Kenneth G. Mills, Renaissance Man

You will find Kenneth G. Mills mentioned quite frequently in this blog. I am most grateful to have had him as my spiritual mentor, and I learned a tremendous amount from him. He always had much to give. Having told the story of my first meeting with him, I felt it appropriate to introduce him formally.

Dr. Mills has been called a contemporary "Renaissance man." Born in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, he studied piano for many years and found considerable success as a concert pianist. He was intuitively prompted to give up concertizing in 1963, but continued as a prominent piano teacher and adjudicator.

Then, in 1965, Dr. Mills received a strange message from two different sources. First a medium and then a Buddhist monk visiting in Toronto both told him that he "must learn to speak the Word again." Puzzled, he nevertheless made a vow within himself that, if asked, he would speak about the considerations of the heart.

Shortly thereafter, people did indeed begin asking him to talk with them, sharing their deepest questions. Over the next few years, more and more people approached him; sometimes strangers would knock on his door, seeking answers. Ultimately, he began seeing people as a group because there were too many who were interested to speak with each one separately.

A few weeks before I met him in Berkeley in early 1975, Mr. Mills agreed to give up his piano teaching altogether and devote full time to speaking and mentoring. His visits with individuals and more formal lectures to groups were always given spontaneously, never written or planned out ahead of time. Sometimes he spoke in spontaneous poetry. Mr. Mills' speaking was called "Unfoldment," because, as he once explained to his mother, "It's like a rose." So he became known as a metaphysician and philosopher.

The Unfoldments were transcribed, and soon books of Mr. Mills' lectures and poetry were published. Books continued to come out every few years, so that author and poet Kenneth G. Mills published a total of 16 books (two of which were released posthumously -- and there may be more!).

Mr. Mills' creativity continued to blossom and to be expressed in more and more different ways. In 1976, he founded the Star-Scape Singers, a choral group of 10 men and women whose unique sound astonished critics wherever they sang. He continued to conduct this group for many years, touring with them to high acclaim throughout Europe, the Baltic states, Russia, the U.S. (including Carnegie Hall) and Canada. Much of Star-Scape's repertoire was composed by Mr. Mills, often in conjunction with singer Christopher Dedrick. Eventually, Mr. Mills began composing for piano and then for full orchestra as well.

He was also a designer, creating a line of haute couture women's fashions, as well as designing gardens and several homes. He took up painting in early 1993, producing over 200 large canvases.

Throughout all these artistic and musical excursions, Mr. Mills continued to offer the Unfoldment and to mentor those who came to him. In 1997 he was named Honorary PRIME Mentor of Canada. The Senate of Canada presented him with an "Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement in Humanities, Education, Philosophy and the Arts" in October 1998, and at about the same time he was granted an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Wolfe's University in Canada.

Kenneth G. Mills, Renaissance man, passed away on October 8, 2004. Those of us whose lives were so profoundly changed by his speaking and mentoring miss him greatly. Thousands of people will never forget his grace, his humor, his unstoppable energy, his interest in so much and so many, and most of all, his radiant love.