A couple of months ago, I asked to see more clearly the animal medicine I need to learn from as I step more fully into my Voice and sharing my truth. You know, I asked the Universe.

And then I let it go.

First, I noticed the birds in a new way. No surprise here - the feathered messengers and I have a relationship that goes way back. But I began to see more clearly the diversity of birds that showed up and slowed down in my path of perception.

I've been noticing all sorts of animals in a much deeper way... could be Spring in the air.

But one I didn't exactly expect to fall into contemplative dance with was Bear. It seemed to begin with some dreams and then fell into place in the paint marks above.

But then I remembered it actually began earlier in this past year. Three times, in fact. Up until those moments, I hadn't seen a bear in our mountains in the 5 years we've lived here, even though black bears are all around. I just seemed to always miss them.

The first one I saw, last Spring, was a young bear laying and playing around in the driveway of a mountain home. I parked my car and he looked at me, and then he went back to his antics, and I just watched and watched.

Then there was the mama bear and cubs that visited the women's conference. Early in the morning, women walked by the cubs up in trees on the path, as we were shuffled off to class quickly, so that space could be allowed for mama to show her face and gather up her babes.

The third bear was in the fall. The closest one yet. She was huge. Maybe 50 feet away. My dog, Bluejay, and I had gone for a morning walk on the parkway. She heard us and then sauntered away into the trees as we watched, quiet and oh-so-still... and quite frankly in awe of her wild presence.

As I've begun to re-visit sacred teachings at the foundation of my spiritual path & heart this Spring, I've come face to face, inside, with the messages bear has to offer.

There's so much I could say about this, that I've been learning from this reflection and medicine. But my voice is mostly still... awhile longer, perhaps....

I kind of feel like I'm a bit groggy, waking up from a deep hibernation, eyes adjusting to the light, stretching into this skin, these cells, again, and just about ready to move courageously into a new season.

And I'm soaking this up, these juicy, magical, mixed moments of feeling, fully, this energy, this river of what I've always been {meant to be}.

Bear Medicine {New Painting}

May Prayer Art Invitation

Just This Life {2}