Cougar Dream and Bear Choker Necklace

DREAM:
The cougar appeared right behind me and I was trying to get inside a structure, it was sort of like a subway car where the driver sits. My right arm was resting on my lower back trying to sense how close the cougar was as I was about to go through the door. I could feel the skin of its nose and it's breath on my hand. I was trying to remain calm so it would not sense my fear and attack. I managed to get into the subway car and quickly closed the door on the cougar. It's face appeared in the side window, I closed the blind, then it went to the front window and I did the same thing. It went to the window on the left. I closed that one too and then woke up.

I only had one other cougar dream prior to last night's dream which I may have written about on this blog some time ago. It took place in between the sickly bear dream and the 3 Elders in my kitchen dream. It was the series of these 3 dreams that finally prompted me to go see the Elder at my first Sweat. The Elder told me the Cougar represents the courage to do what I should be doing. I can still see the Elder's face as he looked at me and casually asked "So, what is it you should be doing?", as though I had a clue.

INTERPRETATION:
Yesterday I received a bear choker necklace in the mail from my sister ( the one who inadvertently started me on this native journey). It is made of natural material and bone and she recently acquired this from a Navajo person. It is a cherished gift and I explained to her I have not felt connected to the native stuff for some time as there are other things going on that is consuming my energy and focus. It was nice to receive this as a reminder to not stray from my heritage. As an aside I explained to her how I feel I am drifting away from my respected profession and feel a calling to do something that I struggle with due to my own prejudices and fear of what others would think of me. I would feel like a 'flake' to turn away from my career in order to persue this other dream that is linked to our environment and healthy living. It's fitting the cougar came to me last night to say I needed the courage to do what I should be doing.