bears!?!

harperevan

what meanings / importance do people assign to the bear? Bear images have been coming up across the board for me in tarot / oracle readings, as well as serendipitously in everyday life.

I know that bears are in important healer, they know how to gather plants for medicine from their own environments - native people in North America learned about a lot of medicinal and edible plants from watching bears. They are discerning, and selective about what they eat at what time. They are associated with fierce protection (like a mother bear) and they are especially attuned with the seasons. The big dipper is also called ursa major and is associated with the pole star (I don't know really what that means though, does anyone have an idea?). The keywords listed in my druid animal oracle are primal power, sovereignty, and intuition married with instinct.
 

RexMalaki

Bears are big and hairy. They look mean, but they are loving on the inside, but watch out if they get crossed because they do have big teeth to back up their fierce growl.

Bears like to eat. They have to pack away the pounds for the leaner times that are sure to come.

In the northern hemisphere, Ursa Major, the Great Bear, points the way to the North Star, which is part of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. No matter what the season is they are up there in the sky helping us find our way home. Ursa Major is also called the Big Dipper, and the edge of the cup away from the handle defines a line straight to the North Star. The North Star is part of the Handle of the Little Dipper.

pic:
http://www.scienceinthebible.net/KNOWLEDGE_BIBLE/bigdipper_family.jpg

hmmm, harperevan...but what does this mean to you?

can't tell ya'...

Try this: next time you see a bear remember what thought was in your mind when you see the bear! GRR_ROAR!!
 

celticnoodle

you are right that bears are a symbol of healing. perhaps they are showing up in your life right now because you need healing or are being called to follow a path of healing others yourself. bears are also symbolic of taking leadership and becoming sure of yourself. getting over your fears. the bear can also be a sign of possible shamanistic abilities--something you may be interested in exploring.
 

Stormdancer

For me...this time of year...Bear is all about hibernating, but then I'm kinda simple :rolleyes:
 

GryffinSong

Bear, for me, is about grounding energy. About feeling safe, rooted in the earth, and balanced. About feeling nurtured and cared for. That's a personal interpretation based on work with my bear imagery/guide, who showed up for me in meditations around my grounding/root chakra.
 

Mi-Shell

Bar is one of the 4 mayor Clan Guardians of my tribe and like my grandmothers I have to have an intimate working relationship with the Bear Guardian in order to be an effective healer. My patients recline on a Bear fur when I work with them, which over the years became quite scruffy.
Will I EVER dare to replace it? By now has a lot of Power....
By some of my students what I do and how I do it was recently named "The scruffy Bear Fur Tradition" :)
Now, Bear Herself is caling YOU into this circle!
 

harperevan

Wow, this is so much information! "scruffy bear fur tradition", yes! I'm definitely feeling the hibernate / take care of yourself / healing and medicine vibe. My greenwood Judgement card is hanging out on my altar, and I'm hanging out with it, hopefully it will help me access the deeper bear work in store for me. Thanks!
 

Laura Borealis

Stormdancer said:
For me...this time of year...Bear is all about hibernating, but then I'm kinda simple :rolleyes:

Same... on both counts. :D
 

Milfoil

For the female side of Bear, winter is also about creating new life within. An un/sub conscious shift which brings about new understanding and a return to basics.

Is Winter the time for the healer to recouperate mentally, physically and spiritually? I think so and also for the healer within to dream our new life into being.