How Dodl Bear Appeared in My Life: A Journey of Healing & Magic
- Daisa Morgan
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
Sometimes, the most extraordinary things come into our lives when we least expect them. They arrive as a whisper of inspiration, a vision in meditation, or a moment of clarity that changes everything. For me, that moment came when Dodl Bear appeared, not just as a character, but as a symbol of comfort, healing, and love.
A Bear with a Purpose
Before Dodl Bear became a beloved part of Fingley World, he had a very different role, one rooted in my work as a Reiki Master and Holistic Therapist. During my healing therapy sessions, I would offer a teddy bear to clients, especially those facing serious illness, such as cancer and their care giver. The bear became a source of comfort, something to hold when words felt too heavy. It also became a voice, a way for people to express emotions they couldn’t say aloud.
“The bear is feeling sad today. The bear is scared.” It was easier for them to say that the bear was feeling something, rather than admitting it was their own pain. As time passed, I began incorporating visualization and positive affirmations into these sessions, helping people find a sense of peace through the bear’s presence. But there was a challenge, because of potential contamination, I had to give away each teddy bear after a session.
That’s when the idea struck me: Why not create a purpose-made bear, one designed specifically for healing?
The Journey to Finding Dodl
At first, I thought I could make my own bears. I spoke with a gifted seamstress, and together we unpicked a store-bought bear to create our own pattern. But soon, I realized the challenges, costs, quality standards, and the need for professional craftsmanship. I had to find another way. Then, in 2003, I embarked on a deeply personal journey, to Mount Kurama in Japan, the sacred place where Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, first received his vision of the Reiki healing symbols. I knew Usui’s story well:
He sat on Mount Kurama for 21 days, collecting a stone for each day of his meditation. It was during this time that the Reiki symbols and their meanings appeared to him. His legacy is still honoured through these guiding principles:
Just for today, I will let go of anger.
Just for today, I will let go of worry.
Just for today, I will give thanks for my many blessings.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbour and every living thing.
As I sat on Mount Kurama, absorbing the energy of the ancient trees and the sacred space, something happened. A face appeared in my mind’s eye, a round, smiling face. A teddy bear face. I didn’t understand it at first, but when I returned home and sat in meditation again, the face appeared once more. It was as if this bear was waiting to be discovered.
Bringing Dodl to Life
Determined to create the bear I had seen in my vision, I searched for a company that could bring him to life. That’s when I found Merrythought Ltd, the only remaining soft toy manufacturer in the UK at the time. I reached out immediately and arranged a visit. Within months, my Reiki Bear was created, exactly as I had envisioned him. He wasn’t just a toy; he was a companion for healing, used in my therapy sessions and sold worldwide to others who needed comfort and support. But there was still something missing. I realized that my work with children required a smaller bear, one that could offer the same sense of security and love.
And then, another beautiful connection emerged… as a child, my paternal grandmother had given me The Golden Wonder Book, the book that had planted the earliest seeds of Fingley World in my heart. But she had also given me something else… my very first Merrythought bear.
That bear had a growler inside, something I loved as a child. And now, decades later, I had unknowingly returned to the same company to create a bear that would become part of my life's work. This wasn’t coincidence. It was a story waiting to be told.
The Meaning Behind Dodl’s Name
Dodl Bear wasn’t just a product. He had a name with purpose:
D.O.D.L. – Doing Ordinary Deeds Lovingly.
D.O.D.L. – The initials of my company, Daisa Original Designs Ltd.
Because that’s what Dodl truly represents:
Love in the simplest moments.
Comfort in times of need.
The quiet magic of kindness.
Dodl Bear & The Birth of Fingley World
I often think about how stories weave themselves into our lives, sometimes through memories, sometimes through dreams, and sometimes through the smallest acts of love. Dodl Bear was never just about creating a toy. He was about creating a feeling, one that reminded people that even in life’s hardest moments, there is warmth, there is kindness, and there is always magic. Fingley World was my way of bringing that magic to life, showing that our experiences, emotions, and childhood wonder are all part of a bigger story.
Dodl Bear was just the beginning for me. We all have worlds within us. Memories, emotions, and the stories we carry in our hearts. For me, Dodl Bear was a piece of that world, waiting to be found. And perhaps, if we listen closely, we all have something waiting to appear, a whisper of inspiration, a dream not yet discovered, or a bit of magic we didn’t know we had.
Have you ever experienced a moment of inspiration that changed your life? A symbol of comfort that stayed with you? I’d love to hear about it!
Because sometimes, the most magical stories aren’t the ones we create…
They’re the ones that find us.
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