Photos by Spencer Sikes

About the Book

Have you considered that your life is a spiritual journey? What have you discovered? Are you aware that you are a Spiritual Being having a Human experience? Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher, is not a Spiritual guide to tell you how to live your life. However, it will:

• Stimulate your creativity and imagination.
• Motivate you to reflect upon your own purpose in this life.
• Encourage you to develop your talents and share them with the world.
• Inspire you on your own personal quest for self-knowledge and realization.
• Open your eyes, mind, and heart to consider looking at life more compassionately.

Silence and Solitude are fuel for Creativity, and loneliness is an illusion. We do not walk this life alone. Ancestors, Angels, Spirit Guides, and Saints walk with us, guiding our every footstep.

The road of life has literally and metaphorically led me through mountains and valleys, deserts and jungles. Occasional wrong turns have led to dead ends. Still, I move forward with confidence and courage.

My journey is about overcoming obstacles, standing up for justice, and never giving up the fight! It is about self-discovery, compassion, balance, and rising to the challenge of doing the right thing – even when things seem impossible. How I keep on keeping on; without burnout.

My story is about helping others see that embracing cultures other than one’s own helps us to grow and to live in harmony as we do our part in the struggle for achieving the Justice that will permit us all to live in Peace.

We are all on a Journey of Awakening. Broaden your mind. Transcend your ego and embrace humility, but do not confuse it with humiliation. Open wide your eyes; they are the windows to your Soul!

Media and Press

What People Are Saying

Ron San Miguel takes us on an authentically unique journey in his book Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher. With drama, humor, defiance, and Raza pride he slowly introduces you to his one of a kind world view. Besides the moments of absolute pure magic that he shares—the work is overflowing with a recurring, burning desire to stand up mightily for the disenfranchised. He also takes time to be vulnerable enough to share where he absolutely didn’t have the answers and was truly educated by others. His truly independent way of thinking displays the impact that the not so subtle dance between religion and mysticism had on his fascinating life arc. It then helps you more fully understand his life experience—which immediately… makes you reflect upon your own. And reflect you will. I will now go so very far as to say that this book reminded me of something I knew how to do for so many years, but I let it go. I don’t say this out loud ̶ for fear of being derided. But now, with Mr. San Miguel’s insight I can. This book returned a gift to me. That gift is…

That I can fly.
Not in a motivational, ‘You can do anything’ kind of way.
No.
I mean, meditate, align, go deep… and fly.
For real. Read it and see if you… take flight

Don Reed, NPR Storyteller of the Year, 2016

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Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher is a fascinating page turner.

Kabir Sehgal, New York Times and Wall Street Journal
Bestselling Author and Grammy Award winner

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Ron San Miguel’s work, Modern Day Mystic, is art on fire, not fear. To read and not be enthralled by the sheer tenacity of his freedom to express and maintain a security for wonder is evident in every page. This is a construct of a life well lived which invites the reader to what is eternal, what is strong and good.

As his former spiritual director, I asked him to often mull over two essential givens as one lives: LOVE and DEATH. This book is a witness to both, graciously shared and happily maintained as mysteriously human

Peter Wm Gray, PSS, Ph.D.
Artist
The Society of Saint Sulpice, Province of the USA

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Modern Day Mystic is one man’s journey navigating life as the descendant of the famed Yaqui Warriors of ancient Mexico in a modern world, holding true to his own sense of morality and justice through a world that values neither. At times funny, heartbreaking, and soul-warming, follow Ron’s true life journey as he grows up with life experiences that move through the gamut of the Latino experience in the US, and get a front row seat to his incredible spiritual, life-altering experiences. Ron’s storytelling style will have you turning page after page in laughter and tears, wondering what will happen next. Real, raw, and refreshing, Modern Day Mystic is a must read for anyone interested in equality, justice, spirituality, or just looking for a fun, well-written story.

Valerie Costa, Professional Writer and Editor

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I found myself reading certain passages over again before proceeding, not because they were difficult to understand, but rather because they were profound and I wanted to soak the meaning in, savor, and contemplate before moving along… Modern Day Mystic invites us on a journey of active engagement in a voice that is intimate and down to earth, with the lyricality of prose poetry. The vivid imagery brings to life such a richly detailed recounting of events that after finishing the book, I remembered it as if I had heard Ron telling his stories to me aloud in this beautifully written “oral history” of a Modern Day Mystic! Ron’s vulnerability, honesty, and courage in exploring his life’s quest for a blended spirituality, justice, joy, and connection to others draws us in, and powerfully inspires the reader to look back at, seek to understand, and find insight and meaning in our own life—or to ‘Look within and learn to listen with your Heart,’ as Ron encourages us in the introduction.

