Gray wolves
"In mythos and fairy tales, deities and other great spirits test the hearts of humans by showing up in various forms that disguise their divinity. They show up in robes, rags, silver sashes, or with muddy feet. They show up with skin dark as old wood, or in scales made of rose petal, as a frail child, as a lime-yellow old woman, as a man who cannot speak, or as an animal who can. The great powers are testing to see if humans have yet learned to recognize the greatness of soul in all its varying forms."
— Clarissa Pinkola Estés (Women Who Run with the Wolves)
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/901977.Clarissa_Pinkola_Est_s
Indian wolves take a central role in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Books, in which a pack in the Sioni area adopts the feral child Mowgli and teaches him how to survive in the jungle whilst protecting him from the tiger Shere Khan and the marauding dhole (another dog like wolf).
ReplyDeleteWolves are occasionally mentioned in Hindu mythology. In the Harivamsa, Krishna, in order to convince the people of Vraja to migrate to Vrindavan, creates hundreds of wolves from his hairs, which frighten the inhabitants of Vraja into making the journey.[24] In the Rig Veda, Rijrsava is blinded by his father as punishment for having given 101 of his family's sheep to a she-wolf, who in turn prays to the Ashvins to restore his sight.[25] Bhima, the voracious son of the god Vayu, is described as Vrikodara, meaning "wolf-stomached".[26] ....Courtesy Wikipedia
A different post today but still a nature one!! Food for thought :)
These creatures are so beautiful, their eyes are so very expressive, they are a gift. I am grateful, and I thank you for posting.
ReplyDeleteSue x
I have no doubt, rebecca! I would love to see a photo!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Noelle
Thank you, Joe. It is good to hear from you. You always have something significant to offer, and I know that wolves are deeply spiritual beings for many Native American people. Marilou Awiakta has a poem wherein she speaks of hearing the wolf running its paws on the floor beneath her sick bed . She recovered from cancer, and perhaps one of the reasons is the knowledge that the wolf spirit was there for her. I have a friend who has a malemute which seems very much a wolf in his behavior. I am grateful for your knowledge. It is good to have you back. I lost a good friend of 19 years, my cat, Sarah Jane, but gained a new little friend this week, so although there was much sadness, I am doing better now.
ReplyDeletePeace and Light,
Noelle