Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 15

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Totem Animals

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Bear Medicine	Birth Totems	Coyote Medicine	Dragon Ranks	Dragonfly Medicine	Eagle Medicine	Four Animal Helpers	Grey Wolf Medicine	Hawk
Heron Medicine	Horse	Magpie	Raccoon	Salmon Medicine	Spider Medicine	Swan Medicine	Thunder Being Medicine	Totem Loss Disc

BEAR MEDICINE
By WakiyelaSapa

Cinnamon, would it be possible to post something on Bear medicine when you have the time?
Bear has been trying to re-enter my life lately and has been very prominent in my dreams of late.
I'd like to come to a better understanding of what he represents. Thanks!

CinnamonMoon:
Sure!
*Ted Andrews/Animal Speak:
Keynote: Awakening the Power of the Unconscious
Cycle of Power: Spring and Summer

The bear is a powerful symbol and image in both myth and lore. Stories abound of individuals
turned into bears, bears into humans, and bears as gods. it has stirred imagination so much that
even a constellation was named for it--Ursus Major, The Great Bear. Seven stars of this
constellation are probably the most easily recognized in the northern hemisphere. these seven
stars form The Big Dipper, and they have links to the seven great rays of light of the Divine.
The bear has lunar symbology as well, giving it ties to the subconscious and even unconscious
mind. It was an animal associated with the goddess Diana, a goddess of the moon. It is also a
symbol for alchemy, the nigredo of prime matter. It relates to all initial stages and primal
instincts.

Like birds, the bear is often considered among native American peoples as kin to humans
because, like birds, it can stand and walk upon two legs. For many, the bear and the wolf are the
last true symbols of the primal, natural world, and many ecologists believe that how humans
respond and protect their lands and their future will be the most honest depiction of how serious
humanity is about preservation of our environment and the natural resources within it.
The bear is the largest of the carnivores, but it will eat almost anything. it is omnivorous, eating
both plants, fruits, and meat. It actually eats less meat than many smaller carnivores, such as the fox.

Contrary to popular belief, bears do not truly hibernate. They do live to a great degree on their
stored-up fat. The body temperature will drop a little (around 13 degrees) and the breathing rate
can be cut in half. The depth of their sleep depends greatly upon the amount of fat stored. This
reflects the bear's ability to teach those with it as a totem how to go within to find the resources
necessary for survival. The bear can teach you to draw upon all of your inner stores of energy
and essence even those which have never been tapped or accessed. Meditating and working with
bear will help you to go within your soul's den your inner sanctum--to find your answers.
During the winter sleep the black bear's kidneys shut down completely, and scientists are
studying this activity, hoping it will provide clues to more successful kidney transplants.
Physicians would love to find a way to duplicate this in humans so diseased kidneys would have
time to heal. This is part of what bear medicine is about.

The kidneys serve a vital function in the body, excreting urine, and also filtering the blood
plasma. Metaphysically, the kidneys are symbols of discernment and discrimination. If bear has
shown up in your life, ask yourself some important questions. Is your judgement off? How about
those around you? Are you not recognizing what is beneficial in your life? Are you not seeing the
core of good deep within all situations? Are you being too critical of yourself or others? Are you
wearing rose-colored glasses? Bear medicine can teach you to go deep within so that you can
make your choices and decisions from a position of power.

All bears are astonishingly swift. The black bear and grizzly can reach running speeds of 35-
40mph for short distances. All bears, including the polar bear, can climb. Only the size of the
tree will discourage the climbing. Bears are often associated with trees. Nature programs love to
photograph bear cubs high up in trees or adults scratching themselves against them. There are
even "bear trees," trees marked with claws as signposts along the well-worn and traveled path of
a particular bear.

The tree is a powerful and ancient symbol, just like the bear. It is a natural antenna, linking the
Heavens and the Earth. Different trees do have different meanings, but in general, it represents
knowledge. It is a symbol of fertility, of things that grow.

A bear teaches you to go in and awaken the potentials inherent, the tree serves as a reminder
that we must bring what we awaken out into the world and apply it--make our marks with it.
Anyone with a bear totem should keep the cub in themselves alive and occasionally climb trees--
if only to get a clear perspective.

For those with a bear as a totem, it is important not to hide away and try to hibernate all yearround.
You must come out of the den. This is even reflected in the birthing process of bears.
Female bears give birth during their heavy sleep, semi-hibernation stages. Usually two cubs are
born, sometimes three. They are born helpless and semi-conscious. The cubs nurse in the safety
and warmth of the den throughout the winter.

