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Bears are considered symbols of strength and independence through many cultures and belief systems. Although they may not represent one of the top most common dream animals out there, they can reflect the thoughts and emotions you’re currently undergoing into the waking life.
There are various ways in which the bear may appear into the dream, ranging from peaceful, sleeping bears to angry bears chasing you and all else in between. Each one of these instances carries a specific message that may not always be readily accessible to you.
Essentially, having a bear dream constitutes a mirror image of the way in which you navigate through life and we will now begin uncovering just a few of the many possible dream meanings behind it
General Significance of the Bear Symbol
Bears are spirit animals universally associated with the cycle of life, courage and authority. In certain cases, such as seeing a mother bear surrounded by her cubs is symbolic of femininity, nurturing and motherhood figures relevant to the dreamer’s childhood.
In some Asian traditions, the bear is considered a sign of love, especially if the bear reveals itself in proximity to a house. They are regarded as symbols of family, hearth and home, especially if seen resting or hibernating in a dream.
According to eastern shamanic cultures, a bear dream may be connected with the dreamer’s ability to remain strong in the face of difficulties by making use of their introspective thinking and intuition.
A bear may generally appear in your dream if you’ve been going through changes in your waking life, particularly if your dream involves hunting of any sort. The color and breed of the bear also plays an important role, as the action and meaning of a dream may be interpreted differently based on the bear’s appearance.
Dreaming of a White Bear
Coming face to face with a polar white bear is considered the indication of a new start, a fresh new chapter of your real life. The shamans believed that if the white bear was seen sleeping or hibernating, it meant the departure from the earthly realm and the connection we all have with the non-physical spirit world.
This type of dream signifies the attainment of a peaceful life as opposed to seeing a brown bear, which may signify some sort of internal conflict the dreamer is experiencing in reality.
The polar bear symbolism is also connected with your higher-self and the ability to pull through the tougher times in your real life, much like the polar bear survives the cold of the Arctic.
Dreaming of a Black Bear
A black bear crossing paths with you in the dream realm suggests the underlaying anger management issues you may be facing. If the black bear in your dream is aggressive towards you, it may indicate that in your real life you may have become too pushy towards your friends or family.
If the black bear appears to be calm, however you seem to be displaying aggression towards it, this foretells significant success happening to you in the near future. The bear in this instance is a symbol of your strength, self-reliance and consistency that have led to this fruitful resolution.
Dreaming of a Mother Bear with Cubs
Seeing a mother bear surrounded by cubs and being protective of them is symbolic of your own protective nature towards friends and family. This nurturing scene of motherhood can also remind you of your own childhood where you may have seen your mother as a role model for you.
Dreaming of a mother bear is usually a good sign, especially if the bear cubs seem to be at peace, feeling love and secured around you as opposed to feeling threatened.
Seeing a Sleeping or Hibernating Bear
The process of hibernation is also referred to as “the great sleep” in many cultures and it symbolic of introspection and finding one’s true self. As the bear sheds a significant amount of weight during the dormant months, so should you leave behind all the negativity weighting you down.
A hibernating or resting bear appearing in your nighttime visions may also indicate your reluctant nature towards problems arising in the real world or the feeling of being overwhelmed by an ongoing pressing issue.
Essentially, this dream possesses a powerful resonance of purity, serenity and innocence and reminds you to take a step back and have a good look inward every now and again.
Bears Standing in Water or Crossing Bodies of Water
If inside your dream the bear you see is playing in water, trying to catch fish or just standing in it while staring you down, know that this signifies the closeness you have with your own emotions and how deeply you understand them.
This type of bear dream is generally positive, as it points out that you are in sync with your higher self and are aware of your strengths as much as your shortcomings. For example, if the bear is standing in water, you would know the bear is closely tied with emotions.
Running Away From a Bear Chasing You
If the bear dream you’re having seems to take a darker turn and you find yourself running away from it, this indicates the real problems you are actually experiencing in the waking world and that you seem to be quite terrified of.
Granted, not having a concrete answer to a pressing situation can cause immense strain on our emotional and mental health, however running away from it can only help you for so long.
The bear chasing you in your dream is reminding you that this is an ideal time to tackle your fears head on and muster the courage to face your enemies.
Being Attacked or Injured by a Bear in a Dream
If you happen to encounter a hostile bear, that may be attacking you, biting you or injuring you in any type of way, this means that in the waking world you have tried hard to fight off injustice that you feel has been done to you.
The angry bear is a reflection of the anger that you experience in connection with the unpleasant situation you are going through. In this scenario, the bear attacking you may be a symbol of the individuals attacking you in reality.
