Description
The Bear Is My Father: Indigenous Wisdom of a Muscogee Creek Caretaker of Sacred Ways is considered a love story between Bear Heart and a community that stretches across the globe. This book celebrates the life, teachings and legacy of Marcellus Bear Heart Williams, a Multi-Tribe Spiritual Leader and author of the critically-acclaimed The Wind is My Mother.
Bear Heart (1918 – 2008), was a Muscogee Creek Native American Church Road Man with a talent for seeing people as individuals, and for making them feel seen and special in their own ways. The Bear Is My Father: Indigenous Wisdom of a Muscogee Creek Caretaker of Sacred Ways contains the final words Bear Heart wrote before his “going on” as well as contributions from friends and family whose lives were forever changed by Bear Heart’s presence and work. In this new book, Bear Heart uses stories of his youth and traditional medicine practices to convey lessons and knowledge about living in harmony and with respect for all.
Offering a mix of history and spiritual wisdom, The Bear is My Father is co-authored by Reginah WaterSpirit, Bear Heart’s Medicine Helper and wife of 23 years.
When Reginah would ask Bear Heart exactly how he made his medicine, he always answered, “I don’t make the medicine, it was here before me. I’ve been entrusted to be a caretaker of certain sacred ways.”
Endorsements
“Even if you never had the privilege of meeting Bear Heart or hearing him speak, you will feel his warm presence when reading these stories and get a feel for the depth of the man. The pearls of wisdom found in these pages can be spiritual guideposts for a good and fruitful life. I urge you to take a few steps down the path of this book and discover how much we all have in common.” — Doug Alderson, author of Seminole Freedom and The Vision Keepers, Walking For Native Americans and the Earth
“The Bear Is My Father is good medicine. Ultimately, this is not a book about a deceased man; Bear Heart is here —a living ancestor who resides in the hearts of those he touched. These pages retain the essence of his teachings, much like a drop of water taken from the ocean is still part of the ocean. This is a superb companion to the original The Wind Is My Mother, and I recommend they be read together for maximum impact.” — Glenn Aparicio Parry, author of Original Thinking: A ReVisioning of Time, Humanity, and Nature and Original Politics: Making America Sacred Again
“In The Bear Is My Father, Bear Heart has given us a path into the spiritual wisdom inherent in the Indigenous experience, by illuminating the deep Native American traditional perspective that everything is connected and related, and all is divine vibration.” — Basil Braveheart, Lakota Elder and author of The Spiritual Journey of a Brave Heart
“Bear Heart’s wisdom is profound and lasting, but more so is his love that lifts and inspires you on your own journey to learn your own ways. Bear Heart sought to help others find strength through their struggles and purpose in their lives. How lucky we are to have his words to guide us, needed now more than ever.” — Laura Baker, Author of Stargazer and Legend
