I am on my journey and I am in the Wood, alone, and it is very quiet, ominous and unnerving. Then I hear rustling and look to see Bear poke his nose through the trees. Fear rises in me as I am aware that the bear could attack suddenly. I hold very still and I feel my heart beating and imagine a protective wall rising between us. There is so much fear.
Then a wordless spirit speaks with emotion to my heart. I am told that I have been misled in believing I’m needing to be afraid. Fear is not required nor even necessary when creating my boundaries… even when faced with life or death and survival.
Bear can smell my fear like food.
So I am shown how to slow my heartbeat and calm myself. There is a teaching on how to set my boundaries, not with fear, but with mindful acceptance of potential dangers. To hold this boundary with love and respect and humility.
So I watch Bear with an open heart, wary and a little concerned, but now I try to see Bear with love and with awe. In this moment I sense that my boundaries, maybe many of my boundaries, can change (or are now changing) into something less dark and selfish and more respectful and honorable.
In this moment, Bear senses my shift and respectfully turns slowly and rambles back through the trees. And I am left with a stronger and more resilient boundary, as I move through the rest of my journey.
This is my journey
— Nate Long “Owl”
Graphite with digital manipulation