4.9.1.5 Harvest Moon: Brown Bear (Sun Bear MWEA 89-97)

• August 23 to September 22
• Amethyst as mineral totem
• Violet as plant totem
• Brown Bear as animal totem
• Color is purple; Turtle Elemental Clan
• 4.9.1.5.1 Mineral Kingdom: Amethyst
  • A crystalline form of quartz, lilac, purple or violet in color, transparent
    • Found in areas all across the US, as well as in many other places around world
    • Royal purple stones rarely found, most valuable form
  • Popular since early days all over the world
    • Amethyst rings often found on Egyptian pharaohs and rulers of ancient Mayan and Aztec empires
    • Cleopatra wore a signet ring of amethyst with an engraving of Mithras, ancient Persian deity
    • An amethyst in the Crown of England, set there by Edward the Confessor
  • Considered to be symbolic of good judgment, justice, and courage
    • Attributed with the power of protecting wearer from black witchcraft, lightning, hailstorms
    • Also said to have power to protect wearer from intoxication
    • In some countries, people made wine cups from amethyst
      • In belief they would be kept from getting drunk
    • Other peoples used amethyst to help achieve spiritual attunement
      • A good balance between energies of physical and spiritual levels
  • Appropriate gem for those of the Brown Bear
    • Usually show good judgment, justice and courage in dealings with the world
    • Exhibit a higher degree of discrimination to those born during other moons
    • Decisions almost always fair and judicious ones
    • Tend to be fair and analytical, valuable to friends and co-workers
    • Have power to protect themselves from extremes, whether of alcohol or negativity
    • Can protect themselves and others from lightning and hailstorms
      • The sort that know enough to get in out of the rain

• 4.9.1.5.2 Plant Kingdom: Violet
  • A cool forest flower often associated with very warm sentiments from the heart
    • 400 species, mostly perennial, a few annual
    • Found in damp woods and other shady places
    • Most grow close to ground, have dark green rounded leaves
    • Well-known delicate violet flowers, containing several petals attractively draped over the center septum
  • Both leaves and flowers have been used medicinally, as antiseptic and expectorant
    • Mucilaginous properties, often used as a thickener in soups and stews
      • Especially true of variety known as wild okra
    • Used to flavor hot dishes as well as salads; have been made into jams, syrups
  • Medicinally, seems to have property that allows it to reach places normally only penetrated by blood and lymphatic fluids
    • Then able to dissolve any toxic materials
  • A major healing herb used by Native healers in curing cancer
  • The tea has been used for difficulty in breathing, for sore throats and tumors of the throat
    • It will cool any high temperature of the body, internal or external
    • Also useful for ear problems and headaches
    • Has a general tonic effect on the mucous membranes, much as yarrow does
    • Used as a compress, good for headaches, sore throats, skin problems, toothaches
  • In some countries, blossoms are burned under abscesses in belief that smoke will help cure any such problems of the skin

• 4.9.1.5.3 Animal Kingdom: Brown Bear
  • Identical to the black bear; some females will have one brown and one black cub in same litter
    • The black bear is more common in the East; brown bear more common in the West
    • Also called the cinnamon bear
    • Usually 4-5' long, 2-3' at the shoulder; weighs 200-400 pounds
    • Vary in color from blond to all varieties of brown and black
      • Black ones often having a white or light brown muzzle
    • Usually found largely in the West, Alaska, and Canada
  • Make their dens in holes, caves beneath fallen trees, deserted buildings, waterfalls
    • Females tend to line their dens, males do not
  • Generally careful and quiet creatures
    • When excited, will take in a breath while giving a bark
    • Also growl, whine and woof
  • Brown bears are omnivorous, eating anything they can get paws on
    • Grass, seeds, plants, vegetables, nuts, fish, ground squirrels, chipmunks
    • Gophers, carrion, garbage
    • Their favorite foods are honey and berries
    • Only enemies are humans and forest fires
  • Bears are curious animals, perhaps more so than any other except the raccoon
    • Lead a slow, deliberate and enjoyable life
    • Take time to watch, learn from things around them
    • Only busy in fall when have to eat enough to sustain through winter
  • Hibernation is not complete
    • Sometimes wake up and go outside on a warm day in the middle of winter
    • Frequently in a half sleep; lasts from November until March
    • During latter time of hibernation, females have cubs
      • During last part of their sleep, have to be awake enough to nurse them
  • Bears usually have two cubs, weighing about 8 ounces
    • Born hairless and as helpless as baby mice
    • It takes about seven years for a bear to mature
  • Mother bears are affectionate with cubs, but literally will spank them if they do not obey
    • Male bears do not take part in raising the young
  • Bears have a cheerful and good nature, will rarely bother humans
    • Most frequently flee when they see a human, unless a mother with cubs
    • A mother bear will usually make cubs flee, then dart out herself
    • Only problem is when they are cornered or in areas where people try to feed them
      • Then become pests
    • Bears like to eat from human kitchens since food is easier to obtain
      • Once they develop habit, difficult to break
  • Bears can do many things humans can do
    • Stand on two legs and walk for a short distance
    • Can climb a tree, usually better than a human can
    • Can remove honey from a bee tree in an expert way
    • Can spear fish, using claws as spears
  • To Native people, the bear was a very special animal
    • In most legends of the animal world, it is acknowledged that the bear is the head of the council of the animals
    • Because of fairness, strength, courage
    • In most tribes the bear clan was either the medicine, leadership or defense clan

