The Vision

In 2019, I undertook a vision quest—a ceremonial journey into solitude and silence to seek guidance from the spirit world. This experience changed my life, revealing a purpose I had only glimpsed in fleeting moments. It unfolded as a myth, an archetypal story that now lives in me and inspires my work as a guide for others on their own transformational journeys.

The vision took place over 24 hours of fasting, alone in a grove of juniper and sagebrush near a flowing river. There was no food, no water, only me, the Earth, and the vast silence of the wilderness. I sat in a sacred circle, meditating and listening to the land. It was in a deep, silent meditation that a visitor came.....I began to hear heavy footfalls around me. The steps were deliberate and powerful, as though a large animal or unseen presence was circling my space. Yet, the grove was empty each time I opened my eyes and looked.

The footfalls persisted, unsettling and intriguing me. Later, an elder explained that these were the spirit of the Medicine Bear testing me. The bear was watching, silently asking: Are you ready? Are you worthy?

In the cool fall air that night, I slipped into a dream that changed everything. In it, I was led to a forest clearing where two great leaning boulders formed a narrow entrance, oddly inviting me to enter. Crawling through this opening, I found myself in the den of the Great Medicine Bear. What followed was not merely a dream but a vision—a gift that came with responsibility and a calling.

The Great Forgetting

The vision began with a story, a myth of a people who had lost their way. A deep mist had settled over their village, clouding their hearts and minds. They had become disconnected from each other, from the Earth, and from their Creator.

In the fog of forgetting, they abandoned the old ways. They could no longer speak with the animals or walk with the ancestors. The sacred stories, once woven into the fabric of their daily lives, faded into whispers. Consumed by endless busyness, they rushed from one task to another, striving for things that brought no true nourishment to their souls.

This forgetting was not just a loss of memory but a severing of the connection between heart and mind. The people lived, but their lives were hollow, devoid of the richness that comes from living in communion with all of creation.

The Call of Buffalo Heart

Amid this fog lived Buffalo Heart, a young man who felt the weight of the mist but could not explain why. He fulfilled his daily tasks, trying to be a good and productive member of society. Yet, he felt a pull toward the mountains and forests surrounding the village—a longing he could not name.

At night, Buffalo Heart listened to the elders’ fading stories of the time before the mist, when people lived in harmony with the Earth and its creatures. He dreamed of a world where the Mother’s voice could be heard, where animals were not strangers but kin.

Often, he wandered to the edge of the forest, where he heard a faint melody—a haunting song that seemed to call to him. When he shared this with others, they dismissed him. “There’s nothing out there but danger,” they said. “Get back to work.” But Buffalo Heart could not forget the song.

One autumn morning, he woke from a vivid dream of a cave deep in the forest. From this cave came the song that had haunted him. The dream felt like a summons, a call to venture into the unknown.

The Journey to the Den

Resolving to follow the song, Buffalo Heart left the village, carrying only the clothes on his back and a small bundle of essentials. With each step into the wilderness, the song grew louder, guiding him. Hours passed until he arrived at a clearing. It was the place from his dream.

At the clearing’s center stood a narrow cave entrance, flanked by towering boulders. Fear gripped Buffalo Heart. What if this was the den of a real bear? But something deeper urged him forward. Swallowing his fear, he crawled into the cave.

Inside, the air was thick with the smell of damp earth, and faint firelight flickered ahead. In the chamber beyond, he found a figure draped in a woolen blanket, playing a long flute—the source of the haunting melody. As Buffalo Heart approached, the figure rose, letting the blanket fall.

It was the Great Medicine Bear, the first healer and guide to the soul’s underworld.

The Sacred Charge

The bear spoke in a voice like distant thunder: “I have been waiting for you, nephew. Sit by my fire.”

Buffalo Heart sat, his fear giving way to awe. The bear continued: “The people no longer call on me. They have forgotten the old ways. But you heard my song and followed it here. That is why I have chosen you.”

From the shadows, the bear brought forth a bundle wrapped in elk hide. “This is the medicine bundle. It holds the tools to lift the mist from your people and help them remember who they are. It is not an easy task, but it is your task now. You are no longer Buffalo Heart. You are Medicine Bear. Go, carry this medicine back to your people.”

As Buffalo Heart reached for the bundle, the fire roared, and the bear vanished. Left alone in the cave, he held the bundle tightly, feeling its weight and the responsibility it carried.

The Return of Medicine Bear

Emerging from the cave, Buffalo Heart was no longer the same. He carried not only the bundle but also the bear’s silent flute and a great bear robe. His walk was steady, his heart filled with purpose. He had become Medicine Bear, a guide for his people.

When he returned, the village was wary. Some feared him, turning away from the power he carried. Others were drawn to him, sensing the truth in his presence. Over time, he began sharing the wisdom of the bundle.

He taught the people to walk with the Earth, to listen to the animals, and to live in balance. Slowly, the mist began to lift. The people rediscovered joy, connection, and purpose.

A Life of Service

This vision is the foundation of my life’s work. The Medicine Bear’s charge lives in me, guiding my mission to assist others on their transformational journeys. Like the bear, I walk with those who hear the song of their soul but fear the journey into the unknown.

I believe we each carry a unique purpose, a gift meant for this time and place. It is in the remembering, embodying, and sharing of this gift that we heal ourselves and the world.

Will you answer the song? Will you step into the wilderness of your soul? The Medicine Bear waits.