A few years ago, I was told that my spirit animal was a wolf. A white wolf to be more specific. This did not surprise me because I have been fascinated by wolves and how they play a part in the Native American culture since I was 13 years old. My family bought a black German Shepherd dog when I
was 10 years old and a lot of people would come up to us when we were out and ask if he was part wolf. Of course, he was not, but this observation made by others awakened a peculiar curiosity from within me and thus my interest of wolves began to take shape.
The wolf is a highly regarded animal in the Native American culture. It is considered to be the highest renowned spiritual teacher in the spirit animal community, even above such noble birds as the hawk and the eagle. Each color of the wolf represents new knowledge that is blossoming.
The wolf is an important teacher as it once was an animal that was greatly feared, which lead it down a path to near extinction. Since the wolf has been seen as a symbol of wildness, the fear that augmented inside farmers and hunters intensified because the wolf represented a threat to their
land and livestock. And even though farmers and hunters still see the wolf as a threat, the reintroduction of wolves into the environment is causing the general public and several major wildlife defense groups to protect the wolves and the areas which they inhabit.
On a deeper, more spiritual level, the wolf may mirror our own mixed feelings about how we perceive ourselves to be as humans. We may be considered "civilized," but we are also animals - human animals - with our own wild and carefree spirit. The wolf continuously reminds us of this trait, often
to our own unease.
The spirit of the wolf contains other paradoxes as well. In both Native American and Celtic traditions, it stands for the path of discovering deep levels of oneself, culminating in finding inner knowledge and the trust of one's intuition. This is a lonely path that one must walk and follow. In
order to truly understand oneself and their inner feelings, one must be alone and not swayed by the opinions of those around them. One must be able to listen to the voice from within, which speaks very clearly in silence if one is aware of it. Symbolizing the night, the wolf may lead one through
their spiritual journey in their dreams, a time when new discoveries about oneself may appear.
As a spiritual guide, the wolf reminds us of the lessons we need to learn. Being a territorial animal, these traits, which may often present themselves in the workplace, remind us of how we need to let go, especially because it is often interpreted by others as possessiveness. People with these
traits will go to great lengths to protect their family and friends, even if it means getting into a fight. But there are also positives that can be attributed to the wolf's protective nature. The wolf is a very intuitive creature, often showing us our innate intuition in order to sense
spiritual lessons that must be learned. In order to understand this, we must realize we are not alone and have the support of our loved ones to rely on.
The wolf is also a social animal and the wolf's pack is testament to that. The adults within the pack's social structure have much to teach and train their offspring. As humans, being the social animals that we are, we have many important lessons to learn from the wolf. We can come to understand
that there doesn't need to be a separation between the social and solitary paths. One day, we may realize that in exploring our own spiritual paths, tucked away in the depths and tiny crevices of our unconsciousness, that there will be new discoveries made. These new discoveries will uncover the
hidden truths that we will be able to share with the rest of the human race.
Lara Ameen is a junior at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in English with a double minor in Creative Writing and Disability Studies. She enjoys writing about her favorite paranormal television shows and is fascinated by the relationship between psychology, spirituality and the
paranormal. Her biggest aspirations are to be a fiction novelist and television screenwriter.
