We’ve got something good going here, eh? The blog has a decent number of daily visitors, I continue to enjoy email contact with some regular readers, it’s looking like something is growing, emerging here.

Yet, it’s time to change. There are two parts of my brain in conflict about this: the intellectual part that points out I’m actually making connections with people here on this current track of talking to dead people they may have heard of, and the intuitive part that tells me it’s time to move forward. The “famous” people I’m sure will continue to chime in when they wish, but that’s really the point – they’ve always come in as friends, at appropriate times, never as part of some kind of agenda.

I guess I’ve been feeling like there’s a developing expectation that I’ll post regularly about talking to someone famous and probably funny; that’s how it’s been going. But the energy of this expectation, whether I’m imagining it or not, has changed how I feel about writing these sorts of entries, has created a block or a resistance. I invite and continue to welcome all of our friends in heaven to pop in to Sweetie or myself and help us along our journey of spiritual learning, and continue to assist in the creation of these blog entries which reach a much greater number of people than I could possibly speak with in a single day. They’ll continue to come. But I need to give myself permission here to do other things, and I hope you folks will continue to come along for the ride.

This week, since recovering from my bout of flu (which has brought much of the community to the hospital with severe symptoms) I’ve has this feeling that I’ve changed. Something is different, and I just know that I’ve left one focus of learning for now, and I’m on a new track; joyously, I’m on an animal & nature track again! This feels like coming home, this is the place I’ve lived, spiritually, since I was born. It feels right and I am content in quiet joy.

It began when I was driving to work: I heard Look to the side, you’re going to see a bear. Bears are common around here, but they’re not something I see every day. I slowed the car a bit and kept a sharp eye on the shoulder of the road. Sure enough, over the top of the next hill, there was a large male black bear sedately eating grass.

Then I thought, “Wait a minute, who told me there was going to be a bear? That bear was completely out of sight when I got that message, I couldn’t have physically sensed him.”

Hello! And there he is, a smiling image of an elder First Nations man riding in my passenger seat.

We communicated with the “knowledge drop” method of concept exchange. He told me his name, which I understood. The English words I must pick to describe his name are “Sacred Bear Grandfather,” which isn’t really a great translation. What his name means is he is a great ancestor, like Sacred Grandmother, and he is particularly aligned with Bear medicine, which is why he showed me a great black bear. He doesn’t appear particularly old physically – he looks like he’s in his mid fourties, with just enough wrinkles and grey hair to denote his senior status, but none of the physical deterioration of age. He presents as strong, fit and healthy. He has a wonderful, friendly smile.

Bear Grandfather spoke to me about animal communication, and the sacred practice of communion with nature spirits. He spoke to me about the importace of learning some Nu-Chah-Nulth, the language of the first nations people in this region. He spoke at length of the first nations children and teenagers who are waking up super-psychic, and how I may provide an example of being “out” simply by living my life openly and sharing my experiences with the community. This act gives others permission to own their experiences too, even though they may never see me in person.

Bear Grandfather helped me to understand that a life well-lived in gentle harmony with the energy and elements is a lesson in the world today. He showed me the contrast of our current culture, which is very “motivated”, very goal-oriented. Culturally, we place little value on a life lived with grace and peace. Living in quiet harmony, in balance with your community and your resources, learning how to shift with the ebb and flow of abundance rather than constantly be working for more.

This is a lesson I need to focus upon right now, honestly folks, it’s a lesson I desperately need.

It’s just too easy to push myself right now, to set a goal of writing a book, or expanding my practice. It would be too easy to leap back into the constant work and stress I experienced while Sweetie & I were living in the city, or during our first years out here when we were running a business. I’ve learned cause and effect. It’s actually a big step for me to embrace the lesson of pause and reflect.

In the spirit of this new period of learning, I would like to open the floor to the animals in our lives in a little corner of the blog called “Paws and Reflect.” I welcome you to email me a photo of an animal in your life, could be a pet who is alive or in heaven, could be a wild animal, an insect, anything! I will post a little message of reflection from our animal friends.

Let’s start with Mocha, my cattle dog in heaven:

Mocha, do you have any words to share with people about living calmly?

I think it’s okay to get excited about things that are right in front of you, and forget everything else! When you have a great smell (shows me something dead she found in the woods) roll on it and toss it in the air and pretend to kill it again! (Shows me her doing this.) It is important to celebrate the happy moments in life, because this is what makes your life happy in the end.

Thank you Mocha. I miss you my sweet girl.