Bear
Often people dream of a bear coming to attack them, but because all the images, people, animals, places we see in our dreams, are simply your own feelings, fears, hopes and wonder projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind as images, there us nothing to be afraid of. So, it makes sense to take the image of your dream person, thing or animal back into you and own it. In that way, you are actually meeting and dealing with the things about yourself you are not owning or conscious of. That is why dreams are often difficult to understand, because we are hiding things from ourselves. To do this you can use – Being the Person or Thing and it is helpful to read Levels of the Brain
Whenever we dream its images are not like real life, because a dream is nothing like outer life where things could hurt you, but is an image like on a cinema screen, so that even if a gun is pointed at you and fired it can do no damage – except if you run in fear; so, all the things that scare you are simply your own fears projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind. Also dreams exress in a very ancient language, language that developed in ancient life forms before ever words were invented. The ancient languge is one that has taught youngsters by for millions of years by watching what mother or father fox, bear wolf did – all without words. This photo says it all – the family of bears are intently watching what mum is doing. they learn by seeing it, no words were spoken.
So the angry bear is an image of your own angry feelings that have not been expressed and are attacking you. We now know that such inturned anger can cause illness or depression.
Example: A huge black panther chased me. I fell and it clawed my back. It was about to chew my back to bite me. I didn’t know whether to relax or struggle. After being floored by the Panther I managed to get up. I later imagined being the panther. I allowed the panther to eat me, and I thus became the panther. Then I, as the panther, noticed feeling enormous temper – anger – hate. And I was amazed to see that my cousin Sidney was the cause of such powerful emotions. He was older than me and had mercilessly teased me as a child. The panther was my own feelings of anger, at last released.
But here is a very different example:
Example: I was standing on my patio and there was a bear inside the fence also there were children taunting the bear. I yelled at the kids to stop teasing the bear. Then all of a sudden the bear came towards me; it was a brown bear with its massive size and it stopped and looked at me. Although I was frightened I was courageous enough to pet the bears head, reaching over his large mouth to reach his head. Then, all of a sudden the bear lay on his back and I begin to brush my hand on his chest as to pet him in a downward motion, the bear just gazed at me.
A bear can have a similar meaning to elephant in the eastern countries – a tremendous force or energy, that if met badly can lead to conflict with your own nature and ill health, or if met well can be a tremendous protector and force for good.
Sometimes said to represent a possessive mother, and the feelings this has aroused. But in many cases the bear will represent a meeting with dangerous emotions such as fear, anger or being easily aroused. There might also be associations with independence, or strength. See: Dreams are Like a Computer Game; Animal.
Through television and the many ‘nature’ films which are now a part of our wider education, we can see that the bear is largely a solitary creature, capable of living alone and surviving. This, and its human way of standing and holding its arms out in a hugging posture, may be the major factors from which a ‘bear’ dream arises. In many dreams the bear is not at all harmful, and can be treated as a friend.
Through these we can also see the bear as a wonderful mother and protector.
We may therefore associate the bear with feelings about living alone or surviving by our own strength; it can refer to the confrontation with feelings we have about independence, or the meeting with strength and independence in someone else. It can confront us with massive or dangerous rage, such as ‘the bear with a sore head’. In this case it might represent your relationship with someone who is touchy or grouchy, powerful, possessiveness or smothering, as a parent or lover might be.
Also it might represent your relationship with someone who is a parent or lover; it could suggest a desire to withdraw or hibernate; the ‘animal’ side of our relationship with our parents; a play on words, such as ‘bare’, bare facts, bearing with something or someone, ‘bearing’ ones soul, bearing in mind, a ‘bearer’ of tidings, come to bear, overbearing, getting ones bearings, bear fruit or bear-hug.
If the bear is felt as aggressive and dangerous, ask yourself what in your own inner feelings do you feel is aggressive and you don’t want to let it get out into what you express. In other words. what is it that you habitually repress from being expressed – your anger?
It is best to let the angry bear be expressed in you imagination. You can do this by being the angry bear and let it loose – see – Being the Person or Thing
But the bear can also be like the Beauty and the Beast, in which the dangerous beast is tame with the influence of kindness. So the bear relates to person who can be kind, but could also be a dangerous when roused.
It could suggest a desire to withdraw or hibernate. Because of traditional cultural associations, and its ability to hibernate, the bear can represent the ability to die and be reborn.
As the bear rears its childrfen alone without any male about, if oyu have been in that situation it can reer to you. But whateveer else it represent, remember that is an image of our relationship with our own ‘animal’ side. Please see the following to understand this important feature – Mammal Brain
There can be a play on words, such as ‘bare’, bare facts, bearing with something or someone, ‘bearing’ ones soul, bearing in mind, a ‘bearer’ of tidings, come to bear, overbearing, getting ones bearings, bear fruit or bear-hug. Because of traditional cultural associations, and its ability to hibernate, the bear can represent the ability to die and be reborn.
