Bear's Blog

These are uncertain, tumultuous times - more than usual. Astrology foretells big shifts and changes in the world - and if we are willing, to transform ourselves. The unknown carries an element of trepidation at its worst, curiosity at its best.

For the curious, the questions are what are we being called to do at this time? How are we called to be right now? And what, or who, will lead us into our next defining experience? We can continue with our old patterns of coping, or explore...

The whole world has gone through - and is still going through - major changes. Earth-shaking changes that only come along every half century or so. Lucky us! Despite the turmoil, there's a chance for us all to create something different.

What is your role in this great transfiguration?

I keep hearing about “crushing it” in the new year. I don’t want to crush anything! I want to expand my horizons, learn new skills, and double down on my soul’s purpose - to get more...

You hear a lot about gratitude around the Thanksgiving holiday, but ideally it’s a daily practice. I do it in the evening with meditation, movement, and Tonglen. Gratitude gives us a moment of perspective on what’s going right in our lives. These can be things that happened that day, or ongoing, longer-term situations. I can’t help comparing myself to others, thinking of what they may lack; feeling safe from bombing, being warm enough, having food to eat. We tend to take so...

Getting started with a healthy practice - and staying the course - is challenging. It’s easier to take a walk with a buddy (my dog, every day!) because it provides companionship, a timeframe and a no-excuse zone. Learning something new is also harder on our own. It helps to have a trainer at the gym show us the ropes rather than trying to figure out what we need.

Do you want some company to get started with a few go-to energetic practices in your daily life? I’m here for you!

I...

I’ve been studying, practicing and teaching energy healing for over two decades now. In the beginning I was so excited about the work I wanted to stand on a mountaintop and broadcast its value! I soon realized that I was an outlier.

The main focus of Western medicine is the physical body; those working with an expanded understanding of human physiology were dismissed. After all these years we're now “cutting edge”. It’s wonderful to see the acceptance and popularity of...

I believe two streams of karma meet in an individual to create a life that is utterly unique. The biological karma from our ancestors is embedded in our DNA. The soul karma has a history of past lifetimes, and actually chooses its parents and that particular biological line. Both influence the gifts and challenges of the current life. There is always an opportunity for each person to heal, and also bring healing to their family,  their lineage and ultimately contribute to the...

So, what is our new normal? Your new normal?

We will not be able to move in the world in the same way we used to, at least for a year or two. A vaccine will help a lot, and “herd immunity” – 60-70% of the population exposed – will take a few years to achieve. In the meantime, contacts outside our “bubble” need to be limited and carefully considered. So until then…

What is important to you? What choices are you making?

The only appointments I have...

The latest figures have 25% of Americans identifying as “spiritual, not religious.” I believe this is a positive trend – no more religious wars, trying to convert others, or a “my way is better than your way” attitude. People are finding spiritual connections in nature, in meditation, and in other esoteric philosophy. In fact, Buddhism is an example of a religion that can also be embraced as a philosophy. And yet a belief system needs to be grounded in an...

As we enter a New Year – and decade – I’d like to emphasize the importance of integration. The brain loves novelty and the new, even if it’s the ding of an incoming message. On a bigger scale we are enamored of growth, growth and more growth. Yet growth without integration is fruitless. In nature there is the inhale and the exhale, Being and Doing, growth and integration. I challenge my students to practice the new techniques they have learned until they reach a point...

I have written about the importance of grounding your spirituality with a specific practice and about the energetic and physical dimensions of health. Now I would like to address the importance of connecting to a larger body, a community of like-minded people. This can take many forms, from a religious congregation or sangha to a book club to a hiking group; any group of people that meets on a regular basis to engage in activity and conversation.

It has been well-documented that people who...

What exactly is energy healing?
The word healing indicates that all aspects of a person are involved, with the understanding that these different aspects are connected - including our immediate physical concerns. Indeed our spiritual, emotional, psychological states have direct physical impacts. You can’t deny the physiological impacts of anger (increased heart rate, rapid breathing, an adrenaline rush), depression (a weakened immune system, loss of appetite), and stress (high blood...