Bear's Blog

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The news of Thich Nhat Hanh (also known as Thay) has rocked the world - in a good way. We are all part of one big energy field together, for better or for worse! The first time I noticed the world consciously coming together in this way was when Princess Diana died, followed by Mother Theresa. They both represented love. The internet has underlined our connectedness in profound and mundane ways. We are ONE WORLD.

There is a massive outpouring of love and appreciation for Thay’s life of intr...

People talk about how divided we are right now, with tightly held views on any number of controversial issues. The truth is, we live in a world of duality - hot/cold, high/low, black/white, good/bad - with a whole lot of gray in between the extremes. The ultimate duality is love/fear - (hate and anger being an outgrowth of fear.)

Duality arises out of oneness. It’s the ultimate consciousness that can be thought of as love because there is no discrimination, no preference, no us/them. That also describes the highest level...

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Here we are at another starting point - 2022. An impulse for reform, renewal, and hope at the New Year still stirs within us even after yet another round of Covid. Are you on the mat yet? In the corner nursing your wounds? Ready for another go at it, a whole new year? Plans seem irrelevant, although still necessary, as is the need to release our expectations into the great unknown. One thing you can plan on doing is taking a few moments to bring  healing and balance into your daily routine....

The focus at the winter solstice and other holiday traditions this time of year is the coming of light. Whether it’s literal light, the light of a savior, the light of magic, freedom, or even en-lightenment, it’s a theme.

On this day when we are the farthest from the sun, we might light a log or a candle (or even a candle on a log cake or decoration!) to remember that the light will return. Let’s spend a moment to appreciate the darkness before rushing into the light. If the dark doesn’t get its due respect now, then ...

After years of wandering, both physically and metaphorically, an Indian ascetic (formerly known as Prince) sat in meditation under a ficus tree. He was determined, for once and for all, to get to the heart of the matter – enlightenment.  There he would sit, do or die!

He had quite an eventful evening, getting the low down on all his past lives in great detail. Then he saw that cycle of rebirth and death as a cosmic scorecard, what we call “karma”. Then – aha! – he understood a way out of that endless cycle and experience...

Mid-winter celebrations have been going on around the world as long as history remembers. It could be an awfully dreary and depressing time of year without them (especially this year!) We socialize more, reaching out to family, friends, and the larger community. We are moved to volunteer and donate to help others, and everyone indulges in special foods and drink. We bring trees and lights into our homes; there are beautiful decorations everywhere you go. Familiar music abounds (like it or not!) and we sing and celebrate a...

Sooo much of your inbox will be about gratitude around Thanksgiving. Most of us know how a daily gratitude practice (traditionally called “counting your blessings”) has numerous benefits.* How can we extend that gratitude to ourselves in a meaningful way?

We constantly notice how we fall short, and push ourselves to improve. When we drop the ideal of perfectionism, we can be a little easier on ourselves. Yet after a momentary congratulation for a particular accomplishment, or a gesture of appreciation, we still mostly no...

I can initiate communication for someone who wants to connect with a specific person, and often get this request when the death was sudden (including suicide). There can be lingering questions and things unsaid; it’s also another chance to say goodbye. We can still be in relationship with someone who is gone! Sometimes people continue to hold on to grudges, resentments, and misunderstandings; the opportunity is to resolve that for themselves. The person who has died has a much larger perspective from the other side, and t...

Paranormal activity can be happening for many different reasons but is definitely an attention -getter! In this case, the goal behind the dramatic antics was to convey an important and timely message to the family. Most people will seek some kind of help when things go “bump in the night.” It can seem scary, but what else is a spirit to do when other ways to reach people are too subtle, or could be discounted?       

A woman’s teenage brother had just been killed in a motorcycle accident; the family was crushed. Another ...

I had seen Ann, a corporate CEO, for different physical and work-related issues. In this particular session an elderly woman immediately presented herself. She said she needed to tell Ann something about her home. She then took me on a room by room “tour” of a beautiful, grand house. Furthermore, she was proud of her home and the things she had collected in her travels. I was astounded by a massive, intricately carved bedroom set, with antique dolls resting in a row on the pillows.

She finally took me to a sitting r...