Jensen Martin is a lone traveller unto himself, and that has taken him to places across the globe. Many people are true to what they feel and aspire for, but Jensen is exceptional in the sense that he does whatever it takes to realize it. He's sure-footed on the path of uncertainty; spiritual journeys are amorphous, and yet they give him something concrete — a direction.

Looking at his past, for nearly a decade, I feel the Gods have competed for his attention. Narasimha — the lion manifestation, one of the ten avatars of Vishnu — has engaged with him intensely for many years. He drifted from the fold, only to come back strongly. Lately, while reading one of the oldest texts, Jensen realized Narasimha as more Shaivite.

Jensen has recently joined a PhD programme, giving his spiritual pursuits an academic colour. 

He's been through a lot — experienced a lot — and yet has come through this spiritual rollercoaster intact. Now, he says, he has a purpose bigger than himself, something all-encompassing in nature. "It's inside of me, you, everyone," he explains. He's committed to revealing the unknown to thousands of people in the years to come. The pursuit of the self has become, in his own words, "less about myself" and more for the benefit of others. He's excited about the new possibilities.

Certain experiences resist language. The manifested, the outward form, is a distraction. He wants to experience Narasimha in full glory, and make that experience accessible to others — particularly to the people of his own country, Americans.

That's easier said than done. This kind of learning requires unlearning, especially in Western societies. His real challenge, then, is finding a way to make the essence of what he's learned and discovered relatable to others. Marshall McLuhan famously said, "the medium is the message." Jensen is a good medium.

This called for a change in his approach — one that happened organically. Buddhism came in handy, filling the gap through its deities, its mantras, its tantric practices — especially the Kashmir tantric tradition, or Kashmir Shaivism, a powerful non-dualistic spiritual and philosophical movement. He has a Buddhist guru who is ninety-two years old.

Jensen is excited about the new possibilities. He has been through a lot, experienced a lot, and yet preserved himself through this spiritual rollercoaster ride. Now, he says, he has an objective bigger than the self — something all-encompassing in nature. "It's inside of me, you, everyone," he explains. He is committed to making the known unknown known to thousands of people in the years to come.