Bear Wisdom: On self-care and taking charge of your life

Bear Wisdom: Self-care - Marianne Soucy - Give Your Dream Wings Coaching

Connecting with animals and spirit guides through sacred spirit journeys can provide valuable support and be a source of wisdom and healing on our path through life. In the journey I will share here, we have Bear and Salmon as teachers.

As I start the sacred spirit journey, I find myself in a forest at the bottom of a small waterfall. The energy is powerful so close to the falling water. I can feel the drops of water on me where I stand.

“Today is about self-care”, I hear bear say. Next to me a big brown bear is standing. “For renewal, cleansing, and energizing, bathing in the water by the waterfall is powerful and recommended. Do that now and come back to me”, bear says.

I jump into the water, swim around a little, dive down, meet some salmon. They look at me and ask:

Have you got a purpose? What is your goal and purpose? With so many distractions make sure you make time to identify and connect with your goal, purpose – or passion. Is your current goal also your passion? If not, why not? Seek to align your goal with your passion. Doing that will drive your forward and help you create a meaningful life.

And then the salmon are off on their own journey.

I get up on land again. Bear is still there. “Well, did you learn something?” “Yes”, I say, and tell bear what salmon had said.

“Good. Salmon is part of my life and teachings, so when you learn from one, make sure you also study and learn from the other.”

We walk through the forest and bear continues talking:

On your path through life it is not enough to have a passion or goal – you need to take good care of yourself on the way. Ignoring self-care can be a major hindrance on your path and can keep you from achieving the goal and living the purpose you have identified. The first principle that I teach is to learn when to go within and when to go without. Like a bear hibernating in the winter and coming out of hibernation in the spring. Find or create your own cycle of going within to relax, renew, recharge and reconnect with your dreams and visions – and going without to take action and expressing those visions in the world.

When you identify or create your own ritual or practice for going within and without, then first listen to your body and soul and honor what they need. That may vary from day to day, or from season to season. Become mindful of your own cycle.

You can for instance start your day by going within – yoga, meditation, journaling. And then going without in a mindful, focused manner as you carry the underlying purpose, goal and passion with you.

There is so much more to say and do around self-care, passion, and purpose, but for now:

1) Identify your passion, goal and purpose

Passion: what inspires me?, what is my heart yearning to do?

Goal: what do I want to achieve, specifically?

Purpose: Why am I doing this?, why am I here?

2) What “going-within” and “going-without” practices can you put in place?

How can you create a meaningful morning ritual to help you get a focused, centered, peaceful start to your day?

How can you identify and take action on the key things you need and want to do on this day?”

We pass some blueberry bushes, and bear eats some, and then says:

What you eat also influences your health and well being. Which foods support you best? As you become mindful of what you eat, your health will not only improve, you will enjoy your food more. It’s all about becoming more mindful and making conscious choices in your life. It’s about realizing that you are in charge of your life, that you create your life. What does your ideal life look like? How do you move through an ideal day?”

Bear gets ready to leave. I thank Bear and Salmon for all the good advice and end the journey.

As you implement bear’s teachings, you may need to come back and go over this lesson several times and take notes along the way.

Get your own sacred spirit journey – and hear what message an animal or a spirit guide has for you

This sacred spirit journey with Bear’s and Salmon’s messages is a good example of how connecting with animals and spirit guides can guide and support you in your life. If you wish to hear what message of wisdom and healing and guidance an animal or spirit guide has for you at this point in your life, contact Marianne to learn more.




Comments

  1. Marianne,
    I love your wisdom teaching through Bear. So powerful! What a wonderful gift you have to share in this life. Thank you.
    I always pay attention to animals that cross my path and or that I make a connection with and then check with my Animal Spirit Guide book to learn waht message they have for me. I love this process and it works well. But I can honestly say – I do not know if or who my sole Animal guide is. How might I find that out?
    Curiously yours,
    Melanie

    • Avatar photo Marianne Soucy says

      I’m glad that you liked Bear’s teaching, Melanie. I love your practice of learning from the animals that you encounter. There are many ways you can connect with your animal guide/power animal. If you know shamanic journeying, you can do it yourself. I can also do a power animal retrieval for you. If you want to learn more, you can contact me through the contact form on the website. Blessings, Marianne

  2. I have come to love and look forward to the mystical message the animals bring into my life…so far owls, robin, bunnies, deer, snake, and my greatest fear ..the black bear. I have to change this and embrace the majesty and wisdom of the black bear too XO

    • Avatar photo Marianne Soucy says

      Thank you for your comment, Cindy. I bet black bear has some powerful teachings for you.

  3. Beautiful post and one I needed today about self-care and taking charge of my life. I love the bear’s message and have always felt drawn to them for their strength and wisdom. Blessings

  4. I so love this! I think our animal/spirit guides tell us so much about our spiritual gifts and why we are here on the planet. It’s learning to listen and being able to recharge and press the refresh button. I’m learning that lesson all too well.

  5. I loved how you framed your wisdom through a sacred spirit journey. I particularly connected with “On our path through life it is not enough to have a passion or a goal, you need to take good care of yourself along the way.”

    Working with High Achieving Women and having been close to burnout several times in my life I so relate to this message. Thanks for your 4 Rs: Relax, Renew, Recharge, Reconnect. As you recommend, I have found creating my own daily “going within” and “going without” practices to have been so positive in terms of my health, happiness, fulfillment and inner peace. Thanks Marianne for sharing your wisdom.

  6. Wolf is my guide, and I speak with her all the time. Thanks for this lovely post.

    • Avatar photo Marianne Soucy says

      I’m glad you liked the article, Barb. I have met wolf many times in my spirit journeys, and wolf is a wonderful animal and powerful ally.

  7. Very interesting blog, Marianne! I love the lessons you share from connecting with animal spirits. Thanks.

  8. Beautiful article! I thoroughly enjoyed the insight from Bear. Thanks for sharing!

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