I’m often asked why we decided to call our website ‘LonerWolf.’
My answer is that the wolf carries one of the most profound meanings in the whole of the animal kingdom.
Spirit Animals for centuries have been seen as sources of meaning, wisdom, and power.
At their origins, Spirit Animals (or totems), have been symbolic guides of our journeys of self-discovery and spiritual awakening.
Before psychology, animals were used as a means to learn about ourselves. Wolves, out of all animals, have a particularly complex and rich series of lessons to teach us.
The innate traits of the Wolf are that of having a powerful instinct, finely tuned intuition, and high intelligence.
The Wolf roams the wild with a thirst for freedom, working within a social environment.
Young wolves on the brink of sexual maturity will sometimes be driven away from the group by the alpha males of the pack, losing all of their social connections.
These ‘lone wolves‘ must learn to fend for themselves, without the help of any social group: they must become stronger. Hence our name “lonerwolf.” (Read more about our name choice here.)
Table of contents
Wolf Spirit Animal Meaning
Ancient cultures and indigenous people believe that animals and humans share the same spiritual essence with each other.
They also believed that some animals are attracted to and present themselves to us in specific moments of our lives to reveal messages.
The Wolf Spirit Animal symbolizes:
- Strong connection with your instincts or intuition
- High intelligence
- Loyalty and communication
- Deep desire for freedom
History of the Wolf Spirit Animal
The Wolf has appeared many times throughout history.
In modern culture, we associate wolves with negative qualities such as the darkness that mythical Werewolves (the story of Lycaon the King and Zeus) represent.
In Aesop’s fables, for instance, they are portrayed as being evil and dangerous, such as in the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and “The Wolf in Sheep Clothing.” The Brothers Grimm story of “Little Red Riding Hood” also portrays the Wolf as ferocious and intimidating.
Luckily, wolves haven’t always been seen in such a negative light. In fact, wolves and humans once lived together according to some historians. They also share many parallel human traits.
Native Americans perhaps had the greatest symbolism for wolves. They modeled themselves after the Wolf in hunting methods, cooperation and efficiency, valuing them as proud hunters, loyal friends, and intelligent teachers.
They also thought of the Wolf as a spiritual pathfinder, which symbolized intelligence and leadership.
Rome has one of the best-known Wolf-founding legends. As the legend goes, Romulus and Remus the two founding brothers of Rome, were raised and suckled by a she-wolf.
In Egyptian mythology, the Wolf Wepwawet (also rendered Upuaut, Wep-wawet, Wepawet, and Ophois) was originally a war deity, his name meaning; the opener of the ways.
It’s interesting to note here that the Native Americans, a completely different race and culture of people, believed that wolves had a special connection to our paths in life as well.
The Mongolians, on the other hand, believed they were descendants of wolves. The legend goes that in Northern China, a small Turkic village was raided by Chinese soldiers, but one small baby was left behind. An old she-wolf named Asena found the baby and nursed him. She then gave birth to half-wolf half-human cubs, from which the Turkic people were born.
In Asia, the wolf is the guardian of the entrance to heavenly, celestial realms. The Wolf is also said to be among the ancestry of Genghis Khan.
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Intelligence and Instincts
The Wolf possesses high intelligence and strong instincts, and these have been observed in their hunting strategies, habitat creation, and migration habits.
When a Wolf presents itself as your spirit animal, it could be an expression of your sharp intelligence and strong instincts.
When the Wolf appears, either physically, through meditation or through a dream, it’s often a way of telling you that you’re either using your intelligence and instincts well to solve a challenging life situation or that you’re not using them at all.
The Wolf represents the pathfinder.
S/he is a guide that helps you to discover when you are being misguided or led correctly when using your instincts.
Having a Wolf as a spirit animal serves to emphasize your levels of trust or mistrust in your instincts and intuition.
Totem animals, as a whole, make you aware and introspective of your current emotional state, and wolves can serve as spiritual signs, omens or guides to show you that which is making you emotionally unbalanced.
