Bear Totem

Caution, Healing, Leadership

The power of the Bear totem is the power of introspection. The answers to all our questions lie within us. Each of us has the capacity to quiet the mind, enter the silence and know. Just as the bear hibernates during the winter, people with a Bear totem will be quieter during the winter months. But they must awaken in the spring and seek whatever opportunities are around them. When you have a Bear totem, you are being guided to a leadership role. You must be fearless in defending your beliefs. The Bear also encourages you to exercise your abilities as a natural healer.

A bear totem or spirit guide symbolizes great strength, security and determination for the Shaman. Understanding and working with a bear power animal.

The bear as power animal is intuitive and can often manifest healing. Imagine a bear hug. While one might not wish for such a real life encounter with a grizzly bear, the all encompassing strength of a bear animal familiar is a safe and reassuring environment for restoration of both body and spirit. The bear spirit guide thus helps his shaman companion to heal mental, physical and spiritual wounds with intuition and self-assured courage.

The bear is a symbol of invincibility, offering a secure refuge for those who enjoy the company of a totem bear spirit guide. The Shaman of bear power animal has a determined ally in spiritual work, loyal and utterly dependable.

The bear is an introspective creature, independent and apparently aloof. He has with little need for fraternity, rather he is self-contained and strong-willed. A Bear spirit guide is of great support and comfort to those who crave human company simply for personal reassurance rather than for the simple pleasure of being with friends. He makes lonely periods of life far easier, and can help the Shaman to work in isolation to gain deep insights.

The bear represents female energies, hibernating to reconnect with the earth each year, and emerging with answers to spiritual dilemmas. Those with a bear spirit guide can harness this natural connection with the earth to seek insights within.

n addition to the universal characteristics of bear spirit guides, each species brings its own special qualities to the Shamans they guide in the spirit world:

The Brown Bear, including the Grizzly bear has powerful life force, and a shaman with a grizzly bear power animal takes on this characteristic, becoming almost invincible when faced with physical or psychic attack. Beware the grizzly’s temper however, the dark side of this power!

The Black bear is a practical power animal, discerning and wise, less aggressive and more discreet than the Brown Bear. A well balanced, helpful and warm companion on shamanic journeys.

The Polar bear is perhaps the most powerful bear spirit guide, but also the most stubborn and determined. Little surprise he is such a force to be reckoned with given his harsh polar environment. A Polar Bear spirit guide is a very willful power animal, who can help his shaman charge achieve much, hunting out the desired result with a dogged single-mindedness. It is, however, important to discipline and direct his powerful instincts.