When Carolyn Rutherford began teaching in 1996, she wanted to help people live better lives, in touch with themselves physically, spiritually and mentally.

The nonprofit Jwalan Muktika School for Illumination in Kalispell, also known as the Flaming Pearl, is Rutherford’s passion come to life, a school dedicated to personal transformation and spiritual education.  

"I had to be willing to say yes to do this journey and I haven’t regretted it since,” Rutherford said while sitting inside the school in the Gateway Community Center.  

The school operates under the idea that humans are experiencing a new, connected consciousness — which Rutherford calls “the great awakening” — where humans begin to realize their connections to the universe.  

The journey began in 1992, when Rutherford was in a bad car accident while living in Portland, Oregon. The trauma left her with a new understanding of personal being and the ability to consciously channel 1,500 spirit teachers who talk to Rutherford with one voice, she said. 

After the accident, Rutherford — a registered nurse at the time — got together with doctors and experts from different cultures and professions to put together the school’s curriculum.  

Over the years, Jwalan Muktika, which in Sanskrit means flaming pearl or inspired wisdom, has helped hundreds of people connect with themselves and the universe, she said. Many of them have graduated from the school’s more-intensive master’s program.  

“This is not a religious school,” Rutherford said. “... We’ve had all religions come through here. It’s not about religion, it’s about helping a person understand who they are physically, emotionally and spiritually. It’s not about one philosophy; it’s about coming to understand yourself.” 

The school embraces a few core principles, including understanding the body system and exploring a person's energy using chakras. 

Chakras are considered to be the main energy points in the body, usually referenced as a group of seven running down the spine. Being in touch with one’s energy system can help bring harmony and balance into someone’s life.

The nine-chakra system is unique to Jwalan Muktika and includes two additional chakras: one in the thymus and one in the pineal gland in the brain.  

“Working with your own personal energy is vital on all levels,” Rutherford said.  

Typically, students begin with a free class, called The Great Awakening. Attendees learn to “blend ancient wisdom, modern science and channeled information” to understand the world and humanity’s role in it.  

From there, students can pay to take more classes, including one detailing the chakra system. 

The school existed in California and Calgary before moving to Whitefish in 2003. It took root in its current location in March 2020, a space with a larger classroom and area to showcase the Belk academic library, which was gifted to the nonprofit a few years ago. 

It’s one of the best things the school has to offer, Rutherford said.  

Rutherford described William Henry Belk Jr., the library’s original owner, as an expert on unexplained mental phenomena. After his death in 2001, his library sat untouched until it was gifted to Jwalan Muktika. 

Academic members of the school have access to the library, much of which is unavailable online, Rutherford said. The collection includes books dating back to the 1800s, records of psychic surgeries, conversations with healers across the world, accounts of abnormal happenings and holistic healing materials.  

Her favorite pieces come from Joesph Banks Rhine, the founder of parapsychology; Stanley Krippner, whose work focused on altered states of conscious, dream telepathy and dissociation; and American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce. 

The school is sustained through memberships. A membership is required to take classes beyond The Great Awakening opening seminar. Those interested can join as a classic member at $77 annually, or an academic member at $113 annually, with access to the Belk academic library. Members receive discounts on classes and products. 

Classes range from understanding the six body types to nutrition and instruction on eating cycles. From circadian rhythm classes to evaluating animal totems, there is a range of areas to explore. Rutherford says graduation can take two to five years but is determined by the individual.  

More information on the classes can be found at jwalanmuktikaschool.org or by calling 406-756-1197 or emailing [email protected].

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].