2006 was for me the Year of the Wolf.
It was heralded by an unusual dream. I dreamt of wolves howling at the moon, as i watched and listened I became aware through body feeling that the sound i was hearing was emanating from myself, i too was howling with them. It was an exhilarating feeling, being one with the wolf.
I was curious, having no previous connection with them. Why would they enter my dreaming?
The dream stayed with me.
Later in the year, i went looking for Wolf.

This is what i found........

The Wolf Ceremony

I wanted to give something of my past to my grandson. So I took him into the woods, to a quiet spot. Seated at my feet he listened as I told him of the powers that were given to each creature. He moved not a muscle as I explained how the woods had always provided us with food, homes, comfort, and religion. He was awed when I related to him how the wolf became our guardian, and when I told him that I would sing the sacred wolf song over him, he was overjoyed.

In my song, I appealed to the wolf to come and preside over us while I would perform the wolf ceremony so that the bondage between my grandson and the wolf would be lifelong.

I sang.
In my voice was the hope that clings to every heartbeat.

I sang.
In my words were the powers I inherited from my forefathers.

I sang.
In my cupped hands lay a spruce seed-- the link to creation.

I sang.
In my eyes sparkled love.

I sang.
And the song floated on the sun's rays from tree to tree.

When I had ended, it was if the whole world listened with us to hear the wolf's reply. We waited a long time but none came.

Again I sang, humbly but as invitingly as I could, until my throat ached and my voice gave out. All of a sudden I realized why no wolves had heard my sacred song. There were none left! My heart filled with tears. I could no longer give my grandson faith in the past, our past.

At last I could whisper to him: " It is finished!"

"Can I go home now?" He asked, checking his watch to see if he would still be in time to catch his favorite program on TV.

I watched him disappear and wept in silence. All is finished!

Chief Dan George
Salish, Burrard Inlet, BC.
July 24th 1899 - Sept 23rd 1981


......i found this heartbreaking! It made me weep too.

I also found that the last wolf in the UK was shot at Findhorn in Scotland in 1743.

.......What a complete destruction the modern world has wrought upon the natural world and upon indigenous peoples! I was stunned! These words really brought it home to me.

I searched further........and found a ray of hope in the efforts of some groups to promote and nurture the reintroduction of wolves to their traditional lands.
These are some of the links:

www.wolfcountry.net/informatio...ngered.html
www.wolftrust.org.uk/whyreintroduce.html

I learned....

There are two ways we can see wolf - as friend or as foe.
There are two paths we can take - singing wolf or killing wolf.

I choose the path of Singing Wolf.
Which path will you choose?

When the memory of the brotherhood between humans and wolves is revived and nurtured, the healing process can begin.

Onye...I have spoken.

John Gladstone (Backfoot)