Leadership & Board
Meet the individuals who guide Church of the Essence with dedication, integrity, and service.
Directing Minister
Marza R. Millar, BSN, MA, PhD (Candidate) is a scholar of archeoacoustics specializing in Egyptian sound consciousness, and a Clinical Herbalist, Registered Nurse, Archaeologist, and Medicine Woman with over 50 years of experience in Indigenous medicine, energy healing, and ancient civilizations.
Of Ojibwe and Scottish descent, she was raised in traditional medicine ways and trained from childhood by her father and uncle—keepers of the Door of the Ant lineage—which she now carries forward through ongoing ceremonial practice and teaching. Her work engages primarily with Hopi, Q’ero, Maya, and Mamo traditions.
Marza teaches internationally, with instruction spanning from the Andes and Arctic Circle to Egypt. She is a primary faculty member with the Academy of Oracle Arts, Elder to the Star Clan and Oracle Nation, Directing Minister of the Church of the Essence, and founder of Black Lotus Academy.
Marza Millar-Allen, BSN, MA
Board Treasurer
Dr. Daniel Allen, DO
Dr. Daniel Allen serves as Board Treasurer for Church of the Essence, a role he has held for three years. His involvement reflects a commitment to ensuring the organization's financial health and institutional integrity. Dr. Allen is an osteopathic physician with over 35 years of clinical experience. His practice specializes in hands-on osteopathic care and Biodynamic Cranial Work—gentle, whole-body approaches to healing that honor the body's inherent capacity for self-correction. His medical background brings a grounded, practical perspective to the Church's governance, complementing the ceremonial and spiritual dimensions of the organization with attention to sustainability and proper stewardship of resources.
Board Officer Secretary
Isis Indriya
Born in Mesa, Arizona, and Indigenous to the island of Guam, Isis Indriya dedicates her life to prayer, education, and community activism. Losing her mother, Deborah, at age four awakened a deep desire to commune with the unseen, ancestors, and those on the other side a calling that led her to embrace ritual as a way of life.
At 17, Isis moved to the U.S., where she studied mythology and breathwork, later focusing on ancient mystery traditions, sacred sciences, and Earth-based wisdom. Community-building has been central to her work, from event production and education to leading rituals for groups ranging from one-on-one sessions to gatherings of over 30,000 participants.
As a minister, Fire Keeper, and founder of the Academy of Oracle Arts, Isis teaches ritual, divination, Hermeticism, and Egyptian cosmology worldwide. She also co-created Studio Omari in Nevada City and serves on the boards of Church of the Essence, Living Village Culture, and The Oracle Clan.
Her work centers on indigenous wisdom, cultural exchange, regenerative culture, and inner transformation offering teachings as a living prayer for this life and future generations.
Board Member
Ericardo Baldonado
Ericardo Baldonado is the founder of Warrior Council and co founder of People of the Forest. His primary focus is spiritual ecology, the understanding that the restoration of the Earth begins with the transformation of the self, and that land regeneration reflects collective spiritual and communal health.
He spent five years living and teaching within a Tantra Yoga ashram in India, studying and practicing the spiritual sciences of Tantra and serving as a teacher in Yoga Teacher training programs. His path has also included long standing ceremonial work within Native American traditions and close collaboration with Indigenous communities, grounding his work in prayer, ritual, and ancestral wisdom.
From this foundation, Ericardo founded Warrior Council, which cultivates men of service who lead by example through purpose, health, and responsibility to something greater than the self. Through People of the Forest, he supports Indigenous led conservation in the Amazon, merging regenerative and traditional ecological practices to strengthen community led food systems and long term forest stewardship.
Governance & Accountability
Church of the Essence operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization, governed by a Board of Directors committed to transparency, ethical practice, and service to our community. Our governance structure ensures accountability while honoring the spiritual nature of our work.