The Rising of Black Wolf: Courage to Walk Alone

With the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful and in the Presence of Our Ancestors, Both Seen and Unseen

This article is about the ‘Lone Wolf’, it is motived by a story I saw on National Geographic about Black Wolf, a lone wolf who was the longest living wolf in the history of Yellow Stone National Park. It was because of his strategies and tactics that he was able to live so long. He lived on the fringes of the wolf pack, he never got into a confrontation with the leader because he out smarted him, he also attracted a lot of the females and sired many wolves. However in the end he ended up the leader of his own pack. 

The lone wolf hears a different drummer and is not afraid to walk to the drummer that he/she hears. Among the wolves there is always one who has the courage to break away from the pack and seek to go it alone. Some make it, many don’t. As we walk this spiritual path it is important to understand the need to know God for yourself, to experience God for yourself and not rely on the metaphysical interpretation by others of a reality that cannot be quantified. There will come a point in which God will call you to break away and come into the wildness of your own consciousness and experience God for yourself. Do not be afraid, go; and go with confidence that God will show you all you need. As you travel do not give up your rational understanding seeking to rely on magic, the magic is in your believing and then coming to know God for yourself.

Many of you who read this article fall within the category of the Lone Wolf, for some unknown reason you have been walking alone. You have broken away from your family, friends, traditions and tribes. Something has risen up in you that tells you there is more out here that you must get to see and know that God is a reality that is so close to you but you cannot find it, yet you know it is there. Each day your spiritual pain goes deeper and more severe until you come to the point that you have to walk away and go into the wilderness of your own psyche and make sense of this calling. Dear friend fear not, God is with you and will always be with you, but into the wilderness alone you must go. You must go and find the celestial drummer that you hear. Yes this walk is lonely but it is so fulfilling, for “God blesses the child that’s got its own”. Oh how blessed you will be when you get your own understanding of the reality we call God; then and only then will you be able to sit at the table of the knowers, not seeking to know, you will know.  

Those called to the path of the lone wolf among other things, must be self-sufficient, courageous, fearless, dedicated and wise. Like the lone wolf they are subject to attacks which in some cases can lead to spiritual death, as such they must be of strong faith; faith that they are walking right no matter what the external reality is saying to them. They will find themselves under attack from tribal leaders, ministers, family, friends, priests and group leaders, all wondering why you cannot ‘just act right’ and be like very one else? Maybe you are wondering that yourself? You are called to be a FREE THINKER, to walk the path that you hear. Yes, some will give up, settle down and fall back in line and their spiritual fire is put out. However, the true lone wolf faces all of the accusations, criticisms, etc., and they continue to walk to the drummer that they hear. Not swayed by public opinion or tribal criticism; they walk alone.

Yet in order to truly appreciate the lone wolf we need to know about wolves and their spiritual significance. According to Ted Andrews in his book Animal Speaks, page 323, talking about the wolf, he writes;

“They are friendly, social, and highly intelligent. Their sense of family is strong and loyal, and they live by carefully defined rules and rituals.”

Like the wolf, many or most of us who walk this spiritual path are friendly, social and highly intelligent (whatever that is 🙂 ). We come from families we love and our sense of family is strong and loyal. In fact, for most of us on this spiritual journey it is the breaking away from family that is the most challenging. We want family to hear and see what we see, yet it is family in their lack of understanding and patience that drives us from the pack. Hurt, bewildered and alone, we set out to answer the ‘call’ of a distant drummer. We find ourselves gravitating to different spiritual groups and organizations in search of family. However it seems that we are never able to completely fit in, so we continue our journey. Andrews goes on to say;

“Wolves are very ritualistic – in as many ways as humans. They live by carefully defined rules. There are specific territories that are sacred. Their social behavior is based upon a hierarchical structure. Each has its place and function within the hierarchy. There is an “Alpha” male and an “Alpha” female.”

Now ask yourself are you willing to live in accord with the ‘carefully’ defined rules. However, the rules I speak of are not the rules which are the results of man’s Egoic intellect, I speak of the carefully defined rules of God-dess. The carefully defined rules and laws that are associated with MAAT (for example, see Ra Un Nefer Amen -11 Laws of MAAT). The more you live in accord with these laws the better your life becomes, also the more the ‘inner experience’ will reveal itself to you.

According to Andrews, the keynotes for the wolf are ‘Guardianship, Ritual, Loyalty, and Spirit.” Those of us called to the spiritual path must inquire of ourselves, “What is it that I am chosen to be the ‘GUARDIAN’” of? It is no accident that you have been called to this path, the path of self–realization. Like most ancient traditions there is a lot of secrecy, reason being the essence of the spiritual traditions had to be maintained, for if the ‘inner teachings’ got into the hands of the non-initiated or those lacking spiritual maturity then the traditions would become polluted and weakened. Now, how is this being played out today? Those ancients who are on the other side, who function at higher vibrations, seers, sages, priest/ priestesses, prophets and Avatars are testing us all to see if we are worthy to be brought into the inner chambers, to see if we are loyal to the ways of the ancients. You see anyone can give you a ‘ritual initiation’; it is only the divinities that can open and welcome you through the portals. Yes, I can give you a spiritual bath, sacrifice an animal on your behalf, purify you in the sweat lodge, take you on a vision quest, or silent meditation retreat in the Himalayas, put some beads around your neck, give you a new name and a party, but it is only the divinities (Orisha, Neters and Ancestors) who can make it real by giving you the ‘experience’ of the sacred. It is they, the divinities, who through experience can allow you to see, what and who you truly are.

It is not we who have chosen this path; it is the path that has chosen us. The wolf is a powerful animal that will go out of its way to avoid a fight. It has no reason to prove itself to anyone. We who walk the path of the ‘Lone Wolf” avoids violence, particularly violence directed at self. Dear Friend, walk always in peace and do not be surprised if one day, you look up and you are the leader of your own pack, like the great black lone wolf of Yellow Stone National Park.                  

Finally, Dear One during this most special time of the year let us make peace with self and family. Go home to your family and make peace. Allow them to be who they are and worry not if they cannot accept you as who you are. You have been given a vision, of which many of them will never see, that is ok. Love them anyway. Be the lone wolf that you are, walk quietly in the winter snow and know that the snow goddess is with you. Make it a point this coming year to love; love unconditionally. Like the wolf enjoy your family, friends and love ones during this time of the year. As I write this I remember times of walking in the forest in the quiet of the winter snow. Such a peaceful time, snow gently falling on my face, the wind whispering through the trees, the distant call of the crow, telling me to observe God’s laws. It is such a wonder to stand there in the forest in the quiet and stillness of winter and just enjoy the calm cold. Then there is the treat of coming in from the winter cold to the warmth of family and love ones. Oh Dear friends do not let this time of the year pass without you letting someone know just how much you love and appreciate them. And when it is time for you, the lone wolf, to continue your journey, leave with love and peace. 

Baba ji