Bear Medicine

This is the powerful energy of the cave, going deep within Mother Earth to renew and heal the self or to transmit healing to another. Bear is a powerful ally who offers protection and guidance during stressful situations or to resolve long standing problems in which you feel locked in and can't find a way out. Bear teaches us how to be silent and still so that we may receive higher guidance and inspiration. Bear also teaches us how to meet all of our needs from within so we never have to go without. Through Bear, we learn to access the guidance of Shamans who have walked this path before us and have many gifts to share if we will but receive them.

The essence of Bear teaches us how to dream what is desired into physical reality. Of all the species, Humans probably spend more time acting and doing than listening and being, often much to our detriment. We do not shape shift our reality through constant, often inappropriate actions but through the focused thought and emotion of the mind and Soul. The Soul or Higher Self speaks to us through our emotions, when we feel good and uplifted we know we are on the right path, taking the right actions because our Soul is sending us the emotion that this feels good. The Soul always seeks pleasure and ease, never strife, pain or struggle. When we feel ill at ease, in pain or stuck, then we know our Soul is saying to us that there is a better way but we must slow our breath and activity down long enough to hear what is being said to us. Bear medicine can teach us how to do this if we examine Bear's own cycles of living.

Bears do not actually hibernate in winter. Instead, they go into a deep sleep. They do store up enough body fat to survive the long winter months ahead and those with Bear as a totem, may also find that they too need to set aside resources to tide them over during the slow cycles of their lives. These resources can be money, food, even time. Bear can teach us how to use our time wisely, even how to "store" it be cutting back on those things that keep us "busy" but not truly productive. If you find yourself constantly rushing about and always doing, yet your hopes, dreams and goals never seem to materialize, then its time to tune into Bear and ask for counsel as to how to make better use of the time you have. Bears are very focused on doing what they know they need to be doing during the spring, summer and autumn times. As the old saying goes, "make hay while the sune shines" and they do! A bear that does not focus its time and attention on seeking out food sources, mating and finding a den at the appropriate time will not survive during its long sleep. Its not only people who carry Bear medicine that need to heed this. Those who

constantly defer the time and energy needed to put into their own needs, goals and dreams in favour of constantly helping others will soon find their energy depleted. For some, it can become a matter of life or death. When we don't follow our own dreams, when we are constantly setting aside the things that bring us happiness and a sense of fulfillment because others always seem to be needing our help, time and attention, we are literally starving ourselves of life energy. We are cutting ourselves off from the life force that keeps us alive because we are no longer living for ourselves as we were meant to, but instead are allowing someone else or many someone else's to drain off our life force for their own needs and purposes. We each came to this earth with many wonderful and valuable gifts to share. Each of us has a contribution that only we can make. It is in the finding of and making that contribution to the world that allows the life force of the Universe to flow through us freely.

Bears know this instinctively. They are not the most "sociable" of creatures, unless it is a time for mating, adult Bears tend to steer clear of one another. A Mother Bear will defend her cubs with her life if need be and yet when they reach the age of two years, they are also expected to begin making their own way in the world. Bears fully expect to pull their own weight, paddle their own canoe. Those that do not, do not survive. So too do those that carry Bear medicine need to set proper boundaries with others and focus their time and attention on those things that matter to them. Especially if the Bear person has children of their own! Because Bear people are viewed by others as being so strong and powerful, others tend to be naturally attracted to the energy of the Bear person, seeking support and even protection. The Bear person needs to remember though that their own children/family needs to come first. Those human "cubs" have an awful lot of learning and growing to do and they are going to best learn from you! Children of Bear people often do better being homeschooled for example, and they do tend to look to the Bear parent as being their primary teacher for many things in life.

Interestingly enough, the Bear parent often find themselves needing to remind others frequently that their own children's needs must be attended to before anything else. Its as though everyone wants to be "adopted" by the Bear person! In part, this is because the Bear person seems to be such a powerful force, as though they have endless reserves of strength and energy. Yet these can be depleted easily if the Bear person is not actively seeking out those things that keep them filled and nourished. This is also true of Bear people who do not have human children but creative children. For these people, creative projects can take up to two years of focused attention and energy, and the Bear person needs to remind themselves that if its truly important for them to

be doing, then they need to be totally committed to seeing the project through to completion. This may mean that they do need to let others know that for a time, they must remain on their own path with heart. I have known many Bear people who have said "every time I try to embark on something that has great meaning, purpose and enjoyment for me, I find that others try to make me feel guilty and/or they start demanding even more of my time and attention!" If others are unsure of their own ability to do for themselves, they may feel they need the Bear person to do it for them as the Bear person always seems so strong, competent and capable. And they are! Some Bear people are capable for a time of juggling their own needs with the needs of many others. Yet it can be a fine line to walk, especially for those who truly wish to serve, they must find ways to serve that also teaches others how to fend for themselves and not allow others to become dependant upon them. Allowing others to become dependant is not a gift for them. It only teaches them to become even more dependant and they never feel they are ever as capable of achieving things on their own which also breeds resentment over time. Eventually for the Bear person, it can lead to burnout and illness. Sometimes the Bear person may need to realise that if something is important enough to the other person, then they WILL find their own way through. If it isn't important enough to the other person, then the Bear person cannot be expected to shoulder the burden for them.

