We know from the Bible that Jesus practiced spiritual geography when He went up into the mountains for solitude and preparation: before choosing the apostles (Luke 6:12-16); the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-29 and Mark 9:2); after feeding the multitudes (Mark 6:46, Matthew 14:23); to prepare for his crucifixion (Matthew 26:30-36; Mark 14: 26-32). The mountains provided solitude for prayer away from his followers. Mountains for Jesus were places for spiritual preparation before crucial decisions or events. They held for Jesus a symbolic significance for closeness to God. Jesus needed a quiet place to talk to His Father, commune with Him, to receive strength and guidance from Him. Jesus was very knowledgeable about the Old Testament and was aware that God often appeared to prophets and figures like Moses at Mount Sinai and Elijah at Mount Carmel. He knew that mountains symbolized God’s power and nearness to humanity. Mountains represented spiritual growth, refuge, and stability. Going up to a mountain had no spiritual meaning for me as portrayed in the Bible until I moved out to California in 2004 at age 58. I brought with me a “spiritual mountain” of pain and because I had screwed up my second marriage to the woman I had loved since I was a teenager. After four months in Fresno at the University of Phoenix, my “spiritual mountain” was aggravated by the fact that I was a victim of a violent crime. Although I survived physically, I suffered from PTSD. No amount of medication, professional therapy paid for by UOPX, or religious counseling was helping. The Episcopal priests were useless. They were very conservative and spoke in tongues. They wanted me to speak in tongues to communicate with God! That’s when I returned to the Roman Catholic church for religious counseling, which was only a little better. I was still struggling. As Provost of the Central Valley Campus of UOPX, I was still learning to manage 2,000 students and a faculty of 400. Then one day a faculty member suggested I visit Yosemite National Park which was nearby. I was told it was famous for its giant sequoias, granite cliffs like El Capitan and Half Dome, stunning waterfalls, and a train ride through the mountains. I was told not to miss Bridalveil Falls. So, after church one Sunday I visited Yosemite. I spent the whole day visiting the sites. At the end of the day, I went back to Bridalveil Falls because I was mesmerized and thrilled by its beauty and majesty. I knew I had to come back often. For several Sundays in the summer of 2005 after church, I went back with a lawn chair, a packed lunch, and my Bible. Bridalveil Fall was especially beautiful in the spring. Its nickname by Native Americans was “Pohono” (“Spirit of the Puffing Wind”). Native Americans believed the fall was a sacred place. The legend was that a young Indian maiden had fallen from the top of the fall and disappeared into the river below. Her body was never found, and the legend was that her spirit inhabited the area.  Media Title Bridalveil Fall Media Type Image Website Name Encyclopædia Britannica Publisher Encyclopædia Britannica URL https://www.britannica.com/place/Bridalveil-Fall#/media/1/79236/112418 Access Date February 5, 2026 Although there was a viewing platform at the base, I would park myself at a safe distance to conduct my ritual. I finally realized that a strong wind made the water flow sideways, creating a beautiful spray of a bridal veil as the fall plunged 620 feet. On one visit the sun created a rainbow that was absolutely stunning.
At my vantage point I had to look up to the sky to see the fall, praising God for the beauty of His creation which only He could do. For me the fall originated from heaven with God. I prayed that the water would cleanse from me my “spiritual mountains.” With each visit my mind, body, and spirit felt refreshed and cleansed. Sometimes I would play Gregorian chant music off my phone, which brought me to a higher level of spirituality. My “spiritual mountain” of pain, guilt, and fear was being reduced but not totally eliminated. I was making enormous progress. I was finally able to return to my office to work, and I resolved the conflict I was having with a regional vice-president of UOPX. I shared this experience with one of my closest faculty members, Jim, who was very supportive of what I was doing. A short time later, he announced that he and his wife were going on a European vacation for two weeks, and he wanted me to stay at his home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which was only an hour away from Fresno. I quickly accepted, and I got UOPX officials to allow me to work from home except for the weekly staff meetings. Living up in the mountains was a continuation of what I experienced at Yosemite. Jim’s home was done in an Indian motif and was stunning, but I spent nearly all my time out on the deck which overlooked a lush valley below. The location was another form of spiritual geography which was also helping me to cope with my “spiritual mountain.” The view with morning walks and Morning and Evening prayer sessions were just what I needed. During my four-year stay in California I would often return to Yosemite to be reinvigorated, and every time Jim and Carol went to their condo in San Francisco, I stayed at their home in the Sierras. I miss California terribly. It has its problems, but its beauty is unquestionable. I marveled at God’s creation in the mountains where He healed my soul as I watched His mighty power flow endlessly from the Bridalveil, which I thought was pouring out of heaven. When the wind blew sideways, the veil was more pronounced, and I gave thanks to the Lord for my encounter with Him.
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