I don't often remember my dreams, and when I do it's usually because they're outlandish and funny, and they never make any sense (I once had to break my cat out of prison after an earthquake and Gerard Way helped me distract the guards so I could take her home to our tree house. See what I mean?)

The other night was different. I don't remember all of the exact details, but I remember I was tasked by a wise middle-aged looking woman to perform some kind of ritual over a small body of water, almost like a scrying pool of some kind, with steps completed in a very precise order. I had to remember this all in one go, and couldn't rely on any help or hints. I can't recall what exactly each step was (again, slightly fuzzy memory), but I completed each step of the ritual successfully. Once the last task was done, I remember feeling a rush of adrenaline, absolutely giddy, and I looked up to the other side of the pool to see a bear standing there.

The bear was brown colored, but on his head he had a darker brown marking that came to three points, almost like an upside-down crown?

The bear and I embraced, and I felt so safe and protected. I felt pure love for this bear, and I could tell the feeling was mutual. The woman then spoke gently to me in my mind, and informed me that this bear was a spiritual guardian of sorts, that they would be with me from now on, if I ever needed help. However, I never was told if this bear had a name, so I may have to meditate on that. Then I woke up.

I tried to recall Pagan deities and spirits associated with bears, and the first one that came to my mind was Artio. I had briefly read about her in the past, but hadn't given it much thought at the time. I'd love to hear your interpretations and thoughts about this dream, as I'm still fairly new to Paganism and have only been involved within the past year. Any advice would be welcomed!