Damien Echols is an author, teacher, and martial artist whose work draws from Zen Buddhism, Western alchemy, and traditional Korean martial arts. After spending nearly 18 years on death row for a crime he did not commit, Damien devoted his life to practices that cultivate mental clarity, resilience, discipline, and inner transformation.
Ordained in both Japanese and Vietnamese Zen traditions, Damien is also a black belt in Tang Soo Do and a practitioner and instructor of traditional Korean swordsmanship. His teaching integrates contemplative practice with physical discipline, helping students develop greater presence, bring mind and body into deeper alignment, and engage everyday life with more awareness and intention.
He is the author of several books, including High Magick, Angels and Archangels, and Alchemy of the Broken Blade. Through his writing, workshops, and retreats, Damien offers a grounded approach to transformation rooted not in escaping difficulty, but in learning how to meet life with greater steadiness, presence, and purpose.
For more information, visit damienechols.com.
