Bear's Blog
Babies are the epitome of innocence, untainted by the world, pure - like the meme of the 3 wise monkeys would suggest. In the Buddhist tradition “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” is about avoiding evil thoughts and deeds. It’s also been interpreted as choosing to ignore indecent or dishonest behavior. Either way the ultimate meaning is about mature people taking responsibility for how they think and act. Today it can be hard to discern...
One of the biggest Hindu religious and cultural festivals of the year, Navratri, is happening now. It’s nine days of fasts, vigils and rituals honoring the divine feminine as Durga, the Warrior Goddess. In the heroic, age-old battle of good over evil she fought a demon for nine days and won. According to legend the demon couldn't be killed by any man. Symbolizing strength and courage, people pray to her for bravery and to overcome challenges. You may...
Understanding the Energy Signatures of the presidential candidates gives us an opportunity to reflect on how the dynamics of their energy types explain their behavior. There are “2 sides of the coin” to each energy type. The gifts and the challenges are at the far ends of a spectrum. The more you work through your challenges (cons), the more you will exhibit the “gifts” (pros) side of the equation. A defensive pattern – how you react...
Planetary events like equinoxes, solstices, eclipses and various constellations peak at optimal alignment at a certain moment. Yet these big energies affect us over a longer period of time. Constellations in our personal astrological chart can be energetic influences for months or years! The main cosmic events have the strongest impact a week before and after it "happens". We can take advantage of that two-week portal when the strongest energies are being...
Eclipses bring forward situations and circumstances related to what needs to transform and evolve. They always come in pairs - first the lunar eclipse, then two weeks later the solar eclipse. This year, as in the spring, the eclipses coincide with the equinox! The 2024 Dragon year supercharges it all, catapulting us into the future. I have personally experienced the eclipse window as a time when there are unexpected opportunities or choices to be made about a...
Energy flows - more or less. So does water, and they move in similar ways. Contemplating our current state of affairs, iit's clear money does too. When they flow freely, all are sustained; people are provided with a living wage, society thrives, and the earth is nourished in a reciprocal give and take. When the flow gets hindered or blocked problems arise. Systems become depleted when resources are not freely circulating. We can see the effects of this in all...
Symbols are powerful things. They are shorthand for what we believe in, and people have died for them - and what they symbolize - throughout history. National flags reflect those identities and values, and flags can also represent other self-defined groups. During Pride Month we see lots of flags in celebration of that community! Just recently the Democratic Party “reclaimed” the flag because it had become appropriated by Republicans as the symbol of...
I tracked her down in an Inuit village of about 3,000 people, north of the Arctic Circle on the Alaska coast. In Kotzebue everyone knows each other, and most are related somehow. Following their cues, I hopped in one of the few taxis (traveling even fewer dirt roads) and said, “Take me to Della’s house.” I arrived at the small house that was full of people watching TV, playing cards, cooking a meal. When I asked for Della they said she was...
The brain loves novelty and the new; we are also enamored of growth. Yet growth without integration is fruitless. In nature there is the inhale and exhale, Being and Doing, growth and integration. If you learn something new without practicing, it becomes an interesting experience… memorable, perhaps insightful, but nothing in your life fundamentally changes. In order to embody a new awareness and start living it, we need to practice. So commit to learning...
You may not believe in past lives, but when your time comes to transition to the other side you’ll surely be enlightened on the matter! Some won’t need to rely on faith that it’s true; direct experience proves the bigger picture. Meanwhile, there’s plenty of evidence available to a non-believer who is paying attention. Some signs are called déjà-vu; a feeling of something that has come before. Evoked by a place, a sound, a...
Let’s wal(t)z into August, traditionally when many take a summer vacation. Whether you are going somewhere or staying at home, hopefully you’re finding time to play - or at least enjoying a more relaxed schedule. You can take a cue from others, especially the kids who are enjoying more freedom and unstructured time right now. Although many of us are already anticipating an action-packed fall, let’s take deep breath and – pace ourselves!
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The hugely popular book “The 5 Love Languages” is celebrated as a self-help phenomenon, still popular 30 years after its publication! It catalogs five different ways of expressing love - words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. Why has it endured? It is basically about communication and addresses the most important aspect of our lives - the fundamental need to love and be loved. Does this model directly...
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