Spiritual Lycanthropy

Going to discuss something a little more out there than contemplation of myths today.  Part of my increasing interest in the Rokkatru perspective, and in Fenrir in particular, has led me to look into some of the rites associated with the wolf from various cultures.  Naturally, this has led me to a lot of things dealing with the moon cycles and similar wolfish things, but this little gem stood out: Spiritual lycanthropy.

Now, obviously this doesn't mean literally taking on the form of a wolf in a physical sense.  That's just as impossible as any other sort of overt magic, and I'm not of the mind to further any sort of false idea of mysticism (again, you're not throwing fireballs or taking flight without a special effects crew, and you're not turning into a wolf either).  It's the mental and spiritual aspects of this rite that fascinate me.

Without getting into the small details (this isn't a how-to blog, after all), the short of the process is this:

• Seek out the mindset of the wolf.  Attitude, perspective toward others, contemplate the nature of predator/prey, consider pack mentality and hunting instinct.  This is a very important step toward understanding the wolf, and by extension, wolf-gods like Fenrir.
• Physically emulate the wolf.  Posture, movement, and mannerisms apply here.  This is as close to a physical transformation as you're going to get, so take time to get it right.  I'm not advocating going out and hunting as a wolf, because you're a human and don't exactly have the right equipment for it, but still ponder the idea and see how your behavior changes.
• Bring the two together.  This part is where being a solitary practitioner comes in handy, because combining the mental and physical emulations can be uncomfortable in front of others, and that can break the devotion to the rite.  All self-consciousness has to be set aside.  That said, if you've got fellow practitioners who are into the same thing and willing to go through it as a group, that's awesome; it can be a very powerful experience, albeit one that has thus far eluded me.
• Never let the wolf run so free that you forget where and who you are.  You should always be prepared to snap out of it at a moment's notice, as with any normal meditation, if not moreso due to the potentially volatile behavioral changes you may experience.  Self control is the key virtue here.

For obvious reasons, people in rural areas have an advantage here, as they can go outside with relative certainty of not being interrupted.  Inside towns, however, erring toward a lighter version is advisable, just so that you aren't shocked out of the mindset when an inevitable distraction comes.  Either that, or just stay inside.  I've attempted both methods, and for me, being outside is a huge advantage for the mindset.  Prime example of knowing which parts of town are busy at certain hours coming in handy if there ever was one.

I suppose the biggest question lies in what can be gained through this form of meditation.  Personally, I've begun to see a number of benefits ranging from stress management, temper management, slightly heightened senses (smell in particular, albeit only for brief periods of time), and various improvements to my posture and chronic joint pain.  Is it anything that can't be achieved through traditional meditation?  Not hardly, but that isn't really the point.  What you can gain through wolf-meditations is a deeper connection to the wolf spirits that are relevant to you, be it a totem spirit or seeking a bond with a lupine deity.

Granted, there are some out there who would view such a form of meditation as unsettling, particularly the part where you need to really consider predator/prey and instincts of that nature.  Admittedly, it's not for the feint of heart, and it's not for everyone.  Someone who already has boundary issues of that sort shouldn't be connecting with the wolf-spirits to begin with.  If you know who you are and how you relate to others, then you should know that no amount of meditation will change that, even if it is wolf-meditation and involves contemplation of the predator perspective.

What it might give you, however, is insight as to what it is that you really want in life and how to go about getting it.  Predator spirits, and wolves in particular, know all about finding weaknesses, and can help you identify and begin to correct your own.  They have a very critical point of view, and that can be invaluable.  For me, I've been shown that I'm far too passive in pursuing what I want.  Not something that's news to me, but still something that I had to have put in the plainest of ways.  For me, the next challenge is to overcome that habit.