Monday, October 26, 2015

Polar Bear Totem Symbolic Meaning

I've painted Bear Totems for years, so many Black and Brown bears in my creations, but over the past few months I have been attracted to the beautiful Polar Bear. My first was a custom requested Polar Bear Gourd Ceremony Rattle which motivated me to start learning more about them. Since then I have worked with and learned more and more about their energy.

The Polar Bear is a very special animal teacher. They are known for pure spirit, exceptional strength, and make choices based on their inner knowing and never their fears. They are resourceful, even when it seems as if there are no resources, which when coupled with their perseverance and adaptability makes them a motivating survivor. They can go the distance, able to attain their vision
They teach us the importance of making clear choices that are based on our highest good - the choices that can lead us toward following our calling -not the choices that can keep us down.
They represent cycles, and moving through them, and allowing them to flow from beginning to end....andto have the wisdom to know when a cycle is absolutely complete and needs to be let go.
  The Polar Bear can teach us much about Energy, how to conserve it, and how to spend it.
They remind us that when we live our life with a pure and honest heart, our spirit has open communication with Source.

Their white fur (purity in spirit) is their camouflage, allowing them to hunt in a way that they can stand back, watch, and listen. This combined with their focused patience makes them highly effective hunters, lending to decisiveness and strategic planning

They fully utilize their senses and capabilities, able to smell a seal (their primary food source) up to 1 mile away. 

They are "sure-footed" on ice and slippery terrain, having dermal bumps on the pads of their feet for traction - symbolic of ability to navigate difficult circumstances with balance and a confident spirit. Their claws are deeply "scooped" for digging in ice, which symbolizes an aptitude in searching for answers and meaning in life. 

Their skill in the water allows them to swim for days at a time, up to 6 mph. In fact, they spend more time in the water, then they do on land. Their scientific name is Ursus Maritimus - which means Maritime Bear. This strong bond with the water is symbolic of a balance of emotions. While the Polar Bear is a strong effective hunter, they are also extremely nurturing and protective of their young. They are not territorial as one might think, and often choose to escape instead of fighting. 

Often the Polar Bear will lead a mostly solitary life, though I don't consider this lonely, but symbolically in a place where one is happy and content with themselves and who they are. 




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