| Biography |
She began her intense quest for spiritual awareness in 1965. A near-death experience at the age of 24 triggered her spiritual hunger. Since then, Carol has studied with many knowledgeable teachers in a wide range of subjects in the field of self-realization. An important part of Carol's ministry has been counseling the terminally ill of all faiths. Today, near-death experiences (NDEs) are better documented and cause many to examine their impact. She shares her experiences in her books The New Age Handbook on Death and Dying and the expanded second edition of her autobiography, Messengers of Hope—The Walk-in Phenomenon. Ordained in 1971, Carol left a promising business career to devote herself to her ministry and lecturing in the human potential movement. Through the years, so many of her students have become teachers and ministers, she is known as a "master teacher of teachers." Having directed the Villa Serena community of Sarasota, Florida, for several years, she was led by spiritual guidance in 1981 to establish the community of Sparrow Hawk Village in the foothills of the Ozarks near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she is president of Light of Christ Community Church and academic dean of Sancta Sophia Seminary, accredited by the Accrediting Commission International for Schools, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries, Inc. Hundreds of students have been taught, certified, ordained, and awarded master and doctoral degrees at Sancta Sophia Seminary, established by Carol in 1978 and emphasizing the Hermetic philosophy of "know thyself"—through wisdom teachings, meditation, spiritual counseling, healing, metaphysical sciences, esoteric Christianity, Agni Yoga, Kabalah, and much more. Seekers attend classes for personal growth or join structured programs which combine home study, meditation, and on-campus classes, as well as a private advisor. Carol derives great pleasure from sharing with others and is a highly sought lecturer and workshop leader on the international circuit. She travels to many countries, including Canada, Peru, Tibet, China, Israel, Korea, Japan, India, USSR, Mongolia, U.K., the former Yugoslavia, and Turkey, lecturing, teaching, and leading groups. In 1995, Rev. Parrish was a major presenter at the Solar Initiation Ceremonies in Mexico as guest of Hunbatz Men, wisdom keeper of the Maya, and she addressed a large Muslim audience in Turkey at the 2000 Universal Project Symposium of the Mevlana Supreme Foundation. Among Dr. Parrish's many honors is the 2005 International Nebolsin Medal for outstanding service in the field of education for the common good of humanity and the Earl Award for Religious Futurist of the Year for "exceptional achievement in the field of religious futures activities.” She was especially cited for organizing the 1996-97 international conferences for the World Network of Religious Futurists in India, the USA, and England, out of which was created the Association of Spiritual Academies International. She also serves as a member of the Virtual Panel on 21st Century Social Evolution, founded by Jim Mann & Associates, specializing in problems in communication media. Her latest book, Sophia Sutras, Introducing Mother Wisdom, examines the tradition of the divine feminine, its history, meaning, and revival. Other books include and an expanded second edition of The New Dictionary of Spiritual Thought, Adventure in Meditation—Spirituality for the 21st Century (each of three volumes received the 1996-97-98 Athena Award for Mentoring Excellence), The Book of Rituals—Personal and Planetary Transformation, How to Use Sacred Space for Problem-Solving and Inner Guidance, Reflections, The Aquarian Rosary—Reviving the Art of Mantra Yoga, and numerous teaching tapes have been published by Dr. Parrish. |
