Spirit Animal – Wolf

Picture from Microsoft Clip Art…

The timber wolf is a fascinating predator that can track its ancestry back to about 300,000 years ago.  Research suggests that timber wolves and dogs share a common ancestor which may be one of the reasons that many humans love wolves and identify with them as they would with a dog.  Wolves are pack animals, built for stamina, and carry surprising bulk. 
Wolf weight varies geographically; on average, European wolves may weigh 85 lbs, North American wolves 80 lbs, and Indian and Arabian wolves 55 lbs. Though rarely encountered, extreme specimens of more than 77 kg (170 lb.) have been recorded in Alaska, Canada, and the former Soviet Union. The heaviest recorded gray wolf in the New World was killed on 70 Mile River in east-central Alaska on July 12, 1939 and weighed 79 kg (175 lb.) – from Wikipedia…
Wolf is very territorial and marks the territory by both scent and by howling.  On average, a territory may be 200 kilometres in length with the width being about 75 kilometres, and bordering on another territory with perhaps a 35 kilometre buffer zone.  Wolf will fight to death to defend its young, its pack and its territory.


Black wolf picture from Microsoft Clip Art

Wolves convey much with their bodies. If they are angry, they may stick their ears straight up and bare their teeth. A wolf who is suspicious pulls its ears back and squints. Fear is often shown by flattening the ears against the head. A wolf who wants to play dances and bows playfully.  Wolf does not fight without reason, and usually will go out of its way to avoid fighting a pack mate. The pack is headed by a dominant female and male. They organize the pack to hunt deer, elk, and moose, and look for the very young or very old.  The whole pack raises the young after the pups reach ten weeks.  Before that, pups are fully dependent on Mom and Dad.
Wolf is a common Spirit Animal or Guardian Animal.  Our Ancestors hunted down dens to capture pups that they could raise and use for hunting and for guarding the tribe.  Even though there is a lot of animosity towards Wolf, she comes to us in real time or dream time, or by symbols, and delivers messages that we need to hear. 

1. The Wolf howl may be telling you to defend your boundaries, or perhaps you need to create boundaries first.
2. Although Wolf is very loyal to the pack, she maintains her own identity. She may be guiding you to look at whether you are too dependent or submissive.  Perhaps it is time to leave the pack and find your own territory.
3. Wolf is also about balance – in family because only one female usually bears young as this is the number the pack can support, and in life. Wolf hunts and feeds and plays. Do you play enough?
4. Wolf speaks with body language and vocals.  She is about sending the right messages and communicating her needs.  She asks if you are sending the message that is truth for you, or whether you submerge your needs.  Do you need to change your style of communication?
5. Wolf is about confidence in themselves and in the pack.  Where do you have confidence?  Do you need to find a career or hobby where you are totally confident in what you do?

May you find your territory and a great pack to run with!
Judy@angelsandancestors.com    Also see 

Spirit Animal - Honouring Delinda, The Leader of the Bow Valley Pack

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