Originally Posted by The New JewelZ

I love it...I've always loved bears...I have the Chinese symbol for bear tattooed on my wrist and a paw on my shoulder. I always knew it would be cool to be a MAMA BEAR!!

Originally Posted by sdgrrl

Teri,
When I lived in Minneapolis, I was involved with the Native American community quite a bit. I was honored to be asked if I wanted to go on a "Totem Quest"--kind of a wimp's Vision Quest. I was told to close my eyes and let my spirit go where it wanted while the Shaman beat a drum. I was told if I saw an animal from 3 different views (from the side, back, front, above, etc) then that was my Totem. I was completely open to whatever animal would show itself to me, and actually was hoping for a "cool" animal like a wolf (I had a 2/3 wolf dog) or an owl, or my favorite animal in the whole world, an elephant. But it ended up being a black bear, which was also way cool with me. I had always said I was a Mama Bear when it came to my kids, and I have always liked bears, so I was not in any way disappointed. The Shaman that sat with me ALSO saw me running with a bear, so I know it is true. After that Bear Medicine also came to me--I was gifted with a bear claw and a bear tooth.

Some years later we were on Madeline Island doing ritual with the White Earth tribe (Ojibwe) and the Chief of the tribe had hunted a bear and made BBQ bear meat for the weekend gather. He offered some to me, and I said, "It smells wonderful, and I thank you for offering it to me, but Bear is my Totem and I cannot eat my relations." The Chief was very moved by my respect for his culture, as was his mother the year before, when she was the Chief. She died shortly after we were there the year before and her son became the Chief after her. We had done some stuff (can't discuss it) and she gave us some tobacco, which is an honoring in the Native American culture. She told her son what we had done before she died, so we already were a part of the tribe's "stories", but my honoring my medicine cemented my cred with the tribe. Their acceptance meant a lot to me. Still does.

So, anyway, it is very fitting that I be GrrzlyBear! And that is how I found my animal totem.

Originally Posted by Cat_Lover

Hi All,

I read all 5 books (Clan of the Cave Bear.) I would like to be AylaBear. As you ladies and guys are my adopted family.

Originally Posted by sdgrrl

I thought I had responded to this thread already, but I can't find my post.

I agree with Duckie, GrrrzlyBear is fitting! Don't mess with my kids, whether they're of my body or of my heart!

Originally Posted by The New JewelZ

I love it...I've always loved bears...I have the Chinese symbol for bear tattooed on my wrist and a paw on my shoulder. I always knew it would be cool to be a MAMA BEAR!!