Bear attacking: It could mean that you are feeling or dealing with anger in yourself or another.
But many people dream of being chased by a bear and maybe run in fear or terror from the bear. Not only in your own dreams, but other people’s, it is obvious that we take into our sleep and dreams all the fears, terrors we carry within us. The huge bear, tiger or frightening person they are terrified of is actually fears either inherited or are frightening experiences from the past. They are purely mental things that you haven’t faced, and are therefore the victims of – victims of your own fears. But in dreams in you cannot die – or drown, or burn or any other threatening thing. We make the mistake of taking our very real values from our outer life into our inner life of dreams. If a bear or critter is chasing you, it is only a dream image and so what are you running from? If you drop the image if the bear/critter what you have is a feeling or emotion such as fear. And why are you running like crazy from an emotion? Remember that nothing can hurt you in your dreams, but you can feel fear. See The animal in my dream
And do not think, “That monster is bigger and stronger than I am, and it is frightening!!” It is our thoughts and fears that create the monsters inside us. So of course you are stronger unless you cower in fear.
But that only refers to outer bears, not dream bears. In some northern towns a bear or polar bear can be a real danger, so in your dreams it may be about a threat you need to keep watch for – although it is a bear in your dream, it could be any threat.
It can also, like the following dream, show a fight against disease.
Example: I dreamt that I was my older brother. As him, and yet at the same time myself, I was trying to fight off an attacking bear. I was doing all I could to defeat it but there was no let up.
Two days later my brother suddenly died from a vicious virus he had contracted while doing his job as a taxi driver. I feel as if I were fighting the disease with him in the dream, but we both lost the battle.
Baby or toy bear: Often represents a child or a young dreamer.
Tame or loving bear: Many people have no fear of animals in their dreams but are like the examples below. Fear is caused because we mix up our dream life with our outer life.
Example: In my dream I was actually happy to see bears lying down at the entrance of my parent’s old house. They were all lying down there as if waiting for me. When they felt my presence they woke up. They were happy and groaning amicably when they saw me approaching them. And there were babies too! I never felt fear or any threat but happiness to see them … and I knew it was mutual.
Example: My dream was not frightful. My Bear dream and I were walking, he put his nose in my hand and nuzzled, we walked home, I went up to my door and Bear went next door and rolled around in the neighbors driveway and rested.
But as people are educated in the modern paradigm, many of us are totally out of touch with the animal that we are, and have never been able to raise it to love and protect us, and instead are often frightened of it when it appears on their dreams. As a child we are often told not to do things – such as do not get angry, or told to be nice to everyone, but the intuitive animal side of us feels and act on its superior insight – that would allow them to mature with our animal self intact so we grow up repressing it, and often miss the natural curiosity of our inner mammal.
So if you have a loving animal dream you have a very good and healthy relationship with your inner animal. See Levels of the Brain and Summing Up
Three bears as with father bear, mother bear etc.: Family situation or parental relationship.
If hint of money in the dream: might refer to ‘bear market’.
Useful Questions and Hints:
What were your feelings and interactions with the bear? (For instance were you avoiding, running from cooperating with, watching from a distance – and where does ‘avoiding’, ‘running from’, ‘cooperating’, or ‘observing’ enter your life at the moment?)
If you imagine yourself as the bear in your dream, what do you feel and experience?
See Stand in Role; Processing Dreams; Summing Up
Comments
I had a dream last night that I was in my home and someone sent me a box and it had these weird naked creatures inside it. My focus was on the first out of the box and after a while it started to grow this gorgeous smooth black fur and I realized that both the am creatures were black bears. Like someone had sent them to me and I was meant to nurture them.
Just been woken up by this dream.. I’m walking my dog down the road and cross paths with a brown bear. Im not scared but we avoid it. It follows and we end up at home safe I think. I see it go past the window and then some people come through the back door and at this point im scared . I go to lock the front door just as the bear comes past. I can’t lock the door because its clawing the edges and I wake before it gets in. I woke up terrified.
I had a dream that I saw something running and something chasing it. I looked out the window and saw a black bear with a brown face had ran up a tree. The next thing I know the bear is inside the house sitting in a recliner. I try to get my families attention to give me a camera or phone to take a picture of the bear. I go into the bedroom to get my phone, but the memory is full so I can’t. I get my daughter’s phone and as soon as I try to take a picture of the bear still sitting in the chair, it starts turning into a male park ranger. Then I wake up.
