In many cultures, especially those that have largely retained the remnants of archaic beliefs, a special type of spirituality is practiced, associated with establishing close inner contact with an animal. The latter is called a totem. In principle, almost any animal can play this role. But one of them, of course, is the leader in almost all such cults. We are talking, of course, about the wolf.
Objectives of the article
The totem is also called the animal of power - the power of spiritual, energetic, magical. In Russia, this practice is traditionally associated with the shamans of Altai, Siberia and the Far East and has very ancient roots in these regions. The Wolf totem has its own rich history, captured in many myths and legends. But we will not delve into historical studies, but will talk about the significance of this animal in the proposed religious and mystical context. In other words, our task is to find out what the Wolf totem is in its essence. We will try to describe the main meanings of its figure and function in as much detail as possible.
What is a totem
First, under the totemalways meant not a specific animal of flesh and blood, but rather. the archetype behind the species as a whole. That is, the Wolf totem is not any representative of the canine family, but the very concept, if I may say so, of wolfness, or its idea, to use the Platonic language. A real animal can act as a personification of a totem, a mediator between it and a person, and also as a carrier of characteristic totem qualities. The Wolf totem, whose photo you can see below, often became an animal of power not just of individuals. Entire shamanic clans, military brotherhoods, clans and other groups of people of various levels of organization and association chose him as their patron. At the same time, a person’s personal totem may be completely different, but, being in this kind of association, it is replenished with a collective totem.
The Purpose of Totemism
The actual purpose of this practice is to study. A person is required to be so imbued with the idea of an animal, in this case wolfness, in order to be reborn from within and become this creature in its own way. In other words, you need to develop the qualities of your beast of power in such a way that you feel like one with it. We are not talking about a disorder when a person actually feels like one or another animal by physical nature (Mowgli's syndrome). In this case, close spiritual contact is implied, as a result of which the magical power of the animal comes into contact with a human being and teaches him some specific things characteristic of this representative of the fauna.
Wolf totemin its connection with military associations
It is well known that in nature, wolves are subject to many rituals characteristic of their species. They distinguish places in relation to their purpose, protect their territory, and a complex hierarchy reigns in their society. All these features fit perfectly into the principles of organization and discipline of various military associations. In addition, wolves are predators, the personification of strength and aggression, courage and collective power, which also correlates very strongly with the concepts of military prowess and honor. The Wolf totem was of such importance among the ancient Slavs, Scandinavians and many other peoples.
Principles of totemism
A person who has revealed the qualities of this animal in himself should not neglect his habits. Otherwise, it will turn against him. The fact is that the totem gives a person not only strength and knowledge, but also imposes some responsibility associated with restrictions. In other words, the Wolf totem, the meaning of which was suddenly discovered by a certain seeker of strength, must also behave in accordance with the wolf, some kind of intuitively felt, and sometimes quite obvious, code of honor. A person, for example, should not compromise the principles of his own and foreign territory, but should be aware of where he is and who is the boss here. Wolves live in packs, respectively, the wolf type of a person should not be excessively withdrawn into himself, indulge in selfishness or lead a closed, hermitic lifestyle. Wolves are naturally monogamous. The same attitude in matters of love and marriage is required of a person. OtherwiseIn this case, acting against his newly discovered nature, a person destabilizes his condition, which can provoke various diseases, both at the mental and physiological levels. Therefore, the iron rule for those who have established a connection with their totem is to live in harmony with its nature.
Wolf howl and inner honesty
A very characteristic feature of a wolf is its howl. In this way, these animals in nature transmit information and express themselves. The Wolf totem also requires the dedicated person to have this trait, which can sometimes lead to a contradiction with the requirements of local culture and the characteristics of abstinence. This, of course, is not about spontaneously and uncontrollably showing all your feelings, including bad ones. It implies the development of inner honesty and the eradication of any hypocrisy in oneself. The wolf man must be sincere and open in his feelings and emotions, without any suppression or pretense. At the same time, he must possess true wolf self-control and intelligence in order to understand when it is enough to simply growl or show a grin, when to rush into the attack, when not to pay attention, and when to substitute the withers under the stroking hand. Shameless rudeness, predatory attitude towards people and rudeness are by no means wolf qualities. Wolves are full of inner nobility, intelligence and fortitude, and only in common anecdotes and fairy tales are they described as forest gopniks. This image has nothing to do with totemism.
Common senseand intuition
Wolves are naturally savvy. The totem of this animal teaches the same quality to its wards. However, it must be clarified that this is not just about common sense, but about the development of the integrity of one's entire being. This process includes, for example, the development of intuition. Thus, a person instinctively learns to find the paths leading to the best result, as well as to read various clues in the universe. This is what the Wolf totem actually teaches - meaning, signs … The wolf-man howls (of course, not literally) in the sense that he often and fruitfully speaks with his subconscious, an inner voice, with which he has an excellent dialogue.
Communication
Wild wolves in nature can join forces with other creatures. Since ancient times, the close relationship of these animals with crows has been noted. The latter, for example, indicate to the pack where the victim is, and the wolves, in turn, share part of the prey with the informant. Similarly, among people, the totem Wolf and Raven can interact fruitfully. But in general, it is important to understand the principle itself, according to which wolves do not neglect mutually beneficial deals, but use all the possibilities of joint fruitful cooperation. At the same time, one should not forget about the concept of honor - wolves will not use others for their own selfish interests. We are talking only about such cooperation, which does not imply "scam". The last thing for a wolf man is a shameful act.
Modesty
In the packwolves are dominated by rigid orders, and all individuals of the wolf community play their roles in it, occupying certain hierarchical positions. At the same time, the nature of the wolf does not tolerate any bragging, arrogance or arrogance. They have enough inner maturity, strength and prudence not to boast of their position. The wolf-type man learns from his totem the same thing. He will not flaunt his status, title, connections or other advantages for no reason. In general, the totem gives such energy power that in the very appearance, look, posture of a person, tremendous power begins to be felt. This is reflected in the fact that without a single word or gesture, literally by his very presence, he is able to tame overzealous people.
Internal Rhythm
Puberty, and hence the full status of the wolf reaches approximately the end of the second year of life. Hence, in various traditions, a special significance of the two-year period is postulated for those who have the Wolf as their totem. It is important for a person to learn to feel this rhythm and determine the zenith of his strength. It is also worth noting that the wolf is closely associated with the planet Mars, the duration of a complete revolution around the Sun is approximately equal to two Earth years. Thus, a person with an awakened wolf totem is energetically dependent on the Martian year. This factor must be taken into account, but its importance should not be exaggerated. Still, a person lives on Earth, and the Martian, as well as the wolf, influence plays an auxiliary, not a decisive role.
