Today we’d like to introduce you to Steph Bird.
Steph, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Honoring another story is “my” story. I also decided not to use paragraphs today, so there you have this art or whatever that was. I was born in a small farm town in Idaho and presently lives in Encinitas, California. I’m also the littlest “Sister” of four siblings who still love music as much as I do, including the Bible belt stuff that includes a silly Christian album called WOW that keeps playing on repeat, Coldplay, Neutral Milk Hotel, Willie Nelson and Pink, just to name a few. The Feng Shui in my music taste is horribly spiritual, electric and eclectic. I am gender fluid and identify as “we/they/them” or “s:he/her” as a demi-sexual. Neutral is a catch-all category, which is not exclusively feminine or masculine and is part of the greater LGBTQI community. I am a seeker, a traveler, nature-lover, and teacher. I find inspiration in the natural world and in our body’s amazing ability to heal and also severely injure itself. It’s Taoistic in balance. My purpose here on this planet is to listen to the minds and bodies of myself and others, tuning into our innate wisdom. I am also a Reverend at the Universal Life Church and have completed thousands of hours of study in spiritual training and wellness, including certifications in counseling, reiki, nutrition, meditation and even personal finance. I’ve been a counselor and teacher publicly since 2001, enjoying both learning from and educating people in the power of ~> NOW (whenever that is). I’ve always had an interest in art-filled expression, seeking that personal prescription to “be here now” in written form of healing. Above all others, Birdanity is about seeking. This art, along with natural alternatives like Reiki, introduced me to the concept of attunement and holistic health, which is about energetic healing and integrating the mind, body, and spirit to achieve wholeness. Understanding my own experiences with chronic pain and food issues solidified a belief in alternative therapies, including singing meditation. This paved the way for me to become more proactive in supporting my own community with health and well-being. Now, from the studio, I train and teach the simple art of being Present with another. This often includes asexual touch, training, and singing meditation. In the past, I’ve even offered wellness programs in the U.S. and abroad. I believe it’s important to meet people where they are when we are able. That means delivering laughter, singing, and meditation to the workplace, teaching modifications of spiritual practice to people with injuries, and demonstrating how ancient techniques still apply to a modern lifestyle. I probably spend too much time in the training and art studio, but if I’m not there. I might be cooking up something un:healthy in the kitchen, trekking to the beach to meditate on the surf (after getting a concussion and wussing out after the first year I moved here). You can find me in the mornings at Beacons, blissing out with a much-needed walk where I flap my wings and sprint to get the kinks out. People stare, but it’s like jazzercise for my arms and someday I really will fly this Bird plane UP! I was born a woman and when I die, there my vagina will be even still. That can raise some eyebrows because it’s nearly naked most of the time and totally f***ing awesome. I’m a Free Bird with zero intentions of adding any multi-million dollar connections that leave me empty at the end of the day. Simply, transcribed thoughts inside me and outside at Birdanity are a reflection of some Third Eye that isn’t Blind after 38 years of artistically feeling the experiences of others through their own words, vocals, and pitch. With song and music, I find the strength to keep playing what feels like a game myself until I’m ready to retire. Which is probably never since I saw an article the other day about how a 96-year-old man was still making history and thought, yes, please. Anywho… Bird for President! And only because that President’s voice is the same One we all feel inside and ~ I’m ready to Blaze Trails with #you too. Allmen.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The struggle isn’t real, but I definitely was programmed to believe it was in a Baptist home with a great story about Christ and his perfection as a homeless Guru of a lot of Goddess. All who lived off the backs of others and got angry too. With that in mind, I spend as much time today with the homeless because I agree with Jesus as a Brother and have that opportunity to help here in Encinitas. It’s a tribe of hippie gypsies and an opportunity to sit and campfire listen to a song where the only strings attached are our hearts at the end of the night. Were I to offer blanket advice like this was the Miss America pageant, I might say too, 1) Express yourself as often as possible in whatever form feels right, but don’t annoy the living h*** out of others after they whine about you, 2) Pack as light as possible for every heavenly trip, including the one you want to feel at home and 3) remember, “WWWax on, WWWax off” – which is to say that writing is cool and paragraphs aren’t totally necessary to be professional. Also, it’s OK to forget how to spell every f***ing word and using the word f*** might be OK if you bury it inside a really long paragraph about how you are an artist that no one cares two shits about who flaps her wings at a beach after realizing she has adult ADHD. If I need to pace, I let myself get crazy outside and for the love of God, I walk and sing! When I feel a need to move something (like myself) over and again like it’s a calling from God, I move it until I am so f***ing tired of moving I can’t handle another change (until tomorrow). Love is love is love, and you’re perfect just the way you are too, ya’ little hipster. Finally, remember that energy is neither created or destroyed, so no fear was right!
We’d love to hear more about Birdanity.
Branding is somewhat irrelevant to me as a nudist at heart. I don’t dangle around town though because the law requires branding on this skin and I generally follow public policy whenever possible. Overall, I spent many years with a lot of brands in the professional world as a white collar worker who sat at a computer all day. That was a space and time where I got very good at playing the counselor to many and a jack&jill-of-all-trades. After I was fired for being transgender just this year, I created Birdanity to begin offering both training and touch therapy to others and myself after feeling like a Jesus Christ who still needs help. And not just that 3-second free hug from a friend and a five-minute phone call. Turns out, I needed more affection than that and I didn’t always want to talk therapy, counseling or training. I come with a simple desire to receive gentle touch to resolve tension and I imagine so do others. Yeah, I’m a Pro at Training and Touch with a lot of practice, and the goal is that by the end, you will be too and that more people will cuddle and be out ~ loud and proud.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
Mentor yourself through honest personal and professional expression. If you need someone to look UP to, ask yourself for the right people in your life to show you the way, then be willing to release those mentors when they are ready to release you. Expect miracles, the rest will fall into place.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.birdanity.com
- Phone: (406) 646-6855
- Email: birdanity@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdanity
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birdanity
Image Credit:
Steph Bird, Spencer Beals, and Josephine R. Unglaub
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