As spring approaches, the mother and her cubs will emerge. The cubs will have become strong
enough to follow their mother. This is tremendously significant for those working with a bear
totem. it often reflects a need to go deep within yourself, to have periods in your life when you
can be more reclusive. During these times, you will be able to go within yourself and even give
birth to two or three ideas or projects. They can be nursed through the winter, and then as spring
approaches, emerge with your babies to help them grow.

Those who have a bear as a totem will find this cycle of semi-hibernation and reclusiveness
during the winter very natural. They will also find that with the spring will come opportunities to
act more assertively in regard to that which has been nursed through the winter months. Bear
people should be patient though, as the cubs will usually stay with the mother for up to two
years. This can reflect that those projects you nursed may not come to full fruition until the
second year of the cycle.

Although distantly related to the dog, the bear is a closer relative to the raccoon. There are a
variety of bears. The most common bear is the black bear. This is a kind of misnomer, as not all
black bears are black. They can be brown, cinnamon, and various combinations. They are very
playful, both as adults and as young cubs. This is a reminder for those with this bear as a totem.
The largest bear is the Alaska brown bear. A relative of the grizzly, the brown bear is relatively
solitary. The grizzly has long been known for its strength and ferocity. Although it can be quite
fierce, it is not naturally aggressive.

By far the most outstanding hunter of the bear family is the polar bear. This white bear has no
fear. It is the most carnivorous and aggressive of all the bears. It is at the top of the food chain
and has no enemy other than humans. It feeds to a great degree on seals, and those with this
totem should study the qualities of the seal as well.

All bears have a great fondness for honey. Honey is the natural sweetness of life. It is usually
found in the hives, located in trees, again reflecting a connection between bears and trees. It is a
reminder for those with this totem to go within to awaken the power, but only by bringing it out
into the open and applying it will the honey of life be tasted.

*Brad Steiger/Totems:
The bear is so highly revered as a totem animal that many Medicine priests have adopted "bear"
as a part of their name. According to some tribes, the spirit of the bear never dies, and thus has
become synonymous with supernatural powers and the ability to heal. Among nearly all
shamans, the bear is reverently addressed as "Grandfather."

Throughout the globe and since the Neanderthal cave dwellers, humans who live in proximity to
bears begin to make comparisons to themselves and their powerful woodland neighbor. The
Native Americans were no exception, noting that just like the people of the villages, the bear is
able to live on fish, flesh, or berries. The lumbering giant was known for its great love of honey,
and its keen sense of smell was able to detect the golden sweet treasure of a bee hive from miles
away. The tribespeople watched in awe as their powerful brother snatched the honey from the
hive without fear of being stung.

When the bear was on the hunt, it seemed to saunter in a leisurely manner, its huge feet placed
flat upon the ground and turned slightly inward, thereby causing the forest giant to walk with a
peculiar movement. When it stood upright on its two hind feet, it appeared very much like stout,
powerfully built man with short, bandy legs. But the tribal hunters knew better than to confront a
bear in such a position, for from such a stance it would attack its enemies, using the claws in its
great forepaws to slash at the head and the belly with devastating results.

The Navajo regard the bear with as much respect as any of their human neighbors. They kill
bears only when necessary, and under no conditions would a Navajo eat a single bite of bear
meat. In their eyes, it would be like chewing on the spirit of their ancestors.

Among the old tribes of Northern Europe, the Nordic warriors, known as "Berserkers," wore
bearskin shirts into battle in dedication to the Goddess Ursel, the She-Bear. To the Norse, the
bear was a masterful martial artist, and the she-bear protecting its cubs was the worst nightmare
a hunter could encounter under the Northern lights. Thus, the bearskin shirts were worn in the
hope that the warrior could absorb the great beast's fighting prowess and its enormous
endurance and strength. To the Viking warrior, the bear symbolized the lonely champion,
prepared to fight in single combat.

The bear was a totemic symbol for St. Gall and St. Seraphim. In the Native American zodiac,
those born from August 22 to September 22 are in the Medicine Wheel sign of the bear. Bear
people are said to be slow, cautious, and quiet.

To have the bear as your totem animal is to be aware that you are being guided to assume a role
of leadership. Your spiritual guardian will also encourage you to exercise your abilities as a
natural healer.

