Part 3 of Dee’s experiences from the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center ~ May 14, 2011

Invitation to play and participate

After we circled the compound getting introduced to each of the wolves and their friends, after we learned of their histories, the wounds, the celebrations, the strengths, and their struggles, we were invited by the leaders to participate in a ritual.  The guide started, the coyotes joined first, and then the entire population joined in, as did we.  This primate guttural sounding from the core our very beings, a non-verbal expression, a howling ensued. 

We often think of the wolf and howling at the moon, and in fact that night they were offering a full moon tour and I asked if they did howl more often at a full moon? The guide explained they didn’t.  But once one started, you could see they couldn’t resist adding their voice, their tonal qualities, to the chorus.  And what I noticed even more was our own inability to resist joining into this song.  It was quite moving being surrounded by these emotional releases of sound and finding ourselves drawn into the power of being a part of it all. 

When I think of play, I believe it is always inclusive, always inviting of the other, and I wonder what it is that draws us, even on such a primate level to join in?  Where words would never adequately describe such an experience, participation in this pack sounding and being a part of the pack was transformational.

Read more of my experiences at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 4.