Martin W. Ball, Ph.D., is a writer, independent publisher, energy worker and musician currently living in Ashland Oregon. In the spring of 2009 Martin underwent a profound energetic opening and transformation - the result of intensive work with entheogenic medicines and a year of profound self-exploration. The result is Martin's articulation of what he calls the "Entheological Paradigm," a Grand Unified Theory of all of reality from God to the direct experience of each human being.

Martin's latest book, Being Human: An Entheological Guide to God, Evolution and the Fractal Energetic Nature of Reality is his most radical and holds the potential to dramatically alter humanity's understanding of itself and its place in the grand order of things. The result of Martin's personal energetic opening, Being Human is a genuine account of the fundamental nature of reality as a unified expression of the One Fractal Energy Being, God.

Martin is also the author of the epic fantasy series, Tales of Aurduin, and has authored four books on entheogenic spirituality, Mushroom Wisdom: How Shamans Cultivate Spiritual Consciousness, by Ronin Publishing, and Sage Spirit: Salvia Divinorum and the Entheogenic Experience, The Entheogenic Evolution: Psychedelics, Consciousness and Awakening the Human Spirit and the recently released (Summer, 2009) Entheologues: Conversations with Leading Psychedelic Thinkers, Researchers, and Explorers by Kyandara Publishing.

Martin earned his B.A. at Occidental College in Los Angeles in 1994 where he studied Philosophy and Religious Studies. From there he went to graduate school at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religious Studies in 2000 with an emphasis on Native American traditions, Philosophy of Science and Religion, and the Phenomenology of Mystical and Shamanic Experience. For his Ph.D. dissertation, Martin performed fieldwork at the Mescalero Apache reservation in New Mexico where he studied with a number of medicine people and researched the Mescalero Mountain Spirit tradition. His dissertation was published as a book, Mountain Spirits: Embodying the Sacred in Mescalero Apache Tradition, in the summer of 2009.

Currently, Martin works as an adjunct professor teaching Religious Studies and Native American Studies in southern Oregon. He also provides personal healing and energy sessions for those looking to advance on their personal, spiritual paths and enjoys servicing others as the ultimate "reality coach" for those who are truly ready to transcend their egos and embrace their true energetic natures as embodiments of the One Being.

Martin is also a prolific composer and musician. His music spans many styles and blends genres into a unique musical expression. Using a variety of instruments from acoustic guitar and mandolin to didjeridu, flutes, throat singing, percussion and a wide range of electronic instrumentation, Martin's music expresses the full spectrum of experience and is an ever-shifting and transforming art.

Last but not least, Martin can be found at Burning man, where he runs his theme camp, "The God Box." All those willing to sign the Oath, write in the Book of Confessions, and undergo a didjeridu purification are invited to enter deep within the lair of the mysterious Mystic Toad and reveal the secret contents of the God Box. The God Box is proud to offer equal opportunity mystical experience to Burners of all faiths, creeds, or lack thereof since 2003.

User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.