Reverend Ashley Clements is an interfaith/interspiritual minister devoted to living more fully as an expression of divine love – and supporting others to do the same.

She runs a private practice of spiritual counseling and ministry while moonlighting as a professional photographer. In each of these offerings, Rev. Ashley’s main intention is to bring out the radiance of her clients – whether that be in a counseling session, the officiation of a wedding, or an engagement photo shoot.

Training + Background:

Rev. Ashley received a B.A. from Columbia University with a concentration in Religious Studies, a Masters of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and was ordained through One Spirit Seminary.

She has served as a hospital chaplain intern at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a chaplain resident at Brigham & Women’s Hospital – completing four units of Clinical Pastoral Education. Rev. Ashley was also employed by Tufts Medical Center as an interfaith chaplain in the area of oncology before she decided to move into private practice.

Vipassana (Insight) meditation was Rev. Ashley’s first inroad to formal practice and her first spiritual home of seven years. In 2010, Rev. Ashley began to have encounters with spirits, astral travels, and psychic premonitions. She eventually found a spiritual teacher adept in these ways, named Kurt Leland, and she has been his student ever since.

In her former career, Rev. Ashley worked in national and international development. She has lived around the globe – from Senegal and Argentina to India and Costa Rica - volunteering for local NGO’s that addressed human rights. While stateside, she continued human rights work, supporting sexual assault survivors, prisoners, and those transitioning out of homelessness.

The Great Love Soup

Starting at sixteen, I channeled a deep ache about global inequities by delving into international development. From the dusty roads of Senegal to old leper colonies in Argentina, I volunteered for local NGO’s that addressed an array of human rights violations.

At Columbia University, I continued to nurture interest in cross-cultural beliefs and practices by concentrating in Religious Studies. I studied Tibetan Buddhism in Southeast Asia, and it was there that I discovered two passions: end-of-life and meditation.

Watching cremation rites day in a day out near the temples of Kathmandu ignited a fervor for synthesizing cross-cultural wisdom around death - and ultimately led me to pursue a career in interfaith chaplaincy, with a focus on end-of-life. I also started a regular meditation practice that has endured to this day.

After college, I shifted focus to national development work and moved to Boston. During this time, I began to have a series of unbidden psychic and otherworldly experiences - at times serving as a hostess to the afterlife in sleep and at others knowing with certainty events in the future.

Gratefully, I discovered an author adept in these ways, and he became my spiritual teacher. Kurt has been a true Virgil, guiding me through landscapes outside the familiar. He also introduced me to Theosophy - a tradition that focuses on ethics, unity, and the occult - which has become a spiritual refuge.

As my professional lens continued to shift towards spiritual service, I began a Masters of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, where I concentrated in interfaith ministry. Upon graduation, I did a hospital chaplain residency at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. And the following year entered a two-year interfaith/interspiritual seminary called One Spirit in New York City which culminated in ordainment.

After working as hospital chaplain for an oncology clinic of Tufts Medical Center, I decided to pivot into private practice, to nurture the diversity of my ministry offerings. These offerings include but are not limited to: spiritual counseling, wedding officiation, end-of-life care, and photography. Other key facets of my life include running in nature, meditating, and being with my wondrous community.

It’s been a joy and privilege - albeit not without its challenges - to continue encountering this wild, unfolding path and walk it alongside others. Deep down, I feel that we are all beautiful, unique orbs of love awakening our connection to and experience as The Great Love Soup.

*photo credit: Samuel Allison