The Wolven Path Tradition (WPT) is an Animist/Shamanic group. Its members felt uncomfortable with the appropriation of others’ cultures and wanted to seek out an authentic line of shamanism that spoke from the blood and breath of its own blood lineage, European ancestry and ancestral lands. The Clan aligned itself with a number of spirits who were willing to give their assistance in seeking out a tribal wolf people. The Clan set out in search of such a people and found the egregore of a long lost nomadic wolf tribe – The People of the Wolf. With the help of our beloved spirits the Clan sought their stories, songs, rites and ceremonies.
For us the world is a living breathing soul-full place. The Clan is an animist tradition (Animism; from Latin Anima, “soul, life”, refers to a set of beliefs that revolve around the existence of non-human “spiritual beings” or similar kinds of embodied principles). The Clan holds close the lessons of the forest and how to live in harmony with all that surrounds it. WPT does not see mankind as above any other thing either manifested or otherworld. At the same time we are Totemistic (“an animal, plant, or natural object serving among certain tribal or traditional peoples as the emblem of a clan or family and sometimes revered as its founder, ancestor, or guardian” Wiki) in this way the Wolven Path Tradition differs from the Animistic focus on individual spirits as we revere our ancestral spirits who provide us with teaching, guidance and reflection of and to life. The Wolven Path or WPT does not align itself to any particular deity however; it does recognize the existence of deified beings. If the Clan has a deified being it would be the first Pathfinder an atavistic wolf. We are known as the People of the Wolf. The Wolven Path is at once, an animistic and totemistic tradition as there is an inherent awareness of everything in creation being united in this spirit imbuing.
The Wolven Path Tradition has a clan (also clann or cland) structure: “A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a “stipulated” common ancestor that is a symbol of the clan’s unity. When this ancestor is not human, it is referred to as an animalian totem. Clans can be most easily described as tribes or sub-groups of tribes” – Wiki.
The Wolven Path has its own cosmology, and we speak of our stories, they are not reproduced in the written word, we are an oral tradition. The Clan holds an experiential path but in that speaking it is guided by the stories and songs, rites and ceremonies. The Ceann-Iuìl, Pathfinders, which are the temporal spirit guides of the Clan, undergo many years of instruction, this culminates in an initiation, the Wolven Path therefore, is an initiatory tradition, however, not all our members are initiates and we welcome as friends and family those who wish to follow our ways. Our inner core or court is known as the Gyre of Elders of the Wolven Path Tradition. This is a private and closed group. This group represents the beating heart of the Clan. The Clan recognizes two figures, Patriarch and Matriarch. They are the living representation of the Clan’s stories; a single male holds the patriarch, the matriarch is held by a triune of women. Within the Clan these positions are hereditary. The Clan upholds the beauty and power of the male spirit and the beauty and the power of the female spirit, to this end male and female roles are equal but separate. The Clan recognizes and honours the Genii loci of the lands we walk upon. We revere our ancestors. Our world and our relationship to it are told in stories, song and dance. The Wolven path Tradition hails from all of Northern Europe.
The Clan is a tradition that takes its calendar from the 13 moons lunar cycle; it is not a sun worshipping clan but will honour the major solar festivals. It bases itself upon cyclical process in which everything turns to the night and recommences at daybreak. The tradition follows a wheel of seasons that is the driving force of the tradition. The Tradition’s sagas and songs are woven from the turning wheel.
The Wolven Path is not a religion it is a lineage tradition, it does not seek publicity, and neither does it seek to recruit or proselytize. We agree that one song will call us home.
Although this site is by invitation only, we welcome all heart felt genuine enquiries. We may ask for clarification of your interest, your name and contact details.
Blessings.
