Michael’s Birth Totem: Bear

Birth Totem is:   Bear

Role: To Awaken the Intuition

Lesson: To Integrate the Parts into the Whole

Element: Earth

Medicine: To channel the Primordial Forces

Clan of:   Turtle (Earth Chief)

Wind is:   South/West

Directional Totem is:   Coyote

Power Totem is:   Black Panther

Conscious intent is:   Discernment

Motive of Higher Self is Soul`s Perfection

Plant/Flower:   Violet

Mineral:   Topaz

Keywords: Discerning, Careful, Practical, Precise, Kind, Critical, Awakening the Voice Within, Integration, Devotion, Introspection, Healing, Intuition, Strength, Wisdom, Keeper of Lunar Magic, Power, Defense, Protection & Revenge, Change, Totem of Healers, Shamans & Dreams, Transformation


Birth Totem Bear is an individual whose outer personality is one of quiet observation. As Birth Totem Bear moves through his daily life, there is a noticeable careful study of all he encounters and experiences.  It is as though his intention is to sift and sort through all of the stimuli and input that his conscious mind encounters…to categorize and label each person, action and event so that a greater understanding and assimilation can occur.

In the wild, Bears are omnivores, yet their diet will consist primarily of vegetarian fare and larvae or grubs.  To attain the morsels of squirming grub, the Bear must forage around beneath fallen logs and stones, sifting and sorting through the forest debris in order to be rewarded with the treats they so enjoy and that will provide the sustenance that will benefit their physical well-being.

Yet Birth Totem Bear will eventually realize that  not everything can be understood with the physical senses alone, and the Individual Soul of another can never be neatly or completely labeled or categorized as it is dynamic and ever changing with that individual’s evolvement.  Until Bear can come to the awareness that life is ever-changing, and that to attempt to understand the process with the physical senses alone will inevitably (and invariably) lead to frustration, he will be stunting his own spiritual growth.

Just as Bear must rely upon his “higher senses” (intuition) in order to prepare for the lean months of winter and to alert him of impending threat, so must Birth Totem Bear learn to rely a little less upon “physical evidence” and more upon his inner voice and feelings.  In this way, integration of Mind and Physical to that of the Emotions and Soul can take place leading to the Higher Intent of Bear’s incarnation…the Perfection of the Soul.

The Bear is a beautiful example of the Great Spirit`s creative force.  He is a creature at the top of the "food chain" in North America, with tremendous strength and boundless courage, yet his heart is tender and loving as he looks after his cubs, protecting them from all harm while simultaneously teaching them the independence necessary to survive in the ever changing landscape in which they live.

Bear possesses an internal clock that alerts him to the changing of seasons long before obvious indications begin to manifest.  He will store an extra layer of fat that will assist him through the long months of winter in which food is scarce. Contrary to popular belief, the bear does not go into "hibernation" though his metabolism and heart rate may reduce by nearly half to help preserve the extra calories stored in his fat layer. 

This same tendency to go into a state of semi-hibernation translates to the one beside whom Bear strides as the need for periodic intervals of solitude and/or introspection, with some human counterparts actually mimicking the Bear’s penchant for long periods of sleep needed during the winter months.  From the inner reaches of his contemplative mind, Bear will find the solution to any problem, issue or lesson that he is faced with and hence is a masterful problem solver.

What is the internal voice that beckons to Bear that the time is approaching to store the food which he will contain within himself?   An inner voice that alerts him to potential danger to his cubs, long before sight or sound of threat is seen or heard?  Some would simply say survival instinct, yet is this the only explanation, or merely the surface answer to a fathomless lake?  Whatever the "true" source of this Inner Knowing, Bear listens to the call whispered softly on the breeze and heard echoing from the mountain tops as he awakens to the Voice Within.

Michael, possessing the Birth Totem Bear, is an individual whose Role along the Red Road of Physical Life, is to Awaken the Voice Within, and thus, much of his Life will be dedicated to stirring to consciousness, the Voice of the Soul.  Yet this is only the first step, as Michael’s Bear Soul is here to teach others to listen to the gentle stirring of the Inner Voice, to awaken to the Music of the Intuition.
 
In the heavens, the celestial body which represents Bear is Ursa Major (Great Bear) the constellation which is better known by most as the "Big Dipper."  Seven stars comprise this constellation and are said to represent the Seven Rays of Divine Light as follows:

Ray 1:  All are One. Work together for the benefit of all Mankind. First Stepping Stone along the Pathway of Peace is Spiritual Faith.

Ray 2: Honor one another. Treat Mother Earth, and all that dwell thereon, with respect. The Second Stepping Stone is Spiritual Awareness.

Ray 3: Honor the Self. Look after the well being of mind and body. The Third Stepping Stone is Spiritual Healing.

Ray 4:  Love is Divine Power. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed and remain close to Great Mystery. The Fourth Stepping Stone along the Pathway of Peace is Spiritual Love.

Ray 5:  Surrender personal Will to Divine Will. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good. The Fifth Stepping Stone is Spiritual Charity.

Ray 6:  Seek Only the Truth. Do what you know to be right and truthful and honest at all times. The Sixth Stepping Stone is that of Spiritual Cleansing.

Ray 7:  Live in the Present Moment. Take full responsibility for your actions. The Seventh Stepping Stone on the Pathway of Peace is Spiritual Insight.

