IN FOCUS

Owen O. has found the perfect program in LOH where he gets many opportunities to be involved in community activities with his peers. He and his best friend, Zahamit, enjoy bowling together as his coaches, Zuly and Michelle assist them. Another one of his favorite activities is going to Underwood Farms' pumpkin patch to choose a pumpkin to  carry home.

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After a delicious lunch at Islands, one of his favorite places to eat, he is then off to music expressions where he gets to prove his singing and dancing skills with the other participants.

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Owen now has his sights on going to Sky Zone and back to Griffith Park. I think we should make that happen for him.

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Owen says at LOH, "everyone is really nice and cool."

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We are happy to have Owen in the program!

HIBERNATION

The above video gives one a sense of contentment, a period of restfulness. Can you imagine having this as a view outside your bedroom window? You could sleep in perfect peace, hibernate like the bears and other animals.

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"For a long time, animals have been observed as presences that teach through their way of life, how they move, protect themselves, and adapt to changes in their territory. The bear is one of these significant figures.

Its behavior is inspiring because it reflects a calm and balanced way of being. It moves forward when the time is right, withdraws when necessary, and protects with strength, without unnecessary agitation.

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From this perspective, the bear emerging from hibernation does not only represent the return of spring. It becomes the image of an important transition. After silence comes return. After slowing down, strength resurfaces. After withdrawal, it becomes possible to move forward again, with greater stability and awareness.

For a long time, animals have been observed as presences that teach through their way of life, how they move, and adapt to changes in their territory. In several traditions, this relationship is part of a broader vision, such as that explained in the meaning of totem animals in Indigenous cultures, where each animal carries a teaching.

Hibernation is one of the most fascinating aspects of the bear. For a long period, it withdraws from the movement of the outside world. It enters a different, slower time, dedicated to preservation and transformation.

In several Indigenous views, this behavior is seen as a profound teaching. The bear does not flee or abandon its strength: it preserves it. It does not disappear: it changes its relationship with life. Its withdrawal reminds us that there are periods when outward action must give way to inner listening.

• it withdraws when the territory changes

• it conserves its energy

• it passes the winter in silence

• it waits for the right moment to return

This image reminds us that every living being needs cycles. There are times to act, but also times to reflect, observe, and regain strength. In a more spiritual reading, hibernation becomes a metaphor for introspection, inner healing, and invisible maturation.

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When the bear emerges from its den in spring, this simple gesture takes on a strong symbolic meaning. Spring marks the return of light, the movement of water, the reopening of paths, and the awakening of life. In this context, the bear becomes a figure of renewal.

It symbolizes:

• the end of a cycle of withdrawal

• the return of vital energy

• a rebirth after a darker period

• the ability to start again with greater inner strength

This renewal is not noisy. It is deep, stable, and natural. The bear returns in the rightness of its rhythm. Its symbolism reminds us that true renewal is built in calm.

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Today, this symbolism remains deeply resonant. It can represent:

• emerging from a period of fatigue or doubt

• regaining stability

• returning to oneself with more clarity

• gradually resuming one's place

• respecting one's rhythm

It does not encourage immediate performance, but a solid and lasting return."

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Provided by www.artisanatautochtone.com/

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