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Liberating transformation
(The following is cherry-picked from a delightful recent British book I've been engrossed in, Werewolves: The Beast Within by Jon Izzard. I've read and re-read and replay this excerpt like a mantra. Though it specifically regards wolves in a totemic stance, I feel it's applicable to anyone with a link to any animal or bird, and not just as a totem--because of this, I've substituted "animal" for "wolf" whenever possible):
The world we presently live in moves faster than our minds and bodies can comfortably cope with--part of the reason why too many people feel stressed for far too much of the time. "The now of wolf-thought," as Wendy and Richard Pini express it in their Elfquest series of graphic novels (1978, ongoing), requires the mind to focus only on what is happening at this minute. There is no fretting over the past; no worrying about the future. "Now" is what really matters. It's the wonderful and timeless immediacy of childhood and can be useful if you are trying to reduce your stress levels.
Living in the now is also particularly relevant to the overarching theme of the werewolf--the sudden, violent release of utter rage in the transformation that overcomes us when we lose our temper. Paradoxically, the animal can be useful in anger management, as the animal would not waste its time and energy raving against something that is either so big that it's out of our control, or so small that we simply shouldn't bother about it. Though potentially ferocious, the animal is a creature with a clear sense of proportion.
The animal can help us become more assertive. In the highly structured world of school, work, and social life, we can become too passive, too willing to roll over and give up. Sometimes we need to stand up for what we believe in, even if we stand alone. The lone animal is not afraid, nor is it out of control. It is intensely alive and self-aware.
Being assertive allows us to express opposition without actually being aggressive. Although it involves confrontation, it is not about winning, but rather about solving a problem and finding the best outcome.
Self-assertion--finding a good balance between being a doormat and being overly aggressive--is a weapon that can be wielded with disarming gentleness. Using the abilities of our inner animal can transform our lives in a very positive way.
With a clear vision of ourselves and our lives, we are in a much better position to transform our environment. These liberating transformations are only possible when they are tempered with a wholehearted commitment to taking personal responsibility for ourselves and our actions.
The world we presently live in moves faster than our minds and bodies can comfortably cope with--part of the reason why too many people feel stressed for far too much of the time. "The now of wolf-thought," as Wendy and Richard Pini express it in their Elfquest series of graphic novels (1978, ongoing), requires the mind to focus only on what is happening at this minute. There is no fretting over the past; no worrying about the future. "Now" is what really matters. It's the wonderful and timeless immediacy of childhood and can be useful if you are trying to reduce your stress levels.
Living in the now is also particularly relevant to the overarching theme of the werewolf--the sudden, violent release of utter rage in the transformation that overcomes us when we lose our temper. Paradoxically, the animal can be useful in anger management, as the animal would not waste its time and energy raving against something that is either so big that it's out of our control, or so small that we simply shouldn't bother about it. Though potentially ferocious, the animal is a creature with a clear sense of proportion.
The animal can help us become more assertive. In the highly structured world of school, work, and social life, we can become too passive, too willing to roll over and give up. Sometimes we need to stand up for what we believe in, even if we stand alone. The lone animal is not afraid, nor is it out of control. It is intensely alive and self-aware.
Being assertive allows us to express opposition without actually being aggressive. Although it involves confrontation, it is not about winning, but rather about solving a problem and finding the best outcome.
Self-assertion--finding a good balance between being a doormat and being overly aggressive--is a weapon that can be wielded with disarming gentleness. Using the abilities of our inner animal can transform our lives in a very positive way.
With a clear vision of ourselves and our lives, we are in a much better position to transform our environment. These liberating transformations are only possible when they are tempered with a wholehearted commitment to taking personal responsibility for ourselves and our actions.