These are Universal Truths that many philosophies, including Earth Medicine, embrace.  For all souls who incarnate into flesh, the embracing of all seven rays are a key element to the evolution of the eternal spark, the Soul, yet for those with Bear Birth Totem in particular, there will be a conscious and concentrated effort upon fully understanding and embracing all rays so that Integration can be achieved.

The challenge for one born with Bear as their Birth Totem is to come not only to understand the true meaning of each of the Seven Rays, it is crucial that they then fully integrate each of the rays into the soul so that it then becomes a "natural" state of being.  Obviously, this is a multi-dimensional task and one which will take more than one lifetime to achieve. 

With each cycle around the Sacred Hoop, Bear soul learns one of the Rays until he reaches that lifetime in which all seven rays have been experienced, understood and integrated separately, and are now to be understood, experienced and integrated as a whole. As an example, one may be born with a natural resonance to Ray 2 (Honor One Another) as this has been learned in a previous incarnation, yet may come in with a "weak" understanding of Ray 7 (Live in the Present Moment) and so the challenge for the Soul then becomes to fully understand, absorb and integrate Ray 7 so the Whole may merge and become a "natural" state of Being.

Learning this on the Soul level is just the first step along Bear Birth Totem’s path however; as the next step, after the individual integration has been achieved, is to then assist others (through both example and instruction) upon the Seven Rays and how one may go about integrating the Parts into the Whole.  Yet with the inherent strength of this Totem, all is Possible.
 
During the autumn, Bear begins foraging for food to store the fat necessary to see him through the long and lean winter months.  His metabolic rate, respiration and heart beat will slow considerably during this vulnerable time, inducing a semi-conscious state that will leave him lethargic and napping for long periods of time.

While in this natural state, nature ensures that Bear will survive the winter months when all food sources are scarce.  This is where the slowing in the metabolic rate and the extra layer of fat will be utilized to its optimum. Since Bear is an omnivore, once he emerges from his den in the spring, food will be abundant and varied, yet if not for his storage of winter fat to provide him with the sustenance his body needs, Bear would surely perish.

As Bear must call upon his layer of fat during the lean months of winter in order to survive until the spring, so must Michael, having the Bear Totem, go within to digest new lessons, information and experiences.  This is the gift of Introspection and a key component of Bear Soul`s ability to learn the Medicine of Channeling Primordial Forces. 

This also reflects a deeper vulnerability that lies within the Core of the Bear Soul, for although these are beings of incredible inner strength, there is equally a deeply rooted aspect of themselves which few will be allowed close enough to see, a beautiful inner child that is spectacular in its tenderness and shining intensity.  Only very select and “worthy” souls that the Bear individual can trust will be welcomed in here, yet it will be a profound experience that one blessed enough to witness this “inner self” of their beloved Bear will never forget.

The energy which flows as a never-ending stream through all living things is a Primordial Force that can be tapped into and channeled for the benefit of the Self and Others.  However, it is key to understand the power and responsibility that comes with the ability to tune into this Energy, as it needs to be utilized only from Higher Intent and Purpose.  One who chooses to channel the Force for negative purposes or selfish ends, will ultimately have a heavy debt to repay.

For this reason, the gift is mastered over many lifetimes and reaches full potential only when the soul has reached a significant level of growth and maturation, yet once this level of maturation has been attained, the Soul will burst forth, much as the Life-giving rays of the sun herald a new day, touching all in its golden brilliance.  Then, Bear Soul may learn/remember the Ancient Knowledge and wield the Light of Eternal Energy to benefit all who dwell above, upon, or within, the Earth Mother as he walks in harmony beside the Ancestors, heeding the whispered Wisdom of the Sky Nation as Bear Soul fulfills his role along the Red Road of physical Life.
 
Among the creatures of the wild, Bear is one of the most devoted and nurturing of parents.  There is nothing Bear will not do to protect the lives and well-being of his cubs…up to and including, laying down his own life if necessary to ensure the survival of his offspring.

Bear cubs are born during the long months of winter, and are nurtured within the cozy confines of a den or cave.  They will emerge in the spring with their parent as he instructs them in the skills they will need in order to survive on their own.  Typically, the close bonds will not be broken until the cubs have reached their second year of life, at which time they will leave the protective watch of their parent to face life on their own.

Since Michael walks with Bear as his Birth Totem, he is an individual whose heart is limitless in its capacity to feel and give love.  He is a devoted parent, child, sibling and friend who sincerely believes that we are here to Love One Another.  Because of his ability to love so completely and with sincere devotion, Michael may face many lessons with discerning healthy boundaries so that others will not endlessly drink from his beautiful waters without then continuing to send the love and energy on. 

This may be a challenge; for Michael, as Bear Soul, feels the desire to nurture and protect all he comes to know, and yet some souls will simply use his energy to sustain their own life, rather than make the most of it to gain their footing and continue forward along their own path.  This is where Michael must come to recognize the "psychic vampires" for what they are, and learn when they are actually impeding the progress of another by allowing the "feeding" to continue.

Once the lesson of healthy boundaries has been thoroughly absorbed, Bear soul will find himself with a partner than is capable of reciprocating the deep and rare love that these souls have to share.  The devotion, purity of heart and depth of love that Bear Soul possesses will be a beautiful Gift that will leave an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of one who is blessed enough to be loved by these truly unique and wonderful beings of light.