You may also be placed in a position in which you will need to defend your beliefs in a firm and
fearless manner, but your bear totem will give you the insight and powers of discrimination to
present the truths of your life-path with confidence and courage. Follow your bear as your totem
guide, and you will be led to greater balance in body, mind and spirit.

*Patricia Telesco/The Language of Dreams:
The grizzly or domineering side of our moods (e.g., acting "bearish"). The wilderness within that
wishes more expression. Heraldic: Among the medieval artisans, this creature provided the
perfect vehicle for visual puns, and usually stood for for-BEAR-ance. She-bear protecting cubs:
The maternal instinct fully developed; righteous anger or anxiety with real foundations.
Hibernation: An alternative type of death dream. Also resting and storing up energy for difficult
times ahead. Fearlessness. The term "berserkers" among warrior clans came from "bear sarks,"
a shirt originated by Artemis to give strength and protection to those defending her lands. Native
American: Supernatural power and fortitude. Biblical: the she-bear, particularly, is portrayed as
ferocious (noted in Samuel, Hosea, and Proverbs). To what project or relationship are you, or
should you be, applying this type of fervently protective energy?

*Bobby Lake-Thom/Spirits of the Earth:
The Bear is always a good sign and special power. He represents wisdom, insight, introspection,
protection, and healing. If you see a Bear while hiking in the woods or along the river, then you
know that a very sacred place is nearby and that the spirits of that area are checking you out.
Respect the Bear and don't intimidate it, pray and give thanks to it, and make a special wish.
Because of their size and temperament they can be dangerous, so don't try to approach one,
either Black Bear or Grizzly. If a Bear comes to the house or around the camp in late fall looking
for food, it is usually a sign that a harsh winter is coming early.

*Timothy Roderick/The Once Unknown Familiar:
Key Words: Nurturing, loving , maternal, strong-willed
Magical Influences: Promotes healing, motherly love, guardian of emotional strength and
mental stability
Personality: Bears can't help but intimidate others who may not know them, but the truth is that
they can be very nurturing, open-hearted, and playful. Bears are highly intelligent and their
curiosity is easily piqued. A bear always knows what everyone's weaknesses are and will strike
the soft underbelly if threatened.

*Denise Linn/The Secret Language of Signs:
The bear represents the power of Mother Earth. Every winter the bear retreats into the womblike
comfort of the caves of the Eternal Mother. If you are given a bear as a sign, this could mean
that you need to enter into a time of introspection and subsequent renewal. A bear sign can
represent the protective, mothering, female aspect of force and power. Very few animals display
such aggressive power as a mother bear when her cubs are threatened. Is there a part of
yourself, or is there someone in your life, that you need to defend passionately and aggressively?
Many Native American peoples consider the bear a totem (or sign) of the healer. Each of us has
the inner ability to be a healer. This could be a sign to step into your inner healing abilities. In
Western culture the bear is associated with the teddy bear, which is cuddly and lovable. This
could be a sign to take time to be soft and cuddly and to return to the simple joys of life.

*Jamie Sams and David Carson/Medicine Cards:
Introspection. The strength of Bear medicine is the power of introspection. It lies in the West on
the great medicine wheel of life. Bear seeks honey, or the sweetness of truth, within the hollow of
an old tree. In the winter, when the Ice Queen reigns and the face of death is upon the Earth,
Bear enters the womb-cave to hibernate, to digest the years' experience. It is said that our goals
reside in the West also. To accomplish the goals and dreams that we carry, the art of
introspection is necessary.

To become like Bear and enter the safety of the womb-cave, we must attune ourselves to the
energies of the Eternal Mother, and receive nourishment from the placenta of the Great Void.
The Great Void is the place where all solutions and answers live in harmony with the questions
that fill our realities. If we choose to believe that there are many questions to life, we must also
believe that the answers to these questions reside within us. Each and every being has the
capacity to quiet the mind, enter the silence, and know.

Many tribes have called this space of inner-knowing the Dream Lodge, where the death of the
illusion of physical reality overlays the expansiveness of eternity. It is in the Dream Lodge that
our ancestors sit in Council and advise us regarding alternative pathways that lead to our goals.
This is the power of Bear.