• 4.9.1.5.4 Color: Purple
  • Color of introspection, of spiritual insight
    • Of suffering that can lead to a full knowing of the vital creative power of the universe
    • The color of idealism, yet of a practical sort, and of spirituality
    • In purer shades, it can also indicate a love of humanity
      • Also an understanding of need for ritual to help people achieve spiritual understanding
    • Purple can be a tricky color
      • negative shades can connote one who is using spiritual power for personal gain
    • It is a color of wisdom, whether of positive or negative things
  • Teaches Brown Bear people of the highest aspirations they can attain
    • And pitfalls they may encounter in getting them

• 4.9.1.5.5 Moon: Harvest Moon
  • The last moon of Shawnodese, the Spirit Keeper who represents the qualities of growth and trust
  • An auspicious position for Brown Bear people
    • Shawnodese's gift of growth keeps them from becoming too set in practical side
      • Gift of trust keeps them from becoming too cynical about world around them, inhabitants
    • Brown Bear people must guard against cynicism
      • Or will become overly critical of everything, everybody
      • Can show marked bitterness totally out of proportion to anything that has happened to them
      • Can dredge up every unhappy fact of their lives to justify their feelings
      • This far out of balance, likely to get diseases affecting their stomach, bowels or heart, often a blockage
  • The moon of the autumn equinox
    • When all earth's children get to reap what they have sown
    • This knowledge keeps Brown Bear people from being out of balance too often
• 4.9.2.5.6 Elemental Clan: Turtle Clan
  • Practical and down-to-earth, Brown Bear people are strengthened by membership here
    • Also have ability to reach for the things of the spirit if allow themselves to do so
    • Sometimes they will limit their reach because their realism gives air of cynicism about anything not seen
    • Sense of reality can make them look for "practical" uses of any mystical powers they uncover
    • Often "practical" will mean uses to give them personal gain
    • In searching for these, can misuse powers they have been given
    • Bad results for themselves and those around them
  • Membership increases Brown Bear people's ability to remain grounded in earth
    • While working on a variety of projects usually associated with
    • Multiple ideas of involvement prevent them from becoming so stable that they crystallize in one thing
      • Life's energy continues to flow through them
    • Membership increases Brown Bear people's power and talents
  • Brown Bear people are compatible with their fellow Turtle clan members
    • Snow Goose and Beaver
    • Also with those of the Frog clan, Flicker, Snake and Cougar people
    • The complement those of the Cougar

Introduction: Page One ~ | ~ Page Two ~ | ~ Page Three ~ | ~ Page Four ~ | ~ Page Five ~ | ~
~ | ~ Sacred Altar ~ | ~ East ~ | ~ South ~ | ~ West ~ | ~ North ~ | ~
Inner Circle: Owl ~ | ~ Cougar ~ | ~ Hawk ~ | ~ Coyote ~ | ~ Wolf ~ | ~ Bear ~ | ~ Raven ~ | ~
Outer Circle: Snow Goose ~ | ~ Otter ~ | ~ Cougar ~ | ~ Hawk ~ | ~ Beaver ~ | ~ Deer ~ | ~
~ | ~ Flicker ~ | ~ Sturgeon ~ | ~ Bear ~ | ~ Raven ~ | ~ Snake ~ | ~ Elk ~ | ~ Blue ~ | ~

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