Wolf Medicine
by Felina Lune Kavi
“The strength of the pack is the
wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” –Rudyard Kipling
Keywords: Loyalty, Guidance, Path-finding,
Instinct, Intuition, Strength, Stamina, Discipline, Order, Community, Responsibility,
Teamwork, Diplomacy, Individuality within the Group, Self-Expression, Communication,
Boundaries, Respect, Wisdom, Authenticity, Patience, Intelligence,
Problem-solving, Competition, Perceived Threats, Protection, Family, Freedom
There
is a Native American proverb that tells of a grandfather telling his grandson
that we each have two wolves inside of us, struggling with each other. The
first is the wolf of peace, love and kindness. The other wolf is fear, greed
and hatred. "Which wolf will win, grandfather?" the boy asks. The grandfather replies, "Whichever
one we feed." Not only does this proverb allude to the inner struggle of
human nature, but it also highlights a certain duality to the totem medicine of
the Wolf.
Despite
actually being non-aggressive toward humans (and even each other) unless
provoked, the fear of wolves as violent killer beasts that would threaten
anything in their path is still a popular belief (though this idea is not supported
by more earth-based cultures such as the Native Americans and the Inuit and
Yupik tribes, who respect the power and stamina of the animal but do not fear
them). In North America, there have been only 2 fatal wolf attacks in
the past 100 years…which means that people are in more danger of being killed
by a cow than a wolf. However,
this misguided vilification precedes them…as many learn about wolves from
stories such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘The Three Little Pigs’, and ‘The Boy
Who Cried Wolf’ as children. Because
of this reputation, wolves have been hunted to near extinction by humans. In the past two decades though, the
Endangered Species Act has helped to protect them and increase their
numbers.
The darker side of Wolf Medicine has to do with what happens
when a threat, real or imagined, is perceived by those with this totem. While people with this totem have
strong powers of intuition and instinct, and an excellent ability to patiently
solve problems…when they feel threatened, their instincts can turn against them
and they may make a problem worse by becoming aggressive, overly competitive,
or fearful.
However, as it is with all canines, friends and family are
essential to their well-being and, in most cases, survival. Wolves are pack animals and look out
for each other. Contrary to popular
belief, the lone wolf is a very rare case. Those with this totem would do well to understand that they
are never alone…there is always at least one other person who cares very deeply
for them. A wolf pack may be as
small as two wolves or much larger, depending on the food supply.
Another common misconception about
wolves is that there is a hierarchy from alpha to omega. Wolf packs are essentially
family groups, so the leader of the pack is usually the father. They mate for life, so the lead female
is the mother of the pack. None of
the other wolves in the pack will mate, unless they form their own pack and
choose another territory. Females
of breeding age won’t even go into heat unless they are the designated mother
of the pack. In cases where the
food supply is low, the father and mother will not breed until the conditions
for survival are well-suited for new members of the family. Because of the breeding habits of the
pack, increasing the number of wolves from their near extinction has been a
slow process and they are still an endangered species.
People with Wolf as their totem guide are very
family-oriented and very protective of their pack. They are often very smart parents who will put the needs of
their children above their own and, in the event that they have little to
provide for their family, they become very savvy at making a little go a long
way. People with a wolf totem make
survival of any harsh realities like an art form. Their children will always have what they need, even if it
means their parents have to go without for a while.
People with this totem are extremely loyal, not only to
their family and children, but also to their mate. They recognize and respect their significant other for the
leader they are within their family as well as for all that they do to provide
for them. Even when in conflict
with each other, they keep the lines of communication open and treat each other
diplomatically in order to work through any issues and get back to what is
really important. Teamwork is an
essential part of this medicine, so when they feel as though their mate isn’t
pulling their weight this is usually where the most conflict arises. Wolf people take on a lot of
responsibility in their lives, and they are excellent teachers and guides to
others, especially their children.
In fact, every wolf in a pack is responsible for the education and
caretaking of the pups, as well as for providing for the family when they are
of age.
