Picture from notesfromthebartender.wordpress.com
We give babies a teddy bear for comfort. And, baby snuggles up to the teddy bear, and even cries if the bear is not present. What is it that gives us comfort in this “bear” image? Why are we not frightened, instead, of this representation of a large, fierce animal?
Well, Bear looks big and cuddly. Bear is chubby and that says comfort and safety. Bear hibernates through the winter so Bear is about sleeping through the tough times. Bear eats honey so Bear is about sweetness. Bear is a fisherman. We all identify with the fisherman. Bear’s ears are just so darn cute! And, Bear eats berries and grubs and roots and shoots. All of these characteristics simply support the idea that Bear is not that scary.
When Bear comes to us as a power animal, do not be lulled into thinking that Bear is simply “of the Earth”. The Greeks and Romans revered Bear so much that they named a constellation of stars after her. A different version of the story says that Zeus was so angry at the mother bear and her cub that he threw them up into the night sky to forever roam around the North Star.
from www.nmm.ac.uk
So why does Bear come to us in times when we need comfort? Well, when we need comfort, we are feeling weak or insecure. Bear is a universal symbol of big and of power. At our weakest, we need to be reminded that we have all the power that we require within us. Bear, who hibernates, and who sleeps easily, reminds us to go in and reflect on what we do know and to honour our strengths. Bear is about teaching the cub (often each of us) how to be a “big bear”.
I wish you a “bear” encounter.
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Thanks for reading this blog post. Sharing is good if it is kind and either has questions or tells about an experience.
Blessings,
Judy