Wolf: Influential Pagan Symbol
Represents Teacher, Intuition, the Shadow and Loyalty
Wolf has a reputation which is undeserved as a fearsome creature. This totem imparts learning, wisdom and access to Higher Self.
Wolves live in packs of two to over thirty members. The leaders are the alpha male and alpha female. The next in the social hierarchy are the beta wolfs. At the bottom of the caste are the omega wolves. There may be other ranks of wolves in between. Only the alphas mate.
Their social system is complex and they have a highly structured communication that includes both vocal and body languages. They are very intelligent animals.
There are two major species of wolves among the five found in North America, the grey or timber wolf and the red wolf. Female grey wolves weigh between 50 and 85 pounds, the males, 85 to 130 pounds. Male red wolves weigh from 50 to 85 pounds, the females, 50 to 75 pounds. They are about the size of German Shepherds.There are seven to twelve pecies in Eurasia. The subspecies are hard to distinguish because they interbreed. Other variables are where they live, prey and range. The last wolves in Great Britain were exterminated in the Scottish Highlands in the 1600s.
Wolves primarily prey on large hoofed herbivores, usually the old, sick and very young, but will eat smaller animals and birds.
Man is the wolves’ predator. These canines have an undeserved reputation of being killers and attacking humans without provocation. Two good examples are the fairy tales about the Little Red Riding and The Three Little Pigs? Wolves have very rarely attacked and killed people despite the assumption that there is no known case of a wolf killing a person. They prefer to avoid being aggressive and growl and use body language to show power.
Pagan Symbolism
The phases of power of Wolf are year around, the full Moon, and twilight.
According to Celtic tradition, Wolf represents learning, loyalty, intuition, loyalty and the shadow. He teaches people not to feel strength and power of self when alone and to learn about the deepest self by imparting spiritual assistance and courage. Wolf also symbolizes cunning, wisdom, searching, dreams, magick, intuition, transformation, death and rebirth, intuition and protection.
Native Americans believe that Wolf is teacher and pathfinder to find new ideas and teach them to the tribe. He imparts a sense of family and loyalty, Moon is the power ally which helps Wolf to access the subconscious that has the secrets of knowledge and wisdom. Wolf tells people to seek out solitude to find the teacher within the self so they can teach others about spirituality. He helps people to learn to trust insights when they learn to value the inner voice.
Some Native American tribes, African Dogon tribe and the Aborigines of Australia believe Wolf is allied with Sirius, the Dog Star. A number of these believe the teachers and ancestors came from there.
People have study Wolf’s ways. He is a communal animal and teaches people to learn to cooperate in attaining those ends which are desired. Wolf helps people to learn to use body language as well as their voice in communicating these.
Rituals are important to Wolf . People can learn from this to enable them in getting in touch with the Source of Life.
Related article:
Animal Magick, D. J. Conway, (Llewellyn Publications, 1996)
Animal-Speak, Ted Andrews, (Llewellyn Publications, 2002)
The Druid Animal Oracle, Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm (A Fireside Book, 1994)
The Medicine Cards, Jamie Sams & David Carson, (Bear & Company, 1988)