Wolf medicine is that of the Pathfinder, and this totem will
similarly guide those with its medicine to keep on the right path toward their
goals. Wolves are so good at
hunting together that even the Department of Defense respects their force. In 2014, they mimicked the way
coordinated wolf packs hunt with minimal communication by creating
semi-autonomous military drones that could enter enemy air space and work
together to invade and attack.
Communication is another big part of Wolf Medicine, and while they are
often more vocal than the fox, they rely just as heavily on scent
communication. People with this
totem are often very good at ‘sniffing out the truth’ in any situation as well
as knowing when something just doesn’t smell right. Wolves howl for many reasons, whether to call back to their
pack or to alert other packs to their territory. But they also howl together before they go out to hunt,
almost like a pre-game ritual where they all get each other fired up to do
their best. People with this totem
are similarly encouraging to each other and find that they are very comfortable
communicating within a group when a shared purpose arises.
Though they have a strong community mindset, Wolf also
guides us to express our individuality within a group. When they need to, they may act as if
they are of one mind…but when they are comfortable, their self-expression comes
out and is encouraged by the group…so long as they don’t overstep any
boundaries that might endanger the pack.
Because of being raised with a good balance of discipline and
encouragement, people with this totem often have very healthy ways of
self-expression.
Wolves have proved themselves to be powerful creatures that
command respect as well as essential to the survival of many other
species. For just one of many
examples of this, between 1914 and 1926, under pressure from cattle and
livestock industries, U.S. congress allowed the last of Yellowstone National Park’s
136 wolves to be hunted into extinction.
After that, the land started changing. The trees began to disappear. A little over 20 years after wolves, and new tree growth
drops to just 10% of what it was before their absence. 50 years after wolves, and those trees
are down to just 1%. Trees that
were once up to 98 feet tall would rarely make it past 2 feet tall.
The reason for this is that the trees
were being devoured by one of the wolves’ favorite meals, the Elk. Without wolves to keep them in check,
the Elk population exploded to 19,000 strong. With each elk devouring 10 to 20 pounds of plants per day,
that’s 380,000 pounds of species-supporting habitat eaten every day. Riverbanks started to crumble without
the roots of trees and plants to hold them together. The beaver population that depended on the rivers and the
dwindling trees dropped from 25 colonies to just one. Even Grizzly Bears suffered without wolves. 70 years without wolves and that world
was dying.
But then, in 1995, thanks to provisions in the endangered
species act, two wolf packs were reintroduced to Yellowstone. The impact was palpable. In just a little over 10 years, elk
populations dropped 50.3% to a more sustainable 7000 heads. It’s not just that they kill and eat
the elk, but wolves also keep them running so that they can’t overgraze any one
area.
Also, less elk competing for
food means more bison. In the
years after wolves returned to Yellowstone, bison populations doubled from
under 1000 to over 2000. Because
wolves eat big game animal, they actually were leaving behind carrion that were
being scavenged by ravens, vultures, and even bears.
15 years after the return of wolves, and even the shape of
rivers started to change. Deeper
roots meant stronger soil and more defined riverbanks. Yellowstone went from having one beaver
colony to over 100. The wolves’
impact on Yellowstone’s biodiversity is undeniable. After the return of top predators like wolves, Yellowstone
began to recover. This
interconnectedness is known to scientists as atrophic cascade. It is now obvious that wolves are a
vital part of a complex ecosystem.
People with this totem learn that they, too, have an integral role to
play in the development and maintenance of a balanced world.
If Wolf is one of your totems, these and many other lessons
will be prevalent in your life.
Wolf will encourage you to refine your mastery of this medicine. If you see a wolf, but it is not one of
your totems, respect it as a messenger for that time. You may need its medicine for what is happening then or what
is coming up in the near future.
It may be that you are struggling within yourself to keep on the
straight and narrow path toward your best outcome, or it may be that you need
to keep clear boundaries in place to protect you and your family from unwanted
influences. Whatever the message
may be, Wolf is a patient creature teacher and will guide you with the wisdom
of a caring leader and a respected member of a close-knit family. Often, when in need of Wolf Medicine,
it may come to you from a wise elder in your family or community. Seek out their help in times of trouble,
and Wolf will be there to encourage you along your path.
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