ARTIO the Bear Goddess: Guidance for Awakening to New Possibilities
Artio, the Swiss goddess of the bear, begins to awaken in early spring. If you draw or are drawn to this card it is time to seek some guidance for the next unfolding in your life. Artio seeks wisdom from the celestial forces. She is sitting next to a pool of water, seeking guidance from the moon for her emotional life. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, you can witness the flow of your feeling states, without drowning in their depths. The gentle sun provides the light for illumination and insight. The goddess gazes into a bowl of water, where messages from the universe appear in the form of a star. It is time for you to deeply tune into the best place for you to direct your energy during this next phase of your life. And like the bear in this image you can begin to open your eyes to the actions that are in alignment with your soul’s purpose.
PRACTICE OPPORTUNITY: Like to woman in this card take some time to gaze into the pool of your emotions. Like the moon, our emotions eb and flow. Try to develop a attitude of allowing concerning your emotions. Try not to grasp onto plesant states, or have an aversion to difficult states. Take some time to distance just a bit from your feelings, so you can allow them to arise then pass away in due time. When we have a little healthy distance from our emotions, deeper guidance can arise as to our next action steps on our life’s path.
STORIES OF THE GODDESS:
In the northern European shamanic tradition a shaman would journey into the underworld uterine shrine of the goddess called Hel. They would be protected by a mask and commune with the disembodied souls for guidance and insight. A pregnant hibernating bear symbolized the shaman’s journey, and the birth of the cub in early spring symbolized the return to light and the gaining of wisdom.
Artio corresponds to the Greek goddess Artemis, who is also associated with bears. As Artio emerges from her sleep, the ancient Swiss people would burn an effigy of winter to literally destroy the cold with fire and light.
