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Discussion
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About a year ago I found the remains of a juvenile black bear and took them home, and only recently was I able to identify the bones. I was really sad to learn that they was so young, and since I learned this I kind of gained a sense of responsibility for the bear and I feel like it holds some greater meaning than just some bones I found in the woods (or maybe I just want it to mean something). Either way, I want to learn more about the meaning of black bears. I’m also not super well versed in witchcraft stuff, so I’m not sure what I would call them. Is it spirit, a familiar maybe? Any responses appreciated 🙂
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What is the symbolism of a black bear?
updated 2 years, 4 months ago
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2 beginner sites for you. 1st… [https://www.spiritanimal.info/bear-spirit-animal/](https://www.spiritanimal.info/bear-spirit-animal/)
2nd… [https://www.spirit-animals.com/?s=bear](https://www.spirit-animals.com/?s=bear) Hope that helps some.
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From Ted Andrews Animal Speak
BEAR
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 itUrsus 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 cutin 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 that 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 judgment 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 35-40 mph 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 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, as was discussed briefly in an earlier part of this text, but in general, it represents knowledge. It is a symbol of fertility, of things that grow.
As 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 itmake 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 year-round. 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 duringthe 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 project 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.
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Things die. That’s nature.
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Unless you put the spirit of the bear into a living animal, it’s not a familiar.
However, a black bear guardian spirit attached to those bones might be super cool. I would take care of the bones and put them on your altar/ a place of honor. Learn what you can about black bears and honor their habits in your woods, observe them safely if possible. As you develope a relationship, the spirit might try to communicate, but it’s usually a slow process.