Children who carry Bear medicine themselves may appear to be very independent from an early age and yet don't be fooled by this! While it is important to allow them to explore and do things for themselves from an early age, they also need to have the strong reassurance that they are loved, supported and protected. It is this sense of being loved and supported by the parents, and often especially by the mother, that allows the Bear child to fluorish and grow up to become very strong and capable adults that will go far in the world. Bear children also need to be allow to explore the world around them as they by nature tend to be very curious. Yet just like a Mother Bear watches over her cubs carefully, so too does the human parent of a Bear child need to keep a sharp eye on their own offspring! It seems as soon as one's back is turned, the Bear child has their hand/paw in a "bee hive", trying to get at the sweet honey within and sometimes getting stung in the process. They will learn and learn quickly, yet they also need to feel that the parent is close at hand if needed. Bear children do tend to mature rather rapidly and yet also have a strong playful side that needs to be encouraged.

Cycles of rest, sleep and dreaming, including daydreaming, are important to Bear people. When Bears sleep through the winter, they are actively dreaming

the reality they will encounter upon their emergence from their den in the Spring. This dreaming is done in partnership with every other living thing they will encounter, from plants, to other animals, to rivers, streams and the earth itself. Agreements are reached between all involved to assure that full cooperation and benefit is reaped by all. Bear knows precisely where to go to find the best of everything life has to offer because he/she has already dreamed it into being. Humans tend to discount their dreams, both the nightly variety and the sort we have while daydreaming. We are taught that dreams are simply a hodge podge of scenes that make little sense upon awakening. Yet the Inner Dream Weaver knows that the more confusing or even frightening the dream, the more likely it is to get our attention! Because we as humans in the west have forgotten the importance of dreams and dreaming, our dreams seem to be compelled to come to us cloaked in odd disguise. Calling upon Bear medicine or speaking of your dreams with a Bear person can be very helpful in sorting out what messages the dream is bringing you. Great inventions in the sciences, music, art, literature, all have been born of dreams as have solutions to everyday problems. A simple yet effective way of cultivating a dream is to call upon the energy of Bear, focus on Bear in your mind and hand Bear your request for a dream that will help you feel inspired, bring healing or help you resolve a challenge. As you are falling asleep, try to picture Bear ambling off with your request knowing that you will have a dream that night that will be of great benefit for you. Be sure to record any dreams you have during the night upon waking! Even if they don't seem to apply to your situation, trust what Bear has brought back to you and spend as much time as you can throughout the day pondering the dreams. The more focus and attention you put on them, the more the message will become clear. Be sure to Thank Bear as well, I like to burn some Cedar or Oakmoss incense or place some Tobacco under a tree outside to give back to Bear. Those who appreciate what they have been given will find that more help is always made available to them!

Some Bear people say they need frequent rest cycles throughout the day and find it very difficult to stay awake during the afternoons. Our ancestors would sleep during the heat of the day and be most active in the morning and early evening hours when it was cooler. In Bear people, this inheritance tends to be very strong which can be disruptive for some folks that do not have the advantage of being able to have a kip in the afternoon. Paying attention to a good diet, making sure one is getting enough sleep during the night by wearing earplugs to keep noise to a minimum, and keeping a heavy curtain over the windows so one is not awakened too soon in the mornings can be helpful. Its also interesting to note that many of the Bear people that have complained to me that they felt so tired in the afternoons were not dreaming

well at night. Bear people need to dream! If they have blocked their dream processes during the night, the body, mind and soul will attempt to find ways of encouraging more active dreaming during the day. Often these same Bear people have stated that when they have been able to sleep during the day, they have very intense dream cycles. Sometimes allowing time during the day for a good daydream can also be very helpful. For Bear people, dreams help to keep the body in balance, the mind strong and the emotions balanced. It is also nurturing for the soul when we allow ourselves to dream for dreams ARE the food of the soul! There are many wonderful books on how to cultivate dreams and work with them, Robert Moss has written three that I find especially helpful. It is interesting to note too that those who suffer from insommnia often find that working with Bear medicine or vibrational Bear essence helps them to get their sleep cycles more under control.

