Jeff Schmitt, PhD
Jeff Schmitt, PhD– is a Folk Healer, Tabaquero, Ceremonialist, Musician & Scientist; he is a walker-between-worlds. Jeff has also practiced and taught Chinese martial arts for most of his life. He is a 40-year veteran scientist, entrepreneur with over 100 publications and patents to his name. As a social entrepreneur he has helped start five companies, one of which went public in 2002. Jeff is a dedicated practitioner and student of the folk healing traditions of Peru and North America. Jeff enthusiastically works with clients using sacred healing and counseling methods; one of his greatest joys is bringing people together in sacred community to facilitate personal and planetary healing. He is also a teacher of the healing arts of South America and the Andes - One of his greatest joys is sharing knowledge and wisdom. He has given nearly 200 invited presentations (including a TEDx talk and keynote at the Global Philosophy Forum) over the past 30 years. As a university professor, he taught advanced undergraduate, graduate-level and interdisciplinary courses. Jeff has enjoyed a decades-long relationship with the sacred healing plant, tobacco. For many years, Jeff studied the neuroprotective properties of compounds found in tobacco and helped start a company to fight diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s based on this research. Over the years his relationship has shifted to working with tobacco as a teacher and catalyst for sacred healing. After a concentrated apprenticeship with noted Curanderos, Jeff was given the title Tabaquero or ‘one who heals with tobacco.’ I have been blessed to study with and take numerous pilgrimages to the sacred Mountains of Peru and Bolivia with don Mariano Quispe Flores, don Abraham "Alberto" Fernandez, don Victor Chura Quispe and don Raimundo Quispe Flores. Jeff is also the ‘Spiritual Grandson’ of legendary Cherokee Elder Grandmother Redleaf (Jacqueline Garneau) with whom he studied until her death in 2019. Finally, in his early years, Jeff studied with mattial arts with Sifu Michael Andron and Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong.
I have been granted permission by my elder teachers to practice and teach the ways of Curenderismo, Andean Nature Mysticism and martial arts. Regarding traditional and indigenous systems, my creed is to not teach or practice anything for which I have not been granted permission.
Selected podcast talks and Interviews:
Untangled: the Meditation Podcast
Waking Up! Sacred Reciprocity as Divine Template of the Universe
https://soundcloud.com/user-287072952/episode-3-jeff-firewalker-a-time-of-rebalancing
https://hilltownfamilies.wordpress.com/2016/07/10/hfvs-265/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSKAObhwdp8&list=PL98351F6459132C2A