Nature, Unfiltered: The Bear’s Boundary

Black Bear — Topanga Canyon, 2025
(Photographed along the driveway after dark)

📸 Encounter Story

Last night’s safari was just down our own driveway. As dusk settled into full darkness, we spotted her. A bear, standing quietly at the edge of the slope, eyes catching the light.

Topanga Canyon is home to just one known bear family, a mother and her four cubs, and they have been wandering onto our property the past few nights. The encounter was brief but unforgettable. She did not rush or retreat. She simply stood there, aware of us, holding her ground before slipping back into the night.

Since then, our evening walks have taken on a different quality. Slower. More attentive. And the chickens are now very securely barricaded in their coop.

🔎 About the Animal

The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) is the largest land mammal in the Santa Monica Mountains. Though rarely seen, they move quietly through canyon corridors, especially at night, following food sources and seasonal patterns.

Mother bears are highly protective and deliberate in their movements. When they appear near human spaces, it is often during periods of exploration or transition. Their presence is a powerful reminder that these landscapes remain deeply wild.

Meditation Meaning

The bear represents respect for boundaries. Not fear, but awareness. Not dominance, but gravity.

She teaches that presence carries responsibility. That awareness must widen when power enters the field. The bear does not ask for attention. She requires it.

Reflection

In our lives, there are moments when the world reminds us that we are not in control, only participants. The bear brings us back into right relationship with the land.

She invites us to slow down, to listen more carefully, to recognize when caution is wisdom and humility is strength. Some encounters are not meant to be approached. They are meant to be honored from a distance.

Oracle Message

“Know where you stand.”