Living as Prayer
An Elder's Journey to Sacred Activism
I wrote this article to condense the essence of a powerful conversation I had with Jeffrey Bearheart a lifelong activist, a community elder and a musician, who now shares his work with young children and seniors in hospices.
By this time, I don't need to remind you that we live in a world that's heavily polarized by narratives and there are activists on each and every side. So, the question then becomes: is it possible that there is a form of activism that is grounded in a single truth and perhaps grounded in love, harmony and prayer?
I think that Jeffrey's life embodies one version of such a possibility. What struck me when I started to see him in the community was his engagement, but also his prayerful invocations. I could feel that his prayers were not just words but were something alive.
Jeffrey's story is one of personal transformation that mirrors the evolution of his activism itself.
The Evolution Beyond Traditional Activism
Jeffrey's activism began conventionally enough in the 1980s, but his spiritual awakening transformed his approach. He realized that anger and shame about his identity as a white American man was limiting his effectiveness.
"I was kind of embarrassed and ashamed to be a white American man. There was a real awakening for me to realize, wow, if I hold hatred or malice towards myself and people like me, how can I really love the other species fully?"
This moment of self-forgiveness became pivotal in his evolution toward what he calls "sacred activism"—work that emerges from love rather than anger, from connection rather than division.
This moment of brutal honesty became the foundation for a different kind of activism—one rooted in self-forgiveness and the recognition that division within cannot create healing without.
"We are all indigenous somewhere to this sacred earth. We are all part of a culture that had to be tuned into the earth, had to be tuned into the water, and the air, and the sun, because that is what creates all of life."
The White Bear Vision
Jeffrey's spiritual name "White Bear" came through a Cherokee friend's dream, but it was his own vision on a mountainside that sealed his faith in a deeper dimension of reality.
"One day I was alone on the mountain and had a vision, had a vision of the white bear. Basically it was me, it was just clear as a bell," he recalls. "I can still kind of close my eyes and see the wildflowers on the path up to where they were. And smell the smells and see this incredible nature scene."
In this vision, he saw himself "in white bear robes and regalia and the bear teeth necklaces. But as clear as I'm looking at you right now, as I was looking at myself."
"There's more to this than my friend's vision. So I claimed the name to a deeper level at that point, knowing that I am European and not indigenous to the Americas... to hold it without wanting to dishonor any of the native ways or misappropriate."
Prayer as Universal Alignment
Being more of an intellectual type of prayer and opening the heart are relatively new territory for me. I remember one time, somebody had asked me about what prayer was and I felt that I didn’t have a good answer.
Knowing how beautiful and powerful Jeffrey’s prayers are, I had to ask him what a prayer was to him.
"Prayer is basically aligning yourself and your thoughts with the flow of the universe in the moment," he explains. "It doesn't matter what you call yourself—a Buddhist or whatever. It's aligning yourself with the flow of life in this moment."
His prayers are embodied declarations: "I am this earth, water, fire, and air, and spirit. I am my ancestors. And I am here, and this is what I wish to manifest in my life."
This practical understanding transforms daily activities into sacred engagement with the world's challenges.
Beyond Rigid Beliefs: The Power of Curiosity
Rather than hardening into righteous positions, Jeffrey has learned to approach even difficult people and situations with curiosity.
"Curiosity is another big piece for me, rather than just feeling rigid in my beliefs or judgments, but to try to move to the place of curiosity—wow, that person thinks so much differently than me and acts so much differently... to separate their pure hearts from their actions."
Embracing the Full Spectrum of Emotion
Central to Jeffrey's authentic approach is his willingness to feel deeply and express emotion openly. This wasn't always the case—when his father died at age 33, Jeffrey couldn't cry. But his spiritual journey opened his emotional channels completely.
"I'm not ashamed of tears anymore. I cry for gratitude, I cry with grief, and I just allow them to flow. And it's honoring that water—honoring the water and honoring my passion and my love."
"Being in touch with one's heart—you see my tears. I cry for gratitude, I cry with grief, and I just allow them to flow."
This emotional authenticity extends to his community work. Jeffrey models emotional expression for younger men, even crying in public spaces when moved by world events.
"I was in the men's locker room, and there was some bombing, and I started crying. One of my friends said, 'Oh, it's going to be okay.' I'm like, 'Oh, please, brother, let me have my tears. Let me have my grief.'"
Creating the World We Envision
Jeffrey's sacred activism culminates in a vision that feels both practical and transcendent:
We are creating a world where all people are loved, We are creating a world no longer run by fear, We are creating a world where all beings are held with the sacredness of a newborn child
This isn't wishful thinking—it's a commitment to embodying the change he seeks, one prayer-filled moment at a time.
Here are the links to the audio and video version of this conversation.
[Author's note: This article is based on a conversation with Jeffrey “Whitebear” Domagalski, a community elder, musician, and sacred activist. All quotes are taken directly from our recorded discussion with minor edits for clarity. Editorial structure and refinement developed with assistance from Claude AI.]