Have you ever felt deeply connected to an animal? According to shamanism, we all have a power animal, that is, an animal that inspires us and has valuable teachings that teach us how to become better people.

What specifically is a power animal, and what does it mean to have a bear as a power animal, and how can I connect to it? Get all your questions answered in this article!

What is a power animal?

Power animals are a theory related to shamanism, which is a lifestyle that preaches that man and nature are one. When they live together in harmony, both survive and absorb positive characteristics from the other, ensuring balance to the world. According to shamanism, all people have three power totems, each one associated with one of the three kingdoms of nature: Plant, Stone, and Animal.These totems help us in our self-knowledge processes and collaborate in directing our feelings and thoughts towards the changes we want to make and the paths we would like to follow.

The Animal totem is known as a power animal, which is nothing more than an archetype of our personality. It is a spiritual concept, not something logical, like a personality test. It is, therefore, more an indication of the traits we need to develop and work on in order to live a more harmonious life. Finally, it represents a symbol of the energies that are hidden in ourand that, if discovered, we may be able to achieve much more in life.

The bear as a power animal

Did you know that the bear was one of the first animals to be worshiped as a god by humans, according to the records we have access to today? In Celtic tradition (people who lived in what is now Ireland), the Primal Mother, the creature that gave birth to everything, was a protective and fierce bear. Many native tribes, therefore, see this mammal as an animal worthy of worship, forembody some of the main characteristics necessary for survival: physical strength, large size, respect from other species, protection of offspring, among others. Thus, those who are influenced by this power animal are usually people with multiple qualities and prepared to excel, regardless of what they are involved in.

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The figure of the mother bear who attacks a human being because she feels her cubs are being threatened by him is also well known and part of Western culture. Bears are extremely protective of their space and their cubs, so it is rare that they will tolerate having their space invaded by a stranger, especially if they consider that this stranger is putting their offspring at risk.When they are not endangered, nor do they feel their cubs being threatened, it is unlikely that a bear will suddenly attack a human being. This protection (and certain jealousy) towards their own is something very present in people with the bear as a power animal.

Another well-known characteristic of the bear is its need to hibernate. In the long winter months when little food is available and the need for shelter is even more acute, bears often go into hibernation and sleep through the coldest season of the year, sometimes from the beginning to the end. This shows that bears know their limits, despite theirThis trait is also very present in people who have the bear as a power animal, since they usually act very cautiously and prudently, valuing their comfort and safety above adventures and the possibility of difficulties.

One of the bear's most important physiological processes is digestion, so necessary when it needs to hibernate and get energy only from some food it has consumed before starting its long sleep. Bears can, by managing its temperature, also manage the functioning of its stomach, so they control their digestion well. People who have this animal as a power animalThey also do this very well, since they control well the time they need to "digest" certain events or relationships with people. This control is fundamental for them to live a healthy emotional, sentimental, and psychological life.

Another fact little known by those who do not usually travel in nature is that bears give birth to their cubs while they sleep, unlike the laborious birth of women, for example. This is another characteristic that influences people who have the bear as a power animal: an almost unshakable calmness to do their activities, even those that cause pain, discomfort and worry, such ascase of the bear when she is giving birth.

Felix mittermeier / Pexels

Despite being endowed with extreme physical strength, bears are renowned for another kind of intelligence: they learn early on to distinguish which "battles" are worth the effort and which ones we just have to put aside because they won't be worth the effort. When he retreats to hibernation in winter, he recognizes that the struggle for survival in that season is beyond his capacity, so he avoidsThis characteristic, of course, passes to people who have the bear as a power animal, since they are endowed with the ability to distinguish which fights are worth fighting.

How to discover my power animal?

Unlike your zodiac sign or the Chinese horoscope, for example, which you discover only with your date of birth, discovering your power animal is a bit more complex, because it includes consulting a master shaman, the only possible guide to reveal what your power animal is.

If you just pick an animal at random or rely on any test done on the internet, you will end up investing your time and energy in an animal that is not truly your power animal, which can be very frustrating and disappointing. To avoid this kind of disappointment, therefore, consult a master shaman to guide your path to your power animal andavoid disillusionment and the feeling that you have been cheated.

Many people imagine that having a lion, for example, as a power animal is much better than having a butterfly, since the first seems synonymous with strength and the other, with pure delicacy. The truth, however, is that shamanism has other meanings for each of the animals, so you need to re-signify what you already know in order to understand how these animals influence you.

And how do I connect to my power animal?

When you consult with a master shaman, he will promote your first spiritual encounter with your power animal, which is why it is important to make this initial contact in the presence of a master shaman, as you may end up frightening this animal, which will make the next encounter more difficult. After initiating you into connecting with your power animal, the master shaman will give advice that will indicate howyou can communicate with him.

Larisa Koshkina / Pixabay

Know, however, that the journey of connection and harmony with your power animal is very individual and unique, so it is only you, little by little, as you come into contact with it, who will be able to determine what works, what pleases you and what pleases the animal. Don't forget that there is nothing rational and logical about the power animal. This is a spiritual connection, so it must be treatedas such.

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As you strengthen your bond with your power animal, you will gradually assimilate the teachings and advice it can pass on to you, how you can please it, and what shakes the connection you are developing.

The master shaman is the best advisor to show you how to connect with your power animal, but there is a simpler way, which is meditation, because its practice allows endless possibilities, such as projecting a closeness to the animal and a contact between you and it, or, for example, imagining yourself in its skin, facing the dangers of the forest, hunting and trying to survive, which will leave you inevidence some of its main characteristics.

To have the bear as a power animal, in short, is to recognize its strength in the physical sense, but to understand that psychological strength to distinguish which battles need to be fought and which can be avoided. It is to protect your own above all else, not forgetting its haughtiness and its ability to impose itself as a leadership figure. If you have the bear as a power animal, connect with it to receive allthe benefits of this beautiful spiritual relationship.