Wintering with Bear
Kidney Wisdom
Animals carry preverbal instructions that draw us into instinctual ways of knowing—guidance we feel more than explain.
Bear is an animal associated with winter, the kidneys, and the water element. By reflecting on Bear, we learn how to nourish and support our own kidney energy.
Bear teaches us about REST
She shows us how to step away from the light and into the den. To put down our tired heads, allow digestion to slow, and know that hiding away for a season is ok.
Bear teaches us about FAITH
That the salmon in our bellies will sustain us through winter, that berries will return in spring, and that not everything needs our constant tending in order to grow.
Bear teaches us about BOUNDARIES
How to sense when they’ve been crossed and when to rise onto our hind legs and defend what matters. And how aggression, when it appears, is often a response to protecting what we love most.
Bear teaches us about CONFIDENCE
She doesn’t shrink or soften herself, and she is unafraid to take up space. She shows us the weight of our root, the quiet certainty of our will, and the importance of knowing what we stand for.
Bear teaches us about LISTENING
She feels the shift in the season and knows the moment to hide and the moment to rise—when to push and when to rest, when to set boundaries and when to soften.
Interested in Learning more?
Wintering with Bear: A Qigong workshop on faith & deep rest
Join us online December 20th 9:30-11:00 am PST
Cost: $35US
or FREE for Practice Path Members ($44/month for full library of classes)
