February: Bear on the Beach

I started working on my February block after I finished my January block so around the 16th I started painting it and then got all of my supplies together since we were going to Philly the next weekend and I knew I would have time on the way up at least to work on it. I had other time as well and then finished it on the very last day of February. This block was a lot of fun to work on and required no real thought. Although my bear guardian is a male, Wayne and I both agree that my bear looks like female. She looks like she is happy to be sitting on the beach playing in the sand and gathering treasures.

Bears symbolize healing, solitude, change, communication with spirit, death and rebirth, transformation, patience, playfulness, astral travel and wisdom. Bear offers strength, introspection and knowledge. Bears do not make snap decisions; they take in all available information, take it to their quiet place, study it carefully until they reach their own informed decision. They teach us to go within our inner sanctum to find our answers. They are strong, nurturing and protective; reminding us to not forget caution. Bears are self sufficient and would rather stand on their own two feet than rely on others. Bears are often associated with trees (all can climb), trees are the natural antenna linking heaven and earth, fertility and things that grow. The tree serves as a reminder that we must bring what we awaken into the world and apply it. We should also keep the cub in us alive and climb trees.

They are a creature of dreams, and teach us to be dreamers and may help us to develop the skill to visualize new things. They store the teaching of our dreams until we wake up to them. They help us awaken the power of the unconscious. They are a spirit keeper of the west, a place of maturity and good harvest. Bears are active both day and night and are connected with both solar (strength and power) and lunar (intuition) energies.

The bears going into their caves is symbolic of a return to the Mother Earth. Bear people tend to like home and shelter and like to be warm and cozy. They help us to go within to find the inner stores of energy and essence necessary for our personal survival, even those that have never been tapped, and teach us how to remain balanced amid change. Bears represent the great cycle of life and rebirth, renewal and fresh beginnings. People with bears often feel a need to go deep within themselves, to have periods in their life when they can be more reclusive. Often during this time they will birth 2-3 new ideas or projects that they will nurse through the winter and as spring approaches they emerge with their new “babies” to help them grow. A cycle of semi-hibernation and reclusiveness in the winter may feel very natural to these people and the thing to remember is to be careful not to hide away and hibernate all year long.

I have always felt very drawn to bears starting in early childhood. I always liked bear stories, seeing bears on TV or in zoos. When I was 10 I got Teddy who is my favorite bear, he goes with me everywhere and is a very well traveled bear. I also have a decent collection of stuffed bears and other bear goodies. When I first read about bears I was amazed in how much it related to who I am, especially in that I did indeed have a certain need to hibernate in the winter. I often will not leave the house for weeks at a time if I don’t have to and often am very creatively productive. It is also a time of great introspection for me which is definitely one of my personality traits.