When the Wolf shows up in your life, look closely and listen carefully to what your intuition or instincts are telling you.
Loyalty, Connection and Communication
There’s a misconception that all wolves are ‘lone wolves’. In fact, this is far from the truth.
The Wolf is a spirit animal with a high sense of loyalty and communication. These animals are actually very social, family-oriented, and are good at communicating with each other.
With the use of body movement, touch, eye contact, and vocal sounds, they engage with other wolves constantly.
If your totem is a Wolf, you’re most likely good at expressing yourself verbally and physically.
Often it’s the case that people with the Wolf spirit animal are naturally eloquent in speech, or are good at creative writing.
The Wolf’s sense of loyalty can be seen in a variety of ways.
They are one of the few animals to hold only monogamous relationships. Most wolves mate for life and will not take another partner if their own dies.
Pack members also hold deep emotional bonds, greeting each other enthusiastically after they have been separated for long periods of time.
The presence of a Wolf spirit animal can also serve as reminder of a lack of loyalty or trust in your life.
Often wolves manifest themselves to people who have become strongly apprehensive of bonding with others and have grown immense mistrust of those around them.
A Wolf totem animal can represent a perceived threat or feeling, for instance: that you are being threatened by someone or something in your life.
As Wolf’s main trait is its sharp instinct, a Wolf spirit animal could be trying to tell you that you’re misguided in your trust for someone, or it may be warning you to listen more often to your instincts or intuition and to be loyal to yourself.
The Wolf spirit animal may also be your unconscious mind’s way of letting you know that it is feeling vulnerable – that you might have revealed too much to someone about yourself – and now your sense of freedom feels bounded by the predatory mistrust of that person.
It may also signify that the people you’re trying to connect with at the moment are making you feel afraid.
Mistrust doesn’t always have to do with other people.
Sometimes our mistrust and lack of loyalty are directed towards ourselves.
For example, maybe you’re not listening to your ‘communicative’ traits of verbal or written expression, or perhaps you’re not behaving in a loyal self-loving way with yourself.
Wolf Spirit Animal & Freedom
Wolves are wild animals – they are beautiful creatures of mystery that cannot be domesticated.
If a Wolf appears to you in a certain period of your life when you’re in doubt of the changes that are happening, it can be reassuring you that the path you’re taking is the right one and that you’re being loyal to your instincts.
Equally, if the Wolf presents itself in a moment in life where you feel stuck, it might be reminding you that you’re a free spirit, that you can deviate from whatever path you are currently on and become a ‘lone wolf‘ if necessary in order to pursue your dreams.
Meanings will be revealed to you as you deepen your personal connection with the Wolf.
The Wolf and Dream Interpretation
Native Americans knew that dreaming of a Wolf symbolized beauty, solitude, mystery, self-confidence, and pride.
If a Wolf appears in your dreams, it may signify that you’re approaching life with a composed and adaptable attitude.
Negatively, it might be warning you against hostility, domination, or aggression from others. The Wolf might want to serve as a guide in a situation in your life where you feel vulnerable and weak.
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Some dream psychoanalysts interpret wolves in nightmares as conveyors of a perceived threat such as strong sexual energy occurring in your life (in you or someone close to you) or different types of addictive craving behaviors that you might be struggling with.
The story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ was originally an allegoric metaphor for the loss of virginity (red hood) taken away by the predatory ‘Big Bad Wolf’ (men).
In positive dreams, psychoanalysts interpret the Wolf as a guiding symbol for trusting your instincts (again, sexual instincts and addictive ‘cravings’ play a role here) and expressing them in a more balanced way.
You can learn more about how to understand the meaning of your dreams in our dream work article.
If you’d like to find out if the wolf is your spirit animal, take our free spirit animal quiz!
For further guidance, see our spirit animal reading.
