Excerpt from "Spirit of the Wolf"
Introduction
by Linda Star Wolf
Although the wolf has sometimes played a dubious role in our culture, in other cultures and in fairy tales he is a guide who can show us the way to rekindle ancient wisdom in our present-day lives. In our culture, the wolf has often been seen in the guise of the Big Bad Wolf or as the wolf that tried to eat Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs. We’ve heard sayings such as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” which usually indicates that something apparently benign is, in fact, a sinister predator and perhaps evil in nature.
However, in indigenous or Native cultures, the wolf traditionally has been associated with many positive qualities—he may be the pathfinder, way shower, and community builder, exhibiting qualities such as loyalty, protection, and companionship. The wolf has also been seen in the role of visionary, teacher, and healer. It is said that he can guide us to deep inner self-discovery. These aspects may seem quite contrary to some of the stereotypical characteristics assigned to the wolf in popular culture. However, the power of the wolf remains, and the general public has recently become more open to the positive aspects and nature of the wolf. Today it seems that one can’t go into a gift shop or even a department store without seeing the emblem of the wolf on various items such as T-shirts, backpacks, posters, and book covers. Everywhere we turn, we find these images of the wolf. And the conversation about wildlife preservation becomes more animated every day, as people realize that it is necessary to defend the lives of wolves, especially in densely populated areas where the paths of wolves and humans frequently cross.
Linda Star Wolf has been teaching and practicing shamanic arts for over 35 years. She is the author of several books, including Shamanic Breathwork and Visionary Shamanism, and is a spiritual granddaughter of the Seneca Wolf Clan. She lives at the Isis Cove Retreat Center in Asheville, NC.
$17.95 US
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirit-of-the-wolf-antonia-neshev/1110897428
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