My dream was a strange one..I was in a competition and I was the last person to compete. There was a bear on one side of a ladder, near the top and it had a rope attached to it. My challenge was to overpower the bear, by pulling on the rope and pulling him onto my side. Easy enough right?? Haha I approached the bear and felt fear, however there was a trainer with the bear so my mind was quickly eased. I pet the bear and then the challenge began. This bear looked like an overweight circus grizzly, definitely ready for winter. I must be Wonder Woman because I won. Shortly after I was swimming in a glass tank and people were chearing. My guess is that it has something to do with overcoming an insecurity or challenge in my life, but I’d love to hear someone else’s interpretation!
I had two dreams that a bear was coming upstairs in a parking garage and I was trying to leave in my car. The place of the parking garage was a job I recently quit. I am also having marital issues and will be a single mother soon. My husband’s dad killed his mom recently and things about my husband completely turn me off. Thoughts?
In my dream, I was traveling down a road, when I saw a bear lying in the middle. At first I thought the bear was dead, someone had hit him with a car, so I slowed down to stop. After watching the bear for a few moments he stood up, looked at me with beautiful light brown eyes, and then walked away. What could this mean?
In my dream, my family and i were camping and all these other animals came and ran passed us and then a bear came and we hid in our RV under tables because we were all scared. i was scared too, but for some reason i was laughing silently. Then the bear came into the RV but she was friendly. what does that mean
I love nature and feel more at at peace with myself in it. I was walking down a dirt road in a beautifully wooded area. I came to a place in the road, not a fork, just a place that I had not traveled beyond yet. It felt as if I had walked this way as a routine many many times but never considered going past a certain point. This time I just kept on going. I kept looking behind me to see if I was safe. Then started to feel maybe I should turn around but I was excited and curious to see how far I could go. The further I went the more excited and apprehensive I became as I look behind me there was nothing familiar left that I could see. As I went even further I could see there was another road that was going to meet up with the one I was on and there was a man on it. I thought I was alone but suddenly before I gave myself a chance to observe him for any length of time I panicked and started to run back the way that I came. I was thinking what if he means to do me harm? What if he captures me and tortures me? What if the woods are full of the psycho killers just waiting for me to pass by? I began to run more furiously. I tried to call my mom on my cell phone but she couldn’t help me. No one could there was no time. Now enters the bear… A gigantic black Godzilla bear with red eyes and the hugest claws I have ever seen. He’s chasing me and I run into the first house or cabin I see. He’s intelligent- not your average bear. There might have been other people in the cabin but I really don’t remember I was only thinking of saving myself. I thought about calling for help but I figured if they’re out there with the bear they’re good as dead. I ran into the first door that I saw. It was a bathroom but the door had no latch. it would close but it would not stay closed. I could not lock it and the light was on but there was no light switch to turn it off and hide. I thought about climbing up and unscrewing it but there was no time. I turn behind me and see another door inside of the bathroom I opened it and went inside to this small wooden closet also no latch on the door. Again, a light on inside but no switch. Now I’m really in trouble!!! I have no room to move even a little right or left. No no room to slide pass the bear once it opens the door to the closet. The only way to escape was to exit the bathroom through the door I entered where the bear was just outside. I’m imagining it bursting through the door any moment and tearing my face to shreds with its claws. I feel myself give up hope inside. Basically I am done trying to come up with ways or ideas to survive this and I am waiting to die.
Indi – You cannot actually die in your dreams, but you can of course feel or fear it. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
Your dream start with you opening up to the natural you, which offers the opportunity to explore yourself – the beautiful wooden area and the area you had never been before. Both indicators of the search for more of yourself.
But your conscious personality is such a tiny and vulnerable thing compared with the huge area of yourself that remains unconscious and is behind all your growth and life functions. Many people when they start to break through the barriers we place between knowing who we are and remaining the small person we are, experience fear. But it is only fear of the unknown. For example the first thing you met in your exploration was the fear of strangers, expressed as feelings about psycho killers. But then the bear appears.
What happened was the meeting with fears you hold within yourself, and the bear was a meeting with your own animal self. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/ The bear is intelligent because he is a part of YOU that you have not met or integrated yet.
You imagine the worse, but the bear hasn’t actually harmed you yet, jus scared you – nut you ran in fear from the man also, like scared rabbit. Of course in waking life that may be the best thing to do, but certainly not in dreams. The reason is because you are running away from yourself – there is only you, alone, in your dreams. Nobody else is home except you and all the scary images you have stored in you.