The female receptive energy that for centuries has allowed visionaries, mystics, and shamans to
prophesy is contained in this very special Bear energy. In India, the cave symbolizes the cave of
Brahma. Brahma's cave is considered to be the pineal gland that sits in the center of the fore
lobes of the brain. If one were to imagine an overview of the head, the top of it would be a circle.
The South would be the forehead, the North the back of the skull, the West would be the right
brain, and the East the left brain.

Bear is in the West, the intuitive side, the right brain. to hibernate, Bear travels to the cave,
which is the center of the four lobes where the pineal gland resides. In the cave , Bear seeks
answers while he/she is dreaming or hibernating. Bear is then reborn in the spring, like the
opening of spring flowers.

For eons, all seekers of the Dreamtime and of visions have walked the path of silence, calming
the internal chatter, reaching the place of rites of passage -- the channel or pineal gland. From
the cave of Bear, you find the pathway to the Dream Lodge and the other levels of imagination
or consciousness. In choosing Bear, the power of knowing has invited you to enter the silence
and become acquainted with the Dream Lodge, so that your goals may become concrete
realities. This is the strength of Bear.

Contrary:
If you have drawn Bear reversed, your internal dialogue may have confused your perception of
your true goals. In seeking answers or advice from others, you may have placed your own
feelings and knowing aside. The time has come to regain your authority, for no one knows better
than yourself what is proper and timely for your evolution. Reclaim the power of knowing. Find
joy in the silence and richness of the mother's womb. Allow the thoughts of confusion to be laid
to rest as clarity emerges from the West, nurturing your dreams as the Earth Mother nourishes
us all.

Bear in the contrary position is teaching you that only through being your own advisor can you
attain your true goals. Anything less than the doing of that which gives you the most joy is
denial. to achieve happiness you must know yourself. To know yourself is to know your body,
your mind, and your spirit. Use your strengths to overcome your weaknesses and know that both
are necessary in your evolution.

Journey with Bear to the quietness of your cave and hibernate in silence. Dream your dreams
and own them. Then in strength you will be ready to discover the honey waiting in the Tree of Life.

*Mary Summer Rain/On Dreams:
Bear characterizes an overbearing personality or situation.

*D.J. Conway/Animal Magick:
One species of bear or another is found from subtropical climates to the polar regions. They are
generally large mammals, with coarse fur, a very short tail. and flat soles on their paws. Their
non-retractable claws are used in digging and climbing. Although they eat almost everything
from fruits and berries to fish and small animals, they are fond of honey. They tend to simihibernate
in colder regions.

The black bear ranges over much of the United States and Canada. The grizzly frequents the
wilder areas of the western United States and Canada; it does not climb like most bears. The
huge Alaskan brown bear is the largest flesh eater in the world; some of them reach as much as
1,400 pounds. They are unpredictable in temperament like the grizzly. The white polar bear is
found in all arctic regions.

The European brown bear is found in both Europe and Asia. The shaggy sloth bear is native to
India. The short-haired Malay bear is a small tropical species. The Himalayan bear has a white
crescent on its breast.

The bear usually minds its own business, but will protect its young with great ferocity. It is so
attuned to the seasons that it knows when to prepare ahead for Winter. When attacked, it will
often stand on its hind legs so that it towers above its opponent.

Countries as far apart as Finland, Siberia, and Japan consider the bear to be a sacred animal,
an animal Master who teaches shamans. Siberian tribes always call the bear the Old Man, the
Grandfather, the Chief's Son, or Crooked Tail. In the Finnish Kalevala this animal is referred to
as the Honey-eater, the Fur-adorned, and the Forest Apple. As the Dog of God, it was thought to
be ten times as powerful as a man and twelve times more intelligent. In parts of Japan, the bear
represents benevolence and wisdom; in China, strength and bravery.

The Arcadians of the Mediterranean area considered themselves to be descended from bears. In
Cretan myth, the the two bears sacred to Artemis cared for the infant Zeus and were later
changed into the constellations Ursa Major and Minor.

Young girl-priestesses in the cult of Artemis were referred to as "cub bears." Once a year during
the festival of Brauronia in Athens, they dressed in bear-skins and paraded to the Goddess's
temple. Callisto, a companion of Artemis, was called the Beautiful She-Bear; she was said to be
the guardian of the Pole Star.

