Part 3- Jerik's First Spiritual Mentor

 This article  is the work of Nicolette Stevens, also known as Sylviana and as Lady Jasmine. The source of this material is paraphrased from  Jerik Daenarson himself, both in person and through recorded interviews that took place in 2001. This essay is the third chapter in a series telling Jerik's life story and history in the Pagan community. If you didn't read part one and two, you can find them here: 

Part 1: Jerik's Early History and Conversion to Paganism 

Part 2: Jerik's Early Spiritual Influences

Part 3 - A First Spiritual mentor

During his high school years Jerik briefly became a part of the Air Force, in which he served and underwent basic training for about two months. He was then given an honorable discharge and sent home, having gone through basic training and been found psychologically in-adaptable to military life at the age of 17. He later thought of his military experience as something that proved to be the big gym class in Texas, which he had gone to as a way to avoid being with his parents. 

Upon returning he was a student at North Vista High School in Riverside California. He signed up for an art appreciation class, looking mostly for an easy class to pass. At the first class meeting in walked a teacher by the name of Dean Strong, with piercing blue eyes and a marine crew cut, almost like that of an eastern monk with a nearly shaven head. Jerik’s hope of an easy class went out the window but his curiosity grew, as the teacher began his introduction. He said “This is going to be the toughest class you ever took. I’m going to teach you to not only see colors, but to see their auras. I’m going to teach you about symbols and art…” and went on charismatically about the subject.

A student who was more familiar with the teacher interrupted him and asked excitedly if he was the same Dean Strong who was an all American football player, and the teacher answered “Yes, but that was a long time ago.” Jerik noticed that the way he answered the question was soft and almost humble, certainly not what you would expect from a big well known jock, and that the teacher seemed to almost shine with an aura of light around him. 

Dean Strong became Jeriks favorite teacher, and had always shown him kindness and wisdom. It came to pass one day that Jerik had another parting of the ways with his parents, and so when he hit a troubled spot and was basically trying to run away from home, he went to ask his teacher for advice. The teacher told him that he could not officially help him, but invited him to come to his ashra.  There, Dean introduced him to his wife, who lived in a separate house. Jerik started to realize then that there was something really strange about this teacher’s life. 

“What’s an 'ashram' ”? Jerik asked him. The teacher responded “A Spiritual Center”. Jerik started to notice pictures that were on display, and asked Mr. Strong if they were pictures of him. The teacher went on to say “Yes, I like to think of them as images of my slain former selves.” They were an unusual and dramatic display. He had been a carrier fighter pilot in the Korean war, and an all American football star, but had experienced some kind of deep spiritual conversion. He then studied in India and Tibet, lost over a hundred pounds, became celibate and vegetarian, and walked an eastern path that leads to Buddha-hood and the overcoming of Maya. Dean Strong had also studied at the Bauhaus in Germany, where he developed his knowledge of art and symbolism. It was this man with his wide and varied experiences who exposed Jerik to the idea of the evolution of the spirit and the true evolution of a person. 

When talking about working with the friend and teacher he went to stay with, he tried to convey just how different this was from anything he had been exposed to in his young life. “I’m a big blond Norseman. I like broadswords, burgers and blonde’s at this time in my life, and also redheads and brunettes. It’s awfully alien for a Viking to be dropped off at the ashra and told that he has to touch the tip of his tongue to the roof of his mouth and vibrate in the following fashion, and my legs don’t even bend that way…” 

Yet, Jerik needed to be someplace other than the home of his parents, and felt safe and comfortable with the charismatic teacher who became a marvelous friend to him. He remembered with awe that he had a magnificent library and meditation center, filled with statuary of the eastern Buddha and other spiritual figures, and a domed skylight overhead that filled the room with light from above. It was there that Jerik learned about Yoga and different styles of meditation. He had also never fasted before, but Dean put him on a melon fast for several days to help purge his body of toxins, as well as having him try the sauna for its cleansing steam and benefits of relaxation. He taught him about Prana Yoga breathing exercises, and several disciplines of meditation.  He studied with the man for only a little while, but got a great deal out of it. 

In the end he came to the realization that it wasn’t his path, but he tried. It was the beginning of his study in eastern philosophy and meditation, which consisted of several disciplines of yoga and the reading of esoteric and eastern texts that always had an aim towards the evolution of the spirit and going beyond the wheel of karma. Jerik found Dean Strong to be a very marvelous and transcendental man, but also discovered quickly that this wasn’t his path, that he could not walk in Buddha footsteps. He did however respect the path, and he respected the man who was teaching him so many things about spirituality and life. Dean got Jerik started on the turn inward part of spiritual evolution, where we learn not only to look in the external world for our symbols of deity, but we start looking within.

This teacher also got him interested in other ideas as well that he had not previously been exposed to, such as astral projection and other spiritual phenomena. Dean spent a lot of time in meditation, and seemed to be able to do things that other people could not or did not know how to do. The spectrum of his knowledge was far reaching. Even in teaching art appreciation at school, he exposed the students to ideas that were new for them, by doing things like teaching them techniques to see auras around the paintings they studied. Some of the ideas Dean had resonated deeply with Jerik and gave him a spiritual foundation that was different than that of his parents and family. Jerik said that he credited his very nurturing Great Aunt and Great Uncle with starting him on the path, and then his teacher Dean Strong as his first real spiritual mentor. 

( This article is part of an ongoing effort by Jerik’s friends, family, and students; to create a proper memorial for him and preserve his stories and writing as he wished. Cody Allison and I are working on this along with other friends, and would be happy to include material and memories by others who had a connection to him, and to his tradition which was called Southshire. Please feel free to contact either of us to share your comments; memories, class notes, experiences, and any other writing from Jerik that it may be shared in honor of our friend. Thank you, Nicolette Stevens. ) 
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