If the bear managed to wound or bite you, this symbolizes a clear and concise warning that whomever wants you to fail may pose a real danger to you and you need to fend for yourself and be more careful in the near future.
Dreaming of a Dancing Bear
Dancing with a bear in a dream or simply watching a bear dance is closely tied to your financial situation in the real world. Since this type of dream is generally a positive one, the symbol of the bear here indicates that you are bound to receive material help even if you have not specifically requested it.
Another secondary interpretation of the dream where a dancing bear is seen may be connected to financial assistance coming your way, promotions, grants or loans. Regardless of each subjective significance, the general meaning is positive financial help the dream will be receiving.
Talking Bears
If your spiritual nighttime visitor turns into a confidant bearing a full-fledged conversation with you, know that this suggests you will receive the advice you’ve been waiting for.
Perhaps in the real world, you hit a dead-end and felt stuck in a situation from which you couldn’t figure out a way out and hoped for someone to come along and help out – in this case, your help is soon bound to arrive.
The advice you will receive can be connected to either family life, romantic life, career changes or even meeting an entirely new person that will resonate with you on a much deeper level.
As a spirit animal, the talking bear urges you to pay close attention to your intuition and spend more time by yourself, learning your own true nature.
Hugging a Bear or Dreaming of Friendly Bears
If you meet a friendly, cuddly bear in your dream that you end up hugging it means in reality you have developed pleasant bonds with those around you.
Hugging the friendly bear signifies your openness to others around you, your ability to control your emotions and to pay attention to even the smallest details about them.
Seeing a Dead Bear
The dream in which you come across a dead bear has a surprisingly uplifting interpretation. The dead bear teaches you that an authoritarian figure in your waking life will help you become stronger by pushing you outside of your comfort zone.
Although this type of dream might feel very disconcerting at first, the dead bear actually represents your older self fading away, making room for a brand new, stronger version of yourself that is rooted in self-reliance.
You are now in charge of your life and are fully capable of manifesting the outcomes you wish for and controlling the course of your life and where ultimately takes you, deicing your own fate.
Hunting or Killing a Bear in Your Dream
The hunting of a bear is indicative of your wish to attain something of great importance to you in the waking world. This could mean a promotion, a potential partner, an adventure to a place you’ve never visited before and others.
Interestingly enough, to successfully hunt down and kill a bear in your dream means that you have figured out a secure and easy way for you to obtain these things already and that your dreams are about to become reality.
To kill a bear is synonymous with finding your own strength in reality and becoming an independent, resourceful individual. The prospect of attaining prosperity and success is now within reach.
Setting Up a Bear Trap
This dream calls for immediate action upon a pressing situation in your real life. Perhaps you’ve been nervous about something happening but have avoided it for so long that you have become rather confused about the next step to take in life.
Having such a dream may be related to someone close to you also experiencing some form of danger or uncertainty and may benefit from your help or guidance.
To see a bear trap essentially means overcoming obstacles that have posed a significant threat to you and maybe even shedding habits that have done you no good and have undermined your own efforts
Takeaway
In most cases, having recurring dreams about bears is associated with good fortune, strength and prosperity reflected in the real life of the dreamer. This type of dream is meant to provide wisdom and insight into achieving the goals you’ve been striving for.
The bear in your dream may also symbolize the emotional state you are in, which can range from peaceful and playful, simply enjoying life as it comes, to aggressive and confrontational, feeling overly protective of your friends and family.
The bear is regarded as a sacred spirit animal throughout various cultures around the world, linked with death and rebirth, home and introspection, providing the dreamer with the insight necessary to push through obstacles happening in their real life.
Symbolically, the bear revealing itself in a dream is connected with an authoritarian figure, be it yourself – the dreamer, an enemy or even an influential personality in your life that will help you out of a stressful situation.
As each interpretation varies for every single dreamer, having bear dream is indicative of inner thoughts, connecting with and nurturing other and the power to succeed in life.
The characteristics of the bear are a reflection of the subconscious mind of the dreamer, something indicating that bonds with others need to be improved and that the dreamer should be on alert for possible danger happening either to themselves or to those around them.
As a spirit animal, the bear teaches you about being in sync with your higher-self, cultivating power to overcome challenges and the strength needed to undertake mental and emotional strains.
In certain dreams, the bear may teach you key details about a possible enemy, adversity or opposition in the real world, that may provide you with easier solutions and insight into these types of conflicts.
Last but not least, although difficult, dreaming about fighting a bear, running or it or even surviving the bite of bear can be regarded as a good omen, showing you the way to unlocking your full potential by moving you out of your comfort zone.