Hi guys,
All of you seem very blessed to have interacted with themselves or even some else on such a spiritual level. However, im based in South Africa, here life passes you by without realizing it. Ive found myself drawn to lakes, rivers, waterfalls. I hate the beach! I prefer trees and deep forests. Let alone my daughter is drawn to her sensitive taste and smell. And shes only 5. Both me and her love nature, but it seems that our “spiritual wolves” is hidden by all this noise we live in. The stories ive read here is very much unbelievable, and im greatful that i was able to read each and everyone of them, take care now
I met my spirit animal. She was a white wolf beautiful. She was layin down. When i walked to her she got up started pacing back and forth and in circles howling. I felt that. But didnt know she was my spirit animal yet. Few days went by and i found my number was 3. Few more days and some thing killed her but just her head was touched. It looked like a shotgun to the head but her fur was pulled over her eyes
..there are no tracks no sign of anything or anybody around her. She suffered. My friend had to stop her suffering. So i met her. But i never got to talk to her touch her anything. Before she was killed. I just stood behind her. While she paced and howled. Cone to find out two days ago. I have a dark omen wolf…i call it s hellhound that finds me or follows me. Two years ago i seen its beedy red eyes i thought i over came that fear until it ripped my spirits skin her eyes. Ive over came alot of bad things. And i know theres a fight between good and bad. I feel my lifes in danger. But i cant see wat i need to do about meeting her. I hope you can give me some advice? Thanks
HI THIS PROBABLY MEANS NOTHING BUT I WANT TO KNOW ANYWAY COUPLE OF DAYS AGO I WENT TO THE STORE SOMTHING DREW ME TO LOOK AND I SAW A COUPLE WITH A PET WOLF ON A LEASH THE WOLF WAS A MALE WHITE CLEAR EYES AND BIG IT DREW ME TO IT WHEN I DID IT LICKED MY FACE HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY TO ME IT WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF ANYTHING LET ME KNOW
i found out my spirit animal by believe it or not standing next to a fire in my yard. snapped a picture and there was a wolf in flames in the picture coming out of the fire. another time i took a selfie and there was a wolf head in the background. my thing is this. it was spot on in description of me..weird and crazy.i wonder though. can we have more than one spirit animal?and if so how do we find out others.
I stumbled upon your article about stones for Shamans which was super helpful thank you! However I was listening to a book and it made a reference to lone wolf. I felt the need to pause my book and seek out your page. I’ve started acting on my intuition so maybe there’s something I need to ask you for or maybe you hold a key to what I’m seeking. I’m not sure but I figured it be best to listen to the universe and throw it out there. Have a wonderful day!
I am definitely wolf, although im good at talking to people i just prefer not to. I like being alone and in my safe space ( what would be like my cave in a sense). But i have a partner who is of fox which is very difficult sometimes. I just wonder at times if i have found my true mate or not as it does get difficult. But one thing i do know is that your not born into your pack, sometimes one needs to find their pack as i might have blood family but im not over protective of them all only a few but there are others that arent family that i can become overbearingly protective over. My brother and i are definitely not good together in a pack as we get very aggressive with one another and im not protective of him at all. I do want to learn all i can about my wolf side as i want to start having my life in check with working together
how to determine your spirit animal?
My spirit animal is a wolf and I’m hurt when people say that wolves are a nuisance even though there a very needed part of the ecosystem and they almost went extinct because of people and since were the only animals that harm the planet that’s not very surprising but just because were the apex predators of this planet doesn’t mean we have that rights thank you and good day.
Very insightful! I went to a psychic once and she said my totem would present itself to me. I dreamt of a wolf that night. I I visited a wolf preserve and even the wolves who weren’t usually affectionate were approaching me and licking my face. Coming from FL, my first winter working in Yellowstone and a white wolf walked across the trail in front of me. The very next spring I had another close encounter with a black wolf. They’re magnificent animals.
I connect very well with everyone here!