The continental Celtic goddess Dea Artia of Berne was called a she-bear and was portrayed with
a bear near her. Even among the Norse this creature was sacred; it belonged to Thor, god of
thunder and lightning, to Odin, and to Norse lunar water goddesses. The famed Norse berserkers
originally followed the bear cult of Freyja; Odhinn later took over the role of the bear god. The
word berserker comes from the words bear sark, or bearskin shirt. It is quite likely that these
special warriors were initiated into an exclusive Mystery cult, one that taught them how to use
trance or hallucinogens to produce the bearlike strength and extreme bravery they exhibited in battle.

In the Celtic myths, the bear was considered to be a lunar creature. Although now extinct in
Britain and Ireland, the bear lives on in legends. The word arth, which means "bear," is the root
word for the name Arthur. The phrase "Son of the Bear" often appears in Irish and Welsh names.
Alchemists used the bear to symbolize prime matter and the dangerous aspect of the
subconscious mind.

Into the 1900's, Eastern Slavs had a ceremony for a newborn baby; the grandmother laid the
child on a bearskin to bring it good luck and health. Porphyry, in the third century C.E.,
mentioned the same practice.

In Native American lore, the bear was chief of all animals when it came to herbal knowledge.
This creature was connected with healing and the underground earth energy of roots and herbs.
Superstitions: The bear breeds only once in 7 years, according to backwoodsmen in the United
States. These same people say that a child can be cured of whooping cough if it rides on a bear.
Bear cubs are born formless and licked into their shape by the mother. A sick bear will eat ants
or mullein to be healed.

Magickal Attributes: Strength and stamina; can help you to find balance and harmony in your
life. Patience, defense, revenge, wisdom, dreams, intuition, listening, introspection, death and
rebirth, transformation. Seek quiet places for answers and harmony in your life. A creature of
dreams, astral travel, visionaries, mystics, and shamans. To bring balance and harmony.

*Zolar/Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions:
Superstitions about bears abound. Foremost is the idea that bear cubs are born shapeless and
that their mothers lick them into a shape. Hence, unless they have been badly licked, bears are
known for gluttony and courage. The painter, Titian, was said to use as his personal signature a
female bear shaping her young.

In the 16th century, bear grease was considered a cure for baldness. It was also believed to work
against garden blight, if rubbed on garden tools.

Should a child ride on a bear's back, some say it will never contract whooping cough. A similar
belief holds that riding on the back of a bear will cure a young child of fever forever, but an
infant of hay fever only. The fur of a bear was considered an excellent talisman against
blindness.

Country folk in the United States held a belief that bears bred only once every seven years. When
they did, cattle about to calve would lose their young.

A bear's tooth was used as a teething implement for babies in rural America, and sleeping on a
bear skin has been said to cure backache. Legends of bear ghosts appear in the American South
and in some parts of Great Britain.

For the North American Indian, the bear was his greatest competitor. Various Indian tribes
ceremoniously apologized to the dead bear, who was thought to possess great supernatural
powers. Often its head and hide would be used in the ceremonies. In the mythology of the Sioux,
Chippewa, and the Pueblos, the bear is often depicted as a healer. The shaman or medicine man
often dressed as a bear. Tribal legends abound concerning a marriage of a strange woman who
is later found out to be a bear in human form. Then, too, it was thought that a woman and male
bear could unite to produce a divine infant.

The name of the English hero, Beowulf, was derived from "bee-wolf," or honey eater, in
reference to the bear. In Finland, before one kills a bear, one must ask forgiveness.
Archaeologists have excavated skulls of bears placed by Neanderthal men on primitive altars.
The ancient Greeks believed that a bear goddess named Callisto had been transfromed by Zeus
into the constellation that came to be called the Great Bear.

In southern France, an annual spring celebration would be held in which a man dressed as a
bear. He emerged from a symbolic cave, frightened the townsfolk, and performed a mock
abduction of a woman. In western European and some Slavic countries similar ceremonies still
exist. The bear's habit of hibernation has been likened to the phenomena of rebirth, since he
seemingly "dies" and is "reborn."

Last, a tradition from the American Ozarks holds that, when you go bear hunting, you should
injure the bear, but not cripple it. He will be so angry that he will chase you all the way home,
thus saving you the trouble of packing the meat home yourself!

*Lady Stearn Robinson & Tom Gorbett/The Dreamer's Dictionary:
A caged bear signifies future success; a dancing bear indicates luck in speculation; fighting off
or killing a bear suggests victory over hostile opposition.

