NY's black bear population growing & on the move

As someone who believes in signs and symbols, dreams, totems, power animals and the power of the archetypal influences of the collective unconscious, I like to look at all sides of things but especially synchronistic events.

I can remember reading Carl Jungs (auto)biography twice and Joseph Campbell's "The Power of Myth" so often the pages fell out from the binding.

To Native Americans, Bear represents extremely strong medicine including the special powers in the areas of wisdom, strength and healing.  So killing a bear required using every part of him in reverence.

If you are dreaming of a bear sleeping or hibernating, this is a message to do a little soul searching before doing or making new choices or decisions. If a bear is chasing you, this means you are avoiding a big issue in your life, and it is time to deal with it.

But bear is also commonly seen as a symbol of Russia,  and of courageous but dominating power defiantly protecting ones family.

In Jungian psychology, the bear represents danger caused by the uncontrollable contents of the unconscious. Along with this is an association with a side of man that is often cruel and crude.

Also, the word 'berserk' most likely came from 'bear-coat' and refers to a Norse warrior who morphs into a furious bear.

I love that you felt drawn to post a comment on bear populations Kathy. To me, that alone is meaningful.

Last night two of my brothers texted one another about their childhood memories of bear attacks. I'd brought the same story up here awhile back, and to my husband yesterday.

We grew up in Alaska, and a young man we knew of was mauled and blinded ny one in a common berry picking site when we were young.

Bear energies really are manifesting now. Anyone else...bears in your news awareness, life, dreams, etc?

Thank you for all the information on what a bear may represent. I think that is why I posted about  a bear prophecy being actual bears because they can represent so many different things it is easy to get lost in that. Having a larger black bear population in upstate NY (some of which is Great Lakes country) shows that these bears are very flexible in adapting to changes in environment. This gives me hope for polar bears.

Thank you for all the information on what a bear may represent. I think that is why I posted about  a bear prophecy being actual bears because they can represent so many different things it is easy to get lost in that. Having a larger black bear population in upstate NY (some of which is Great Lakes country) shows that these bears are very flexible in adapting to changes in environment. This gives me hope for polar bears.

This is so interesting. We have seen bears three times in the past year in our visions - once was clearly about Russia because the timing of that vision (A bear comes right into my living room.  -- Bill saw it for July, 2016) and it coincided with the Russian's leaking the Democratic National Party's emails that turned many democrats away from Clinton. Also the code names for the hackers were Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear.  The second was of a howling  bear during the Inauguration of 2017, and that sounded like either Russia gloating over their incredible success in controlling the American election results, and also California's defiance, which was also, it turns out, a Russian instigation to get California to secede. 

I once had a terrifying nightmare of a bear trying to get into our house. Like Michele said, the bear is an ancient symbol of power and also something we can fear. When I awoke in a cold sweat and whimpered to my husband about the terrifying dream, he said, half awake, "Bear market, honey, you're worrying about a bear market!"   So that's another meaning of bear. 

Then there is the bear just being a bear.  Okay, that's the best meaning.