I'm going to break the fourth wall and write this page the way that I write blog posts. It's important to me that you know that the dana-only offerings aren't a service or product like the others my professional practice provides.

It's sacred spiritual service that's deeply personal to me.

All the reasons I was discouraged from making this a core offering came to pass, eventually. So for awhile I discontinued these, and made it harder to find my sliding-scale calendar without talking to me directly.

Truthfully, it doesn't feel right or in alignment with my integrity to go on without continuing to offer dana-only sessions. So, I'm bringing them back.

I'm inviting you to lean in towards vulnerability, trust, and building real relationship and community. And, most importantly, to receive compassion, care, and counsel without a price tag, or the need to explain, or needing to be any kind of person other than human.

In turn, I'm asking you for something big. Can you help me make this container one where you and I both get to be reminded of the earnest honesty, kindness, and generosity of people?

Dana Definition

Dana is the the act of giving alms or donations to the monks and nuns in Buddhism / cultures where Buddhism is predominant. The monks and nuns offer teachings without asking a fee, and the community they administer spiritual services to support them with dana.

As my meditation teacher taught the concept to me some twenty years ago, when giving dana what you offer depends at least these factors:

• the value you understand yourself to be receiving
• your means
• that what you gift be such that you have the feeling (as in embodied somatic sensation) of joyous generosity.

That last point is really important. If a given donation leaves you feeling put out and unhappy - that's not generous giving.

You can learn more about dana in the article below. It's an external link, and I'm not affiliated with Dharma Wisdom, or endorsed by them. But this page gives a sense of the way the concept was introduced to me a young Buddhist.

Meaning of the Pali Word “Dana” - Dharma Wisdom

In the Buddhist tradition, the teachings are given freely because they are considered priceless; in the Buddhist tradition we also practice dana, or generosity, by making monetary offerings for the teachings. Dana is not payment for goods or services rendered;

Dharma WisdomMarco

Why Offer Dana Consultations?

The way that I understand what astrology is, why I feel my practice is a vessel for spiritual service, and how I make sense of what's happening when I'm talking stars with a client, is inextricable from my lifelong spiritual practice.

My experience with dana goes back to my teens an attending classes, workshops, and retreats at local meditation centers around the Bay Area.

Dana is the reason I was able to attend my first meditation retreat.

I was 16 the day I arrived adamant I'd become an ascetic renunciate. Straight edge pacifist punk rock activist with a spiritual purpose – I didn't have much interest in the affairs of the world outside social justice and music. I figured the latter I could live without and the former I could continue.

Some things change. But not everything.

Thank the Muses.

I left that retreat 17 and having taken vows of sacred service for the rest of this lifetime and all the next.

Here's how the dana consultations work.

• Dana consults are open to any humans who are people. There are no extra check boxes or intake questions or requirements.
• If you are able to pay the sliding-scale or full session fee, please use one of those options so that these sessions remain available for folks who currently can't.
  
• The calendar below is viewable only by members of the website – free memberships included. (You don't have to be a paying subscriber or be signed up for the newsletters to have access to the dana-only sessions.)
• You will need to use the same email address for the booking as for the membership.
• While you don't need to be signed up for any of the newsletters to access the calendar, you'll probably want to be so that you know when the next month's calendar goes live.

If you've made it this far you're a member on this site now. If you did it just for access to this calendar or if you came for the content - thank you for building trust with me. Whether you've got a free account or premium subscription – thank you for building community and relationship(s) with me, and supporting this work.

It's a rare thing these days.

The deets, in brief:

• There are 3 dana-only (aka donation-based) sessions available each month.
• Sessions become available on a monthly basis.
• They're always conducted on Saturdays, over Zoom, and are one hour long.
• All the other session details are the same as any other session.
• You don't have to pay any amount of money upfront to book a session, and there is no required fee. Instead, you're invited to offer dana.
• You can send your offering/donation via Venmo or PayPal to: @bearryver

If you have any questions, concerns, or need accommodations for accessibility please email: consults@bearryver.com

Use the calendar below to schedule a session.

Bear Ryver is a professional astrologer helping his clients hone strategies for grounded growth and embodied empowerment by bringing them back to the BASICS. Winner of OPA’s Most Promising Astrologer in 2018, Bear has lectured at conferences like NORWAC and ISAR. He holds certifications in Hellenistic, Electional, and Horary astrology, and specializes in Intersectional Astrology. He was a teacher for the Portland School of Astrology, and has volunteered as a mentor for AFAN. When he’s not talking stars, or pulling cards, you can find him climbing rocks and playing guitar.