Mouse:
Grizzly Bear…Role: To Awaken the Intuition~
Lesson: To Integrate the Parts into the Whole
Element: Earth
Wind: West, ~The Quest Within~
Medicine: To channel the Primordial Forces

Bear, Proudly Standing, full of grace and strength, you appear before us,
your face alight with the wisdom of one who has journeyed far
and witnessed much of man's inhumanity to man.
Your gentle eyes weep for the pain you have borne witness to,
your soul afire with the knowledge that there is
so much more to the Walk around
the Sacred Hoop.

Your mind blazes with the desire to communicate to we,
the two-legged, that all life is infinitely precious,
and to be held sacred and revered.
There comes a gentle stirring from Within, like autumn leaves
blown by a restless wind, it harkens us back to a time,
when All walked as One.

When the force of Great Mystery moved across the face
of the waters in the veil of silver moonlight,
and rode freely upon the Seven Winds.
Wise Sister, who reminds us that Destiny`s Beginning and End,
resides not Without . . . but Within
I thank you for your Selfless Love, and pray
we will all hear your call to Awaken
to the glowing embers of
the Soul's Memory.

Keywords:
Awakening the Voice Within Integration Devotion
Introspection Healing Intuition Strength
Wisdom Keeper of Lunar Magic Power
Defense, Protection & Revenge Change
Totem of Healers, Shamans & Dreams
Transformation
Awakening the Voice Within

The Grizzly Bear is a beautiful example of the ~Great Spirit`s~ creative force. She is a creature
at the top of the "food chain" in North America, with tremendous strength and boundless
courage, yet her heart is tender and loving as she looks after her cubs, protecting them from all
harm while simultaneously teaching them the independence necessary to survive in the ever
changing landscape in which they live.

Grizzly Bear possesses an internal clock that alerts him to the changing of seasons long before
obvious indications begin to manifest. He will store an extra layer of fat that will assist him
through the long months of winter in which food is scarce.

Contrary to popular belief, the Grizzly does not go into "hibernation" though his metabolism and
heart rate may reduce by nearly half to help preserve the extra calories stored in his fat layer.
This same tendency to go into a state of semi-hibernation translates to the one beside whom
Grizzly strides as the need for periodic intervals of solitude and/or introspection, with some
human counterparts actually mimicking the Bear’s penchant for longing periods of sleep needed
during the winter months. From the inner reaches of his contemplative mind,
Grizzly will find the solutions to any problem, issue or lesson that he is
faced with and hence is a masterful problem solver.

What is the internal voice that beckons to Grizzly that the time is approaching to store the food
which she will contain within herself? An inner voice that alerts her to potential danger to her
cubs, long before sight or sound of threat is seen or heard? Some would simply say survival
instinct, yet is this the only explanation, or merely the surface answer to a
fathomless lake? Whatever the "true" source of this Inner Knowing, Grizzly listens to the call
whispered softly on the breeze and heard echoing from the mountain tops as she awakens to the
Voice Within.

One with Power Totem Grizzly Bear is an individual whose Role along the Red Road of Physical
Life, is to Awaken the Voice Within, and thus, much of her Life will be dedicated to stirring to
consciousness, the Voice of the Soul. Yet this is only the first step, as the Grizzly Soul is here to
teach others to listen to the gentle stirring of the Inner Voice, to awaken to the Music of the
Intuition.

Integration
In the heavens, the celestial body which represents Grizzly Bear is Ursa Major (Great Bear) the
constellation which is better known by most as the "Big Dipper." Seven stars comprise this
constellation and are said to represent the Seven Rays of Divine Light as follows;

Ray 1: All are One / Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.
First Stepping Stone along the Pathway of Peace is Spiritual Faith.

Ray 2: Honor one another/Treat Mother Earth, and all that dwell thereon,
with respect.
The Second Stepping Stone is Spiritual Awareness.

Ray 3: Honor the Self/Look after the well-being of mind and body.
The Third Stepping Stone is Spiritual Healing.

Ray 4: Love is Divine Power/Give assistance and kindness wherever needed and remain close to
Great Mystery.
The Fourth Stepping Stone along the Pathway of Peace is Spiritual Love.

Ray 5: Surrender personal Will to Divine Will/Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.
The Fifth Stepping Stone is Spiritual Charity.

Ray 6: Seek Only the Truth/Do what you know to be right and be truthful and honest at all times.
The Sixth Stepping Stone is that of Spiritual Cleansing.

