Bear Spirit Animal
With its shaggy fur and formidable strength, the bear has long been a symbol of power and wildness. It represents the untamed, primal forces of nature and the raw, unbridled energy that lies within us. But the bear also has a deeper, more spiritual meaning. A guide to your dormant emotional and intellectual resources, the bear spirit animal can be an unpredictable wild card in our life – wild in nature but wise and gentle on the inside.
So how does the bear spirit animal fit into your life, and what does it teach you about yourself? Let’s take a look at its traits and the lessons it has to offer.
Symbolism of the bear
Positive symbolic meanings associated with the bear include:
- Strength and Confidence
- Protective Power
- Courage
- Motherly love and care
- Healing and protection
- Affinity with solitude, introspection
- Grounding
Depending on the context, negative symbolic meanings o with the bear can include:
- Aggressiveness, territoriality
- Unreliability or instability in relationships
- Overwhelming presence of emotions
- Being slow to change or adapt
- Fear
The bear is an awe-inspiring creature whose presence evokes respect and admiration. Animal of the forest and solidly anchored on the ground, it reminds us to stay connected to ourselves and the Earth. It illustrates the delicate balance between being protective of one’s own interests and reacting overly aggressively, retreating within and daring to go outside of the comfort zone, reconciling our needs with the needs of others and acknowledging the importance of self-care.
An energetic and expansive force, the bear spirit animal invites us to confront our fears, test our boundaries and heed its message. A potent symbol of power and strength, it pushes us to be bold, confident and courageous in seeking new experiences.
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Alive, the grizzly is a symbol of freedom and understanding….
~ Frank Craighead
Want More Bear Quotes? Click Here!
The spirit of the bear as healer and teacher
Interestingly, in Siberia, the name used to designate women shaman is the same as the word “bear”. In Northern America, in the Inuit tradition, the bear spirit animal is also connected to the shamanic tradition and women.
For the Inuit people, the bear is a strong power or totem animal. In some beliefs, it is said that if an Inuit hunter accepts to be eaten by a bear, he may reincarnate as a shaman and carry the spirit of this animal. The polar bear is considered as the “Wise Teacher” as it shows how to survive in harsh conditions.
The bear, an ancient spirit animal worshiped in many traditions
The bear as a spirit animal or totem is one of the most ancient worshiped animals. Remains of bears have been found in many archeological sites in Europe especially, where bear bones and skulls were found together with human bones dating back to the Neanderthals.
It is said that the Vikings would wear bear skins in times of war to scare off their enemies. They would appear as powerful as these wild animals. Bears symbolize warrior spirit and courage to fight. The bear’s spirit would be invoked to help the warriors in the battle.
In ancient Greece and Rome, the bear was a totem animal associated with the Goddess Artemis and Diana, goddesses of fertility. In contrast, for the Celts, the bear would represent the sun.
The spirit of the bear and healing
Since the bear is often associated with shamans in many traditions, this spirit animal can symbolize healing abilities and stepping into the role of the healer. If the bear shows up in your life, it may also be time to take care of your own needs for healing, whether it’s at the physical, emotional or spiritual level.
Be sensitive to where you are at and reflect on where you would most need healing. You can call on the bear spirit guidance to direct your energy in a more conservative or focused way.
Bear spirit animal and grounding forces
The bear is an animal that lives a solitary life. Having a bear as a spirit animal can mean that you find balance and comfort in solitude. The presence of this power animal could point to the need to “regroup” and set up boundaries, so you feel comfortable in your own space. It may be a call to find time away from the crowd or busyness and favor quiet time and rest.
The bear spirit can also be a great helper to dedicate time and energy to more introspective practices, such as self-inquiry or meditation. Call on the spirit of the bear to help you find your center and ground yourself in a strong foundation that will support you in more busy and noisy times.
Dreaming About Bears
Dreams are our subconscious minds communicating to us using the language of symbols. Dreaming of bears (or a bear) symbolizes power, strength and protection of yourself or possibly your family. If the bear in your dream is hibernating, it may indicate a need for solitude and to get away. If the bear is dancing, it indicates good luck (or you are having flashbacks of one of those many past Grateful Dead shows you went to). If a bear is chasing you, it may mean that you are avoiding a big situation in your life and it is time to take a stand and deal with it. Bear showing up in your dream may also be a message that it is time to show your power to the world.
Meditation to connect with the bear spirit animal
Close your eyes and find a comfy place to sit or lie down. Breathe slowly and deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel the air fill your lungs, then release it – feel any tension leaving your body.
Now imagine that you are in the forest, relaxing on a moss-covered rock by a babbling brook. A large bear emerges from behind a tree, walking cautiously toward you. It sniffs you gently, then moves a little closer and begins to circle around you. Sensing its curiosity and hesitation, you reach out your arm cautiously to stroke its velvety-soft fur.
As the bear moves closer and cuddles up next to you, your heart opens and a wave of deep affection washes over you. You realize that the bear spirit animal is there to help guide and care for you, to ensure that your needs are met in loving support.
