Kiowa and Kiowa-Apache Indians. During this time, Ben immersed himself completely in the culture and participated in the tribal dances and spiritual and healing ceremonies. It was there that Ben met his mentor, Horace Daukei, the last surviving traditional Kiowa doctor (Medicine Man). He immediately recognized Ben’s capacity to become a healer. Ben felt very fortunate because very few apprentices are chosen during a doctor’s lifetime.
Ben formally began his apprenticeship under Horace at the age of 20 and continued for the next three years. As his assistant, Ben was able to see firsthand the phenomenal results of these traditional medical practices. Additionally, Ben furthered his education by going on vision quests, fasting for four days and nights without food and water. During these vision quests, Ben would receive gifts of healing and develop the essential skills to further his healing practice.
Since the time of the initial apprenticeship, Ben furthers his work by continuing with vision quests and extensive study of medicine and psychology. More importantly, he continues to help people heal by utilizing the gifts he has developed.
Ben’s greatest desire is to bring about a more profound level of healing in our society. By sharing this form of healing he finds that people experience a greater state of health and sense of well being than they have previously known.