Ray 7: Live in the Present Moment/Take full responsibility for your actions.
The Seventh Stepping Stone on the Pathway of Peace is Spiritual Insight.

These are Universal Truths that many philosophies, including Earth Medicine, embrace. For all
souls who incarnate into flesh, the embracing of all seven rays are a key element to the evolution
of the eternal spark, the ~Soul,~ yet for Grizzly Totem in particular, there will be a conscious
and concentrated effort upon fully understanding and embracing all rays so that Integration can
be achieved.

The challenge for one born with Grizzly as their Power Totem is to come not only to understand
the true meaning to each of the Seven Rays, it is crucial that they then fully integrate each of the
rays into the soul so that it then becomes a "natural" state of being. Obviously, this is a multidimensional
task and one which will take more than one lifetime to achieve. With each cycle
around the Sacred Hoop, Grizzly soul learns one of the Rays until he/she reaches that lifetime in
which all seven rays have been experienced, understood and integrated separately, and are now
to be understood, experienced and integrated as a Whole.

As an example, one may be born with a natural resonance to Ray 2 (Honor One Another) as this
has been learned in a previous incarnation, yet may come in with a "weak" understanding of Ray
7 (Live in the Present Moment) and so the challenge for the Soul then becomes to fully
understand, absorb and integrate Ray 7 so the Whole may merge and become a "natural" state of Being.

Learning this on the Soul level is just the first step along Grizzly Totems Path however, as then
the next step, after the individual integration has been achieved, is to then assist others (through
both example and instruction) upon the Seven Rays and how one may then go about integrating
the Parts into the Whole. Yet with the inherent strength of this Totem, all is Possible.***

Introspection
During the autumn, Grizzly Bear begins foraging for food to store the fat necessary to see her
through the long and lean winter months. Her metabolic rate, respiration and heart beat will slow
considerably during this vulnerable time, inducing a semi-conscious state that will leave her
lethargic and napping for long periods of time.

While in this natural state, nature ensures that Grizzly Bear will survive the winter months when
all food sources are scarce. This is where the slowing in the metabolic rate and the extra layer of
fat will be utilized to its optimum.

Since Grizzly is an omnivore, once he emerges from his den in the spring, food will be abundant
and varied, yet if not for his storage of winter fat to provide him with the sustenance his body
needs, Grizzly Bear would surely parish.

As Grizzly Bear must call upon her layer of fat during the lean months of winter in order to
survive until the spring, so must one who has Totem Grizzly go Within to digest new lessons,
information and experiences. This is the gift of Introspection and a key component of Grizzly
Soul`s ability to learn the Medicine of Channeling Primordial Forces. This also reflects a deeper
vulnerability that lies within the Core of the Grizzly Soul, for although these are beings of
incredible inner strength, there is equally a deeply rooted aspect of themselves which few will be
allowed close enough to see, a beautiful inner child that is spectacular in its tenderness and
shining intensity. Only very select and “worthy” souls that the Grizzly individual can trust will
be welcomed in here, yet it will be a profound experience that one blessed enough to witness this
“inner self” of their loved bear will never forget.

The energy which flows as a never-ending stream through all living things is a Primordial Force
that can be tapped into and channeled for the benefit of the Self and Others. However, it is key to
understand the power and responsibility that comes with the ability to tune into this Energy, as it
needs to be utilized only from ~Higher Intent/Purpose.~ One who chooses to channel the Force
for negative purposes or selfish ends, will ultimately have a heavy debt to repay.

For this reason, the gift is mastered over many lifetimes and reaches full potential only when the
soul has reached a significant level of growth and maturation, yet once this level of maturation
has been attained, the Soul will burst forth, much as the Life-giving rays of the sun herald a new
day, touching all in its golden brilliance. Then, Grizzly Soul may learn/remember the Ancient
Knowledge and wield the Light of Eternal Energy to benefit all who dwell above, upon or within
the Earth Mother as he/she walks in harmony beside the Ancestors, heeding the whispered
Wisdom of the Sky Nation as Grizzly Soul fulfills his/her role along the Red Road of physical Life.

Devotion
Among the creatures of the wild, Grizzly Bear is one of the most devoted and nurturing of
mothers. There is nothing mother Grizzly will not do to protect the lives and well-being of her
cubs. up to and including, laying down her own life if necessary to ensure the survival of her
offspring.

