Remembering Reverend Joseph Martinez
Biography
Welcome to this celebration of the life, work, and wisdom of Reverend Joseph Martinez, who was the founder of the Spiritual Healing Center of San Francisco, and the Vice President of the Philippine Healer's Circle in the United States. Joseph practiced a unique form of Philippine Psychic Surgery in which he removed psychic blockages and energies invisibly. He was a master spiritual teacher touching hundreds of people who knew him during his lifetime.
May 27, 1941 - March 22, 1995 Rev. Joeseph Primitivo Martinez
Life Work
The Reverend Joseph Martinez was born in the Philippines at the beginning of World War II. When he was 12 years old, his mother brought him and his siblings to the United States, where they settled in San Francisco. The family are devoted Catholics and Joseph decided he wanted to become a priest. After he achieved this goal, he found that he couldn't conform to the Church doctrines, and after a period of years, he put his collar aside, and continued his spiritual journey on his own. Being blessed with psychic healing gifts from his Filipino background, he was next attracted to the Integral Yoga teachings of Sri Aurobindo. His mature teachings were a blend of these three traditions, Catholicism, Philippine Psychic Surgery, and the teachings of Sri Aurobindo. Joseph's healing work was done through meditation and contact with psychic surgeons on the inner plane. His whole emphasis was on opening to the Divine Presence. His methods, going beyond technique are the simple art of surrender. In his own words: "The first thing I teach is a course on spiritual healing. The individuals channel different healing energies like color, sound, spiritual healing, the laying on of hands, healing in the name of Jesus, and channeling of the spirit. The individual is taught how to do energy work and energy balancing. The second course is on meditation and what is called spiritual surgery. There are five sessions in the meditation. The first type is called Basic Meditation. This is simply an opening up to God, the Source, and receiving whatever that individual is able to, or needs to, receive. The Source will then release many different types of healing energies of transformation. The basic meditation does not involve any technique, visualization, mentalization or any kind of formula. It is begun with the simple statement, "I am . . ." That very simple statement will open an individual up. There is a reception, an inflow of very wonderful transformational energies from the Source. The individual will be focusing on their heart center in a totally receptive mood. The mind is not used at all in meditation. Although we call it the Basic meditation, you will see that the Source has an infinite capacity to give. The question is, "What is the capacity for the individual to receive?" The process is one of opening to the energy that the universe has to offer. "
Ruth Rendely's Memories of Joseph
I was one of the last people to meet Joseph. I had heard good things about him for a year before I attended his course “Past Life Recall & Clearing.” Joseph gave this powerful workshop in early February of 1995. The energies completely overwhelmed me, as did everything Joseph had to say on that day.
During the morning break, I introduced myself and mentioned that I was a psychic, who also did past-life readings. When Joseph invited us to his favorite Thai restaurant for lunch, I joined them. There were about ten of us sitting around a large rectangular table. Joseph joked during the meal, but when somebody asked him what he thought the New Year was all about, instead of replying, he asked me to respond, saying that I was a good psychic. I predicted that 1995 would be a very good year, especially from March. Joseph said I was right.
Later that day, Joseph mentioned his mid-week meditations, and I decided to attend those. The first Wednesday I went, I found Joseph’s musings tender, uplifting and heart-warming. I came every week thereafter, missing only once. During one of these sessions, I asked Joseph about my multiple soul theory, which another mentor had recently pooh-poohed. I was so relieved when Joseph said that I was correct; there is such a thing as "fused souls." It was then that I thought I had finally found a personal guru.
At another mid-week session, one of Joseph’s regular students asked him for a private healing session. I was standing about six feet away when Joseph pointed to me and said to his student, loud enough for me to hear, that she should come to me for help, and that he was not doing any healing at that time. There was some discussion about his being tired from commuting to and from South America, where his young wife and nine-month old son were staying. One day in late March, when I called the center to inquire about upcoming mid-week meditations, I was told that Joseph had died a few days before. I went into shock, having had so much hope for getting to know my new found guru. I cried for days, and attended the family's funeral service. I met his lovely wife Adriana, admiring her strength. In the coming years, we would become close. When Joseph died, I was surprised than none of his students were prepared to carry on with his teachings. Everyone scattered, and I could not locate anyone to organize even one meeting regarding his work. Over the years since, I have tried to find the names and contact details of those who knew him, and also copied some of his tapes that are so memorable, uplifting and poignant.