I should let my friends know about this!!!
im a lone wolf, i need more information il sent my gmail id learned alot already thank you
My life in the last 10 years has been dominated by the wolf – I imagined him and he was the main theme of my art. Then he disappeared. Recently I went through a shaman ritual and discovered that wolf is my spiritual animal. Your post clarified so much! I now know why I saw him at that specific moment in my life. Thank you for this post, it’s eye opening.
I’ve known my wolf for a long time. But I never knew what he meant to me until I spent hours reading what you have written.
A stark, solitary white figure with dark eyes that burn with a fire black as any night.
I don’t know what it means yet. But when I lost my wolf, I lost myself. And I’m finally ready to find him again.
Interesting take! I also lost my wolf and you are right, I need to find him but this time for the right reasons.
Dear Luna & Sol, i really appreciate the waynyou helped me find myswlf this far. Two Days ago, my Wolf showed me his eyes – they were the brightest blue i‘ve ever seen and i instantly started weeping. My next thougt was how much the people had done to themselves to be so isolated from everything thats good and true. The barriers mankind ercted to divide the undividable are immense and i am so sorry for them.
Funny story – i had my Wolf for a very long time, but i perceived him as a black chrome dragon I think it was easier for me to handle Bruce stays in this form, he‘s quite fond of it and he loves to roar
My kindest regards and love eternal,
AleX
I met a wolf once… It was huge, and it’s fur was a beautiful mixture of light and dark brown. I saw it when walking on the trail. Nothing about him seemed dangerous, in fact, he seemed gentle and protective, almost like he was watching over me and the people I was with. I was confused as to why I was seeing it, and why I was the only one who noticed it, especially since the last wolf roaming this state was killed in 1897. But now I know. At that time in my life, I was suffering from deep depression, I didn’t trust anyone at all, and I felt very trapped and alone, but was fighting to get over it. A couple months later, I finally recovered from the depression, and I couldn’t be happier or feel more free! Your article really helped me make sense of why I saw the wolf. Is there anyway I could see my wolf again?
When I was a kid being a lone wolf didn’t bother me as much; however, as I get up in years, I feel that I have to connect to a pack. I was also taught that you need to be part of something more than yourself; however, American society still indoctrinates us that it is everyone for himself/herself and that is dangerous for a society to have and then you have people complaining about that none of their friends or family members talk to them or visit even after they retired. America is now going through a period of white American males committing suicide now because they are lost their jobs and they are realizing that all this everyone for themselves attitude has backfired on them because it has now affect them personally.
I feel more akin to the early fighter pilots of World War I because they had to learn to survive the hard way when it came to learning how to fight and survive in the air by themselves. You could also say that about the night fighter pilots of World War II because it was impossible even today to fly and fight with a wingman as a team at night.
God is love…….
sometimes lone….but never alone :) The world is bitter sweet but life runs through everything, nature testifies of God.
thats deep
A lone wolf showed up as i came down the stairs of my porch on the way to do some laundry in the garage in rural Sevierville,Tn . We looked directly in each others eyes, the wolf looked at me like a human…without submissive or aggression . It was like seeing a beautiful sight and than you realize maybe i shouldnt stare because its rude. I said “How ya doing” and moved on to the garage LOL For some reason it had a gentle spirit, some animals dont…but somehow equal to everything in strength and intelligence .A Very balanced creature :)
How interesting. I live in Kodak! Hey there neighbor, lol. I would love to lay my eyes on a wolf. Lucky. Only in my dreams have I ever. I have the most profound and deep connection with wolves. :)
I have seen one wolf(Dakota) for about a little under 20 years he lived next to the park where i brought my kids when they were little,of all houses to find when he escaped he found mine clashed with my dog at the time but i recognized him right away i grabled the leash and took him home i never felt afraid of him and he seemed to trust me i will miss him so very much now that he is gone. The other night i called out to my spirit guide then i dreamed of a small wolf it was alone in a forest park i live in a city where there are very few wolves i wonder what we’ve got on the mountain in the middle of my city will i find him?