God's Wolf: The Life of the Most Notorious of All Crusaders, Reynald de Chatillon

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Eisler, Robert (1951). Man into wolf: an anthropological interpretation of sadism, 2, and lycanthropy. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. ASIN B0000CI25D.

The god Odin enthroned and flanked by the wolves Geri and Freki and the ravens Huginn and Muninn as illustrated (1882) by Carl Emil DoeplerImagine that you’re a Viking. You live in a world that you know will one day be obliterated. The very gods themselves will perish with it. Nothing of value will be spared – not even the memory of anything that ever had value. How does such a world look to you in the present moment, given that the seeds of that final destruction have already been sown, and the world is careening inexorably toward that final decisive moment? Would this not cast a dark hue of tragedy, senselessness, and futility over the world and everything that occurs within it? Indeed, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that this was how the Vikings saw the world on one level. The Book of Genesis was interpreted in Medieval Europe as stating that nature exists solely to support man (Genesis 1:29), who must cultivate it (Genesis 2:15), and that animals are made for his own purposes (Genesis 2:18–20). As the above implies, two versions of the myth of Ragnarok seem to be present in the Norse sources. In one of them, Ragnarok is the final end of the cosmos, and no rebirth follows it. In the other, there is a rebirth. What are we to make of this conflict? It’s hard to separate Francis of Assisi and animals. Stories abound of how this great saint could communicate with animals and felt at one with all creation. Here are a few of the stories that were first recorded by Thomas of Celano during the 13th century. St. Francis Preaches to the Birds

Native American Indian Wolf Legends, Meaning and Symbolism from the Myths of Many Tribes". www.native-languages.org . Retrieved 23 April 2018. All these designations reflect a hierarchical, multiperspective experience of divinity. [23] Lists of gods, deities and immortals [ edit ] Main altar and statue of Doumu inside the Temple of Doumu in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia. A temple dedicated to Pangu in Zhunan, Miaoli. In most Native American cultures, wolves are considered a medicine being associated with courage, strength, loyalty, and success at hunting. [48] Arctic and Canada [ edit ] Helmet and collar representing a wolf, at the Museum of the Americas in Madrid. Made of wood, shell and made in the 18th century by tlingit indigenous people, from the North American Pacific Northwest Coast. Tlingit people admired and feared wolves for their strength and ferocity. In Antiquity, the she-wolf was identified as a symbol of Rome by both the Romans themselves and nations under the Roman rule. The Lupa Romana was an iconic scene that represented in the first place the idea of romanitas, being Roman. When it was used in the Roman Provinces, it can be seen as an expression of loyalty to Rome and the emperor. [32]Gods and goddesses of the ancient world often held a special connection with wolves. Some say this is because the beliefs of our ancestors were animistic – they believed everything in nature had consciousness including animals. Wildlife was thought of as sacred in ancient times, and there are scholars who believe ancient land guardian spirits were worshiped by ancient tribes and would eventually rise to become great gods and goddesses. To find an image of a god or goddess in the likeness of an animal was commonplace. Some of the more obvious animal-god connections can be seen on the ancient temple walls in Egypt. For example, the ibis-headed god Thoth. Or the hawk-headed god Horus. Wolf gods and goddesses were depicted with the heads of wolves, transformed into wolves, or were strongly associated with wolves. Why the Wolf is Sacred to the Gods