Bear cubs are born during the long months of winter, and are nurtured within the cozy confines
of a den or cave. They will emerge in the spring with their mother as she instructs them in the
skills they will need in order to survive on their own. Typically, the close bonds will not be
broken until the cubs have reached their second year of life, at which time they will leave the
protective watch of their mother to face life on their own.

One who walks with Grizzly Bear as their Power Totem is an individual whose heart is limitless
in its capacity to feel and give love. These are devoted parents, children, siblings and friends who
sincerely believe that we are here to ~Love One Another.~ Because of their ability to love so
completely and with sincere devotion, these individuals may face many lessons with discerning
healthy boundaries so that others will not endlessly drink from their beautiful waters without
then continuing to send the love and energy on. This may be a challenge as Grizzly Soul feels the
desire to nurture and protect all they come to know, and yet some souls will simply use the
energy to sustain their own life, rather than make the most of it to gain their footing and continue
forward along their own path. This is where Grizzly must come to recognize the "psychic
vampires" for what they are, and learn when they are actually impeding the progress of another
by allowing the "feed" to continue.

Once the lesson of healthy boundaries has been thoroughly absorbed, Grizzly soul will find
him/herself with a partner than is capable of reciprocating the deep and rare love that these souls
have to share. The devotion, purity of heart and depth of love that the Grizzly Soul possesses will
be a beautiful Gift that will leave an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of one who is
blessed enough to be loved by these truly unique and wonderful beings of light.
From: wolfs_moon.tripod.com/grizztotem.html (mind the pop-ups!)

CinnamonMoon:
Bear represents maternal love, patience, and nurturing; healing, balance, and harmony; the
cycles of death and rebirth; discrimination, wisdom, strength, protection, and defense; dreams,
intuition, and introspection; and the psychic powers the shaman uses to journey into other worlds.

Bear is Mother energy; exemplifying a gentle and often playful nurturance accompanied by
healing love. her ave is the womb of Mother Earth and she will teach you to enter into the
Silence within to face the smoking mirror. These inner reflections you see will show you your
true self with all its weaknesses and strengths. You will learn to seek the Silence, to desire the
inner truth of matters, to go to the heart of them swiftly. You will learn to react and draw from
your inner courage and strength to sustain you and gain control of your life as well as the
purpose for doing this with gentle love.

Hibernation reflects immortality, the power to heal, to lead with discrimination, confidence, and
the ability to draw on courage in time of need. Bear will teach you that balance, harmony, and
centering of the mind, body, and spirit bring you control of your emotions. Using emotions as
triggers that draw your attention to important issues; and allowing you to shut down these
emotions so you can take the time to reflect with greater clarity. This is done by awakening the
inner self and your instincts.

As the guardian of the Dream Lodge, Bear will teach you to trust in, and work with, your
dreams. She is the Keeper of Prophecy and Vision. When she comes she speaks of deep truths
that cannot be ignored. She shows you how to know yourself and to be true to that knowing. She
is the teacher of deep psychic abilities that lead to shamanic journeys and projection of the inner
spirit. She will show you the secret of going within to achieve levels of trance that lead to sacred
dimensions—which are doors to other realms; and, she will show you the ability to project your
spirit into them.

The Druid Animal Oracle by Phillip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm
Bear: Primal Power, Sovereignty, Intuition married with Instinct
Bear connects you with the very deepest of your ancestral roots. Here, at this level, you are in
touch with the Primal Mother--the Bear goddess Artio who will defend you fiercely from all
danger. You are connected also with the Bear god Artaois, the mighty warrior Arthur, the
guiding Pole Star of the Great Bear. Your intuition will never fail you, if you will listen to it in
the still darkness of the night. Working with Bear gives you the opportunity to become a Spiritual
Warrior--like Arthur. You can find the way to come into your power by marrying your strength
with your intuition. Integrating your primal power with your intuition means uniting your starpower
with your animal-power and both are symbolized by Art, the Bear.

Contrary the bear gives a clear warning that you must take care not to be overwhelmed by the
ferocious mother, by the berserk warrior--by forces of anger and primal ferocity that, untempered
with the human qualities of compassion and reason, can damage not only your own
life, but these of others around you. Art brings a strong presence and great reserves of power,
and with perseverance you will be able to integrate your spiritual, intuitive qualities with your
primal, instinctual qualities.