In this moment of connectedness, you feel the bear spirit’s strength and power. You also sense its warmth, gentleness and affection. It remains there for a while, helping you reconnect with your inner strength and express your love for yourself.
This spirit animal inspires you to be compassionate and to share love openly with yourself and with others. It shows you the importance of taking care of your needs, as well as supporting the needs of others in a balanced way.
It speaks of the importance of self-care, of taking the time to rest and rejuvenate. It encourages you to seek quiet time for self-reflection.
As you listen to the bear’s message, note any insights or feelings that arise.
Allow yourself to fully absorb the bear’s message and let it guide you on your journey. When you feel ready, slowly open your eyes. Take a deep breath in, and exhale slowly. Remember the bear’s message and take it with you as you go about your day.
An inspiring message from the bear
From the depths of the forest,
I, the bear, call out to you,
Inviting you to tap into your own inner strength,
And to delve deep within yourself to find understanding.
Let go of the worries that weigh you down,
And let my steady presence guide you
As you journey into the depths of your own soul.
Find solace in the stillness of nature,
And let the Earth ground you
As you seek to find clarity and purpose.
Do not be afraid to face your fears,
For I am with you always,
A reminder of your own inner power
And the courage to push through any obstacle.
So heed my call, dear one,
And let us walk this path together,
As you discover your true self,
And the strength that lies within you.
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Find out now with the new Spirit Animal Quiz. This free online quiz will help you find your spirit animal the easy way.
I came to this page while looking up meanings behind fox and wolf tattoos, and I decided to take the quiz, my result was the bear. I think this is a weird coincidence, recently there has been a beautiful grizzly bear coming around my house and eating the raspberries from my garden.. and last night I had a dream of a bear “fishing” for salmon in the river near my house..
About three weeks ago now, I had turned our 3 horses out for the day and was finishing up my barn chores so I could get ready to go to work. Something had the horses very concerned and on alert in the brush beyond the horse fence. I went out to look expecting a woodchuck, skunk or the barn cat. Something large was moving around. The brush was pretty thick, but at one point, I looked towards an opening and there was a gorgeous black bear looking back at me. No wonder the horses were concerned! I believe she had a cub with her. My biggest concern was that the cub would make a mistake and come through the horse fence, but she “woofed” once and then moved on down and beyond range of the horse paddock. I took the quiz last night and came up with the bear as my Spirit Animal. Coincidence? I don’t think so! The signs are there in Nature whether we look for them or not.
We were at our cabin in the mountains in Colorado. As almost always happens the clouds built up in the afternoon. I took a series of pictures of the build up and noticed in one of them that there was something going on. I zoomed in and there was a bear standing on his hind legs looking at us. It made me smile. We were in bear country and we had all been talking about the bears we had seen over the years …
Thank you for these words and associations. I found a dead black bear on the side of the road. He got hit in the ass. There were a lot of cars and we were in a precarious parking situation. My husband wanted to pick it up and put it in the truck, but I thought about fines. We took one of his paws and had a safe ride home in the next 4 hours. I consider myself a road kill queen, so I will preserve the paw with claws.
That was a disturbing choice. Bad mojo!
I anwoke up early suddenly this morning, when the sky was still dark, and I saw a brown spirit staring right at me; but I wasn’t afraid, so I knew it was a good spirit. then I blinked and it was gone.. and I knew almost instantly afterwards that it was a bear, thought nothing of it and went back to sleep.. then I woke up later this morning when the Sun was just rising and I swear I could see someone standing there made of light In an Archer pose with no bow…. it didn’t make sense until I just read this article.. and I cried as I Did it, I don’t know why but I did.. this was after sleeping with a Holey stone under my pillow.. thank you for this refreshing article. could you suggest any additional information? or possibly any prayers to the bear spirit?
What does it mean when you dream a bear attacking you?
My sister and I came to the conclusion that our mom was a bear because she loved huckleberries and salmon. After she passed away, and our cousins were on their way home from the funeral, they saw a bear charging down a hill toward the road they were on. When it got to the road, it stood on hind legs, and waved it’s paw at them. They laughed and said for sure it was mom saying goodbye.
This quiz is cool. I have been called Bear before by others and even Grizzly Bear in the past.
I saw a wolf last night cross my path and a meteorite 2 nights prior. I told my fiance’ and she told me to look up my spirit animal. After doing this I see many similarities with that of the Bear.
Thank you for this page!
LOL,
This is what my animal quiz said was my spirit animal. I have actually
seen the mama bear in some of my visions in the past, along with the
mother wolf. And from the descriptions here this is really close to
what I am like “USUALLY”.
Thanks
This is totally me! I have a lot of speed and not very big part of my brain for problem solving, I am really flexible. Love this Website.
This makes perfect sense with my healing abilities :)
I’ve always felt a connection with bears, but I’ve never known exactly why. I mean, “Brother Bear” was one of my favorite movies, I STILL have my teddy bear (even in my twenties), and I’ve learned so much about all kinds of bears. I guess I know now!
I love that the bear is my spirit animal – it’s much more me than any cat or owl, like I originally thought! I really hope I live up to the bear’s potential. Fingers crossed!