After a brief struggle with cancer, Henry Dorst, a healer, teacher, musician and medical intuitive, died on February 5, 2007. Henry was well known in Vancouver and the surrounding area for his practice of feng shui.
Born in The Netherlands during World War II, Henry emigrated with his parents, brothers Marty and Adrian and sister Trudy to the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario in 1952 at the age of 12. After completing high school, he attended McMaster University, where he obtained a BA and worked towards an MA in geography.
In the early seventies, Henry moved to the West Coast where, for the first time, he found like-minded people who shared his spiritual and healing interests.
His path as an alternative health practitioner and environmental remediation expert began in 1986 when he met Dr. Lin Yun at a California retreat centre. That meeting was followed by a series of seminars by Lin and his senior students and other teachers over the next six years.
Over the next 30 years, Henry gave himself wholeheartedly to developing his intuitive abilities and using them to heal and guide others. Henry used his gift for perceiving subtle energies, in both the human body and physical environment, to improve the quality of life for hundreds of people. A passionate reader and student, his knowledge of energy fields and the intuitive healing arts was encyclopedic. For 25 years, he shared this knowledge through teaching at Langara College, the Vancouver school board, private study groups and the Naramata Spring Festival of Awareness.
Henry’s practice of feng shui differed from traditional Chinese versions. He adapted this ancient art to modern realities and different values, customs, home functions, building methods and previously unknown environmental factors, such as electromagnetic stress and geopathic radiation. Henry’s practice of feng shui also differed in his use of Western tools for detecting subtleties, namely dowsing and muscle testing or kinesiology.
Henry’s most profound teaching was to encourage and show people how to infuse their daily lives and environments with spirit and light. This was the true essence behind his practice and purpose of feng shui. Henry advocated for anyone wishing to learn these metaphysical tools: “Potentially, all people can learn to use them, but few actually integrate this into their lives. I noticed this after having decided that this knowledge can change the world and wanting to share this with others. Imagine folks, there are sources beyond this world that, when properly addressed, can influence the subtle conditions of material events in our lives, our health and our behaviour for the better. I have seen the results uplift individuals, families and businesses many times. I have seen disputatious gatherings of people become noticeably more harmonious. Couples flip their declining relationships around. The world would be so much better if large numbers of people could do this. And so I have been attempting to teach it. I found that many people were able to do this after I had taught them.”
A past president of the Vancouver chapter of the Questers Society of Canada, Henry also wrote extensively and frequently contributed articles to various magazines. A friend in real estate employed Henry to consult on every house deal for the past eight years, often without the knowledge of either seller or buyer “because his stuff worked.”
A talented harmonica player – as a young man he and a guitarist buddy played bars and clubs across Canada in the style of Brownie McGee and Sonny Terry – Henry loved music and collected a vast number of rare and eclectic CDs.
In the fall of 2006, Henry became devoted to his beloved Guru Ruchira Adi Da Samraj, whose teachings gave Henry many blessings, and who also brought profound grace to his last days.
A quiet man who loved the peace of nature far more than the hubbub of the city, Henry Dorst will be fondly remembered by his family, his daughter Marina and son Brahm, his partner Robin and many friends, as a rare and special individual who gave of himself generously and left a large legacy of good in the world.

Contributed by Robin Allen. A memorial service for Henry Dorst will be held at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, 1905 Ogden Avenue, March 3, 3-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted to help offset costs and to support the Green Cross Society of BC (greencrossofbc.org). Finger foods gratefully accepted. All are welcome.