In Norse mythology, gods transformed into human form and walked among the people. Like the Valkyrie, who were female helper spirits of the god Odin, they could also change into animals by using shamanism and a strong kind of magic called seiðr. The masters of this form of magic were the Norns, who taught seiðr to Odin and Freyja and who would weave energies within the structure of fate. In many of the Norse stories, depictions of Odin feature two ravens known as Huginn and Muninn — possibly representative of aspects of himself — that he sends out into the world to become his eyes, ears, and messenger between the nine realms. Norse and Native American cultures both revere ravens, and they feature heavily in my stories.
Similarly, bears appear as powerful beings in Norse mythology and other ancient traditions. Norse warriors wore bear skins and took part in shamanic ceremonies to adopt the fierce fighting skills of the bear before they went into battle. What we now call 'berserkers' were then called berserkir, meaning 'bear-shirt'. When I work with or write about bears, however, we are dealing with Bear as healer — something my Native American Hopi culture believes.
In my view, the animal kingdom is a source of healing for people and the symbols of Raven and Bear represent in turn the epitome of heartfelt healing. In ancient times we lived close to the earth, and were pure of heart because we recognised our undeniable connection to the cosmos and our sacred responsibility to maintain its delicate balance. The stories I tell are intended to remind us of that Earth connection, as well as of the sacred duty to care for her. Bear is not only a protector of the earth: he is also a medicine man, continuously called on to doctor and heal all those in the forest.
Like all magical beings, Bear transforms not only himself but others around him. His role is to guide us, and to assist in our journey of self-realisation. Wherever you see Bear, you may often encounter Raven as well. They are friends and work together, something that both Norse and Native American cultures understood. In native culture, Raven is known as a trickster with a playful sense of humour who guides those in need to the medicine man, Bear. Sometimes Raven pays the price for his tricks. His magical abilities include calling upon energies that completely alter the environment: Raven can shift the moon, and call upon the wind. My stories about earth medicine and animal magic are intended to share the gravitas of walking a medicine path, which has been my journey since birth. However, in the 30 years I've spent healing people around the world, I rarely walk alone. Raven and Bear always accompany me.
Their teachings, reflected in Dancing with Raven and Bear, are about honouring and respecting the works taught to me by my elders. Issues of love, pain, sorrow, separation, and death are all a part of our lives, but with Bear's strength and Raven’s humour, I continue to walk this path.
Discover and connect to your animal totem, find out what it symbolises in your life and learn how animal magic can help you navigate your place on earth.
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