Of course there are dangers in the waking world, but is it worth quaking in fear while you are all alone and safe in bed asleep? See http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/martial-art-of-the-mind/
Tony
I had a dream that as I was driving down a road that I kept seeing two bears. they would either be sleeping or fighting. I could not believe that every few miles there would be more bears. Eventually I was outside but was riding in some sort of open vechical and a bear was running at me. I was afraid but my daughters boyfriend who has not been in the dream told me to not show my fear. So when the bear jumped up on me I just relaxed and it nudges my head in a nice way and ran off
Sally – You are a lucky mum to have a daughter, and her boyfriend who impressed you with the truth – not to show your fear.
Of course it was a dream bear and it was the right thing to do. Please read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
Thanks for sending your dream. It might be interesting if you try http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Tony
I had a dream, I was walking on a country road behind my nan old cabin. There was a man on a horse and we were talking about life, when up in the distance I see a moose and a bear standing up on the road. I took off before the bear could see me, but when I was running towards my nan cabin there was another bear running towards me. I manage to get under the cabin but the two bears were trying to get at me and digging out the ground. I woke up before they got to me.
Lee-Anne – Your dream starts with a deep connection with the wisdom and influence given you from your Nan. Then the man on the horse is another link with wisdom about life. But when you actually meet life in the form of dream animals you run and hide. Obviously you have real fears, but they are only about waking life animals. Dream animals are a totally different creatures. See http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/questions-2/#Summing
So the animals you feel in your dream will harm you are actually your own instincts and feelings that frighten you and are actually harmless. This is because every dream image, animal or person is a subtle or powerful aspect of your own efficient working. Just as car is made up of many parts to work well, so are we. A car without efficient brakes or carburettor works, but not well. So we do not work efficiently with parts of us denied, held back or repressed. Of course it might be a good idea to see why they frighten you by using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson and reading http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/
Tony
In my dream I’m confronted with the bear in my home. The bear attacks me my friends and my family. I find a way to barricade/trap it. I go and look for a weapon or something to stop it but I can’t find anything. The bear eventually breaks free. While looking around i find presents hidden in a closet.
Greg – Well, what are you scared of enough to repress/barricade against? What feeling are you looking for a weapon/a method to stop you feeling it or meeting it?
Dreams are simply our feelings, fears and intuitions put into a realistic virtual reality. Please read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing to save me a lot of explaining. Dreams are totally unlike waking life where you can be hurt or killed by a bear. Nothing can hurt you in a dream, but of course you can feel your fear if you are not facing up to it. You meet what you fear for yourself by using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
But your dream has a silver lining, because you couldn’t find anything to stop what you were trying to stop, and then you realise there are things to be got by not trying to kill your dream bear. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/#mammalbrain
The film Divergent has two scenes that actually portray what happens when you realise it is a dream and is not ‘real’. You realise your power. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riIO4iXtm98&list=PLqkCiYF4GzA1MdjQYyAsb_dBywbrokAtM&index=2
Tony
I was in a cabin with my mother & my two brothers. We got some sense that a bear that had recently killed a girl in town was in my older brothers room, so we woke him up & planned a way to defend ourselves against it. The bear appeared in the living room & was extremely aggressive & attacked both my brothers. They were defending themselves with bats but the bear was so powerful & seemed unharmed by the bats it was unbearable for me to watch my brothers get hurt so much that I woke up.
I had a dream where all my family and extended family were in a big house and outside the house was a big brown bear carrying her babies but trying to get into the house to attack us. At the same time my brother and sister in law were celebrating because they were now the king and queen of England. Also my sister left with a man to have an affair. All of us went into a room and locked the door so that the bear couldn’t get us. ??????
I had a dream of a bear trying to attack me and kept chasing me all over our camp/residence. I kept trying to leave the building and every time I went outside it would be there or coming towards me. I eventrually left and it saw me run to a house, when I got to that house it was someone whom I work with and I told them about the bear and that it was trying to come in. I was paranoid running around the house trying to jump out the window upstairs but it was too small. Suddenly I heard the woman yell “Jane, it’s your bf, he’s trying to ask you on a date!!!”. I then yelled at him and said ” you could have just asked, and didn’t have to chase me all over!!!” I woke up scared and mad at him and I still don’t know why he would resemble a bear :S
Jane – A fascinating example of how our dream self uses images of one thing to illustrate how we feel about another.
I can only guess that you have feelings, largely unconscious, about your boyfriend. Either that or sometime you had a bad experience with a boyfriend and your first impulse is to get the hell out of there – but when you realised it was only a date he wanted you were okay with it – or was his approach somewhat scary?
Tony
In my dream I was driving a car down the Windee road in the woods and I kept seeing a shadow. I couldn’t figure out where the shadow was coming from and then I thought maybe it was on top of my car so I slammed on my brakes and that they are rolled off and died on the ground.
Winding road*
The bear rolled of my hood and died or was badly injured