Ami Zins, MA
Public Speaking Instructor, UC Berkeley
Resilience & Transformation Coach

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I highly recommend Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher, a book about the exciting experiences of a gentleman whose life has been a beautiful and mystical jornada in the midst of a world filled with poverty, injustice, racism and economic inequality. All of which has compelled him to fight the good fight against tyranny and to do his part in the quest to make Mother Earth a better place for future generations. A must-read.

Johnny Hernandez
Legendary Tejano Music co-creator and recording artist
Author of “The Cotton Picker – An Odyssey”

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I am proud to know Mr. Ron San Miguel, and am glad to support his efforts to share stories about some of the struggles faced by our community, particularly our beloved Raza youth. Ron also shares some behind the scenes information that provides insight into some of our prominent Chicano/a heroes. Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher, is an excellent documentation of a Chicano life well lived. Órale, hermano. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and talent on this captivating project.

Chico Manqueros, Host & Producer
Suave Grooves Show
Live From East Los
Heavenly Soul Show
KQBH FM Los Angeles & Barrioradio.com

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Whether looking out over the grass at his grace filled T’ai Chi movements or witnessing justice through song; whether by gazing through prayerfully closed eyes or sharing laughter through tears as we take to heart the journey of another sojourner on the way—with fascination I see and hear Ron’s story once again in his book, Modern Day Mystic. It is hard to believe that our paths have intersected so many times since 1982, after our first “encuentro” of happy memory in the hills and hallways of Saint Joe’s in Mountain View California. To enter into Ron’s story gives us a glimpse of the Divine’s constant invitation to life in its abundance! Thanks Ron, for giving yourself again so others may enter into the Divine Dance and Song!

fray Ponchie Vásquez, ofm

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In Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher, Ron San Miguel shares with the reader the magical journey of his life-song, composed of intrigue, mysticism, tragedy and triumph, and invites us all to add our own unique talents to the musical and spiritual dance that we call life.

Jerry Tello, Author
Co-Founder of the National Compadres Network

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Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher, is a fascinating, moving and skillfully constructed account of the multi-faceted influences on Ron’s life that made him the man he is and shaped his vocation and life philosophy. The last line, which resonated particularly powerfully with me, is that we are “spiritual beings having a human experience,” whereas most of us, lacking his vision, would have described it the other way around.

Evangelos Louizos, Author of “My Father Had This Luger”, and one of Ron’s high school teachers

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In Modern Day Mystic – Journey of a SongCatcher, Ron says, “learn to listen with your Heart, and join in the Great Work that we are all called to do. You have gifts to share. Do it. Find your light and let it shine!” Herein lies the heart of the Mystic or visionary, no matter how you classify them. Experiences in this book will encourage and challenge you in your spiritual life, and invite you to renew or reflect upon your own spiritual journey. Ron’s continuous historical and spiritual journeys are reflective and an awakening to the possibilities in all of us. Without a doubt, your personal devotions will be challenged and your life, in most cases, will be different. Ron writes about: “overcoming obstacles, standing up for justice, and never giving up the fight!” Which are possible through “self-discovery, compassion, balance, and rising to the challenge of doing the right thing—even when things seem impossible.” Put Modern Day Mystic on your to do list.

Father John Fernandes

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I enjoyed reading the unfolding of Ron’s life into places of family, laughter as medicine, mystical experiences and social justice triumphs. Through reading his memoirs as example, I am better able to take pride in my own experiences, to claim my own life and acknowledge how my life too is a journey into the Paschal Mystery—the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Thanks for being my priest; like the Last Supper or the Road to Emmaus, you have shared how your life has been broken open and shared so that your readers might have more life! Gracias brother Ron!

Patrick Powers

About Ron San Miguel

Ron San Miguel is a Singer/SongCatcher, recording artist, instructor of Yang Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Reiki practitioner, community activist, and career-long civil servant.

A Peace Warrior of Yaqui and Apache blood, Ron is a graduate of St. Joseph’s Seminary College and has an M.A. in Culture & Spirituality from Holy Names University.

Born in El Paso Texas, he currently resides in Oakland, California.

Contact Ron

Ron is available for speaking engagements, music performances and T’ai Chi Ch’uan for groups.

E-mail: Ron@RonSanMiguelAuthor.com

Phone: (415) 894-0785

Click here to learn about my music.