Bear also teaches us how to provide healing for ourselves and others for Bear knows that when even one person, place or thing is out of balance for any reason, the whole fabric of life is impacted by it. Bear's method of healing is through the stilling of the mind and body, to enter the cave that leads to the underworld where great refreshment and possibility are always waiting to emerge into the middle world. When we enter through the gates into the Underworld we are shown what it is that needs to be shed or released from our lives, hat has been holding us back or impeding our forward progress. Many times it is through past agreements or contracts that are outworn or out dated that need to be released from the auric or etheric field. Bear helps us to either renegotiate such agreements if it is to our benefit to do so or helps us to break them completely so that new agreements may be reached with others who have our higher interests at heart. Sometimes one of the hardest things to do in life is to break off relations with another person. It may be a family member, a friend, a client or co-worker, yet Bear understands that each of us much walk our own path alone. If we tie ourselves to other people or situations that are not in our best interests, then in reality we are miles off our true path. Remember that Bears do not congregate in actual social groups. The next time a program on the telly comes on about Bears, watch how they behave around one another when they come into contact such as at a common water or food source. Each Bear tends to define its boundaries and watches carefully with one eye what the other Bears are doing. Each Bear knows precisely what it needs to do and while there are skirmishes from time to time if one Bear gets a bit too close to another, for the most part each is very focused on going on with its own business. I remember one time being in Yellowstone park and seeing a rather large congregation of Bears. There was a line of cars that would stop and the Bears would amble over, hoping for a food handout. What was so marked to me though was how each of these Bears seemed to know which cars

were "theirs". They would stay in place as the cars inched forward, almost like royalty in a receiving line. Not once did I see a Bear leave a car and head towards its neighbours. Not even when the occupants of one vehicle through food out the window (something one should NEVER do! It can be very dangerous both for you and the Bear!) did the other Bears try to grab a share.

Defining and if needed, defending one's space/territory in and of itself is extremely healing for many people. Especially for those who live in large cities where privacy and space is often lacking, its important to define what your space is and honour it as sacred in what ever way you can. We live near some very noisy neighbours so I sometimes will put on some music or wear headphones while I am working to block out their noise. I am also very cautious as to whom I invite into my personal living space. I try to keep only those things in my home and around me that have great personal value and meaning for me and I encourage my children to do the same. Because I live in such a large city where there are so many different vibrations going on and not everyone has learned to respect other people's space, I have tried to create a healing/nurturing sanctuary within my home so that when I return from the outside world, I can feel supported and rejuvenated. Candles, incense, crystals, figurines of sacred Beings such as Buddha and Ganesha are important to me as is my collection of vintage replica posters. Flowers and plants, support me as well. Plants also help to block out views of neighbouring spaces that are less than appealing. I call upon the guardians of our home to keep the energy as high and pure as possible, and I clean on a regular basis. All these things help me to both define my own space as well as providing support for my life's work and other activities. Bear people really seem to need this, we need a "den" as it were that we can return to for dreaming, healing and creating.

Bear people also need to feel very close to the earth, grounded and stable in their day to day lives. Bears seclude themselves within the earth in the their dens over the winter months and so too do Bear people need to seclude themselves within the earth in some way. Again the home can be seen as a den, yet there are other things Bear people can do to feel more connected with the earth. Gardening can be very helpful for Bear people, and if they can grow some type of berry for their own table, so much the better! I have known several Bear people who were Bee keepers and also tended gardens both as a way to give their bees greater access to organically grown flowers as well as keeping themselves grounded. Herbs and Bear people seem to go hand in hand as well. Bear people often have a real knack for determining what Herbs might be useful for healing, almost as strongly as Badger people do, especially when it concerns dis-eases of the lungs. Water is also an important component

for healing of Bear people as well and one that many seem to forget! After all, who could be a better fisherman/woman than a Bear! Polar Bears are also amazing swimmers, most Bears are, and they truly do seem to enjoy being near or in water. Keeping an indoor or outdoor fountain or even an aquarium can be very healing and soothing for Bear people. It also helps the Bear person to understand the importance of the emotions (water) as they impact the physical body (earth). They realise that just as earth creates a natural dam for water, so too does the body contain all the emotions one may feel. In order for the body to regain health or remain healthy, the emotions need to flow freely just as a river or stream needs to flow freely to remain abundant with life.

Bear people also seem to respond quite well to flower and vibrational essences, especially those produced from Herbs or Berries such as Blackberry. Some essences that may be helpful for Bear people in general include:

Bear Essence (Shamanic essences) Blackberry (Fruit essences) Strawberry (Fruit essences) Bear's Thread (Flower essences) Smokey Quartz (Gem essences) Blue Flax (Flower essences) All Garnet Gem Essences Cedar (Flower essences) Spanish Red Thyme (Flower essences)