The bear and the heron

I was driving back from dropping Charlie off at work this morning.  I wasn't in a very good mood.  It is an absolutely gorgeous summer morning and I was disgusted that Peter and Maddie were at a softball "tournament" and that just set me off with all sorts of wonder at what our society has become.  (I spent TWELVE hours yesterday sitting in an uncomfortable seat watching a softball "tournament."  I keep putting that in quotes because what it really is is a huge scam ... get parents to spend loads and loads of money to have them play in these games all weekend long.  Why?)  But anyway, that was going on in my head, in addition to the lake "stuff."  Charlie spent the night there and I had to swing through to pick him up.  And it was such a negative environment with the inconsiderates.  That is my word for family members who can't see beyond themselves.  So THAT was in my head also!

So as I drove with my busy negative head going's on, I was going down this hill when I saw something loping across the road.  It was HUGE.  I mean, as soon as my brain clicked that it was a ginormous black bear, I slowed down because I felt fear.  The thing was seriously the biggest bear I'd ever seen (and living around here I've actually seen quite a few) and it was loping across the road with such power ... and I was in a Jeep.  I put the windows up (no roof, but I am sure that would have saved me!) and approached it cautiously.  It had gone to the side of the road by now, but I was really sort of panicked that it was going to come out and attack.  I don't know why.  Because of its size I guess.  I could see it in the woods, so I just went by.

As I continued on my way I thought, wow, that was so big!  And yet, so graceful.  And so black and healthy looking.  It glistened, for want of a better word, in the sunshine.  It was a beautiful bear and now that it was behind me, I was no longer afraid.  And then I looked up in the sky, for no reason, and a blue heron was flying by.  And I got it.  I literally laughed out loud and felt myself flush through from head to toe with positive energy and joy.

Two signs, on an amazingly beautiful summer morning, to remind me to get the hell out of my head and shut uppa myself!  And why are the bear and the blue heron significant?

I have done shaman workshops and through the process of shamanic journey have discovered that the animal that comes to me when I travel to the lower world is a bear.  A big black bear that always envelopes me in a bear hug if you will, and makes me feel safe and comforted.  So that bear came to me to remind me, and yet, it wasn't enough.  I didn't get it.  So the blue heron, which is my power animal, also came.  It was freaky, and yet, intuitively I know that it wasn't freaky at all.  It was a reminder that if you are aware, then it all makes sense.

And sometimes you need a big black bear and a beautiful bird to jog you back into a place of wellness.

So I thank you, universe, for that amazing message.  Just so you know, I got it :)

p.s.  I chose the rather whimsical bear picture above because it best reminded me of what "my" bear looked like.  All the other google images were of sort of scrawny looking bears.  Mine was amazing.  And while this picture doesn't depict him, it does sort of show his energy.