The Wolf Connection: What Wolves Can Teach Us About Being Human

by Teo Alfero

Discover the transformative lessons from one of humanity’s oldest teachers—the wolf—with this enthralling and accessible guidebook to help us restore our connection with nature, our communities, and our deepest selves.

The wolf has enthralled humankind for millennia, as a creature to be both feared and admired. It is the focus of countless myths around the world, in cultures as varied as the Ainu people of Japan to the Apache First Nation elders who worshipped the wolf. Now in The Wolf Connection, Teo Alfero, shamanic practitioner and wolf sanctuary founder, shares the profound knowledge that can be gleaned from these majestic creatures to restore our bond with nature and our connection to humanity.

Legends, behavioral science, and biological research all suggest that human beings picked up many of their key evolutionary traits—such as cooperative hunting and raising of their young, and their high degree of emotional intelligence and deep bonding—from wolves. Teo and his team at Wolf Heart Ranch conservatory have seen first-hand how wolves and wolfdogs can shift people’s outlooks, empowering at-risk youth and benefitting people from all walks of life through their wolf therapy program, the Wolf Connection. As we restore our ancestral bond with these inspiring, resourceful beings, we begin to reclaim the best of what it means to be human.

Grounded in Teo’s years of working with wolves, as well as the findings of wolf biologists and the wisdom of First Nation elders, The Wolf Connection offers a set of twelve Wolf Principles to awaken our intuition, live more authentically, and heal from past trauma. By integrating a myriad of sources—including inspiring stories from the Wolf Heart Ranch—Teo provides a complete understanding of wolves and the lessons they have to teach us, so you can harness their powerful and transformative insights in your own life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

320 pages, Hardcover

First published June 25, 2019

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been a wolf lover for as far back as I can remember - maybe from growing up with a wolfish dog, an Alaskan malamute, or maybe from countless trips to the zoo - with a special detour to see the wolves from a different angle than advertised (one which the zoo would eventually completely restrict). Either way, I am the prime audience member for this very interesting read.

And I really did enjoy a lot of it - what the author has done with his non-for-profit, the Wolf Heart Ranch, certainly sounds downright miraculous. But, the book itself, though organized, has a lot of material crammed into its pages that somewhat clouds the clarity of the message and the intended audience. The book is structured around the nine realms of the wolf that author identifies and within these sections are varied firsthand experiences of the author, as well as anecdotes from the ranch along with some summarization of research, history and myths. The last chapter includes some guided actions and practices akin to a more traditional self-help book.

This fascinating mix of research, personal memoir, practical information on the ranch, spiritualism and self-help may not appeal to everyone, though - which is something that the author himself seems well aware of. Some of his ideas are far from mainstream thinking, bit the author embodies the twelve wolf principles that are also outlined and stands by his beliefs. Personally, I wish that this book had even more of a focus on the ranch itself. Those anecdotes were uplifting and genuinely touching - and were among the book's stronger points. Those connections really illustrated the underlying principles, but it felt like the author had even more such stories waiting in the wings. Much of the research and history cited was not unfamiliar to me - in fact, I had read a few of the books mentioned, and a few others were already on my shelves, waiting to be read. Some of the mythology presented from around the world, though, was new to me, and I really liked that section as well.

I didn't respond as well the last chapter that is more of a self-help guide, and the book's spiritualism was also unexpected... there is a lot here for under 300 pages, and I feel like some of this information is probably better received in person through the types of retreats and hikes that the author describes. In a lot of ways, this is several books crammed into one, and I think that this may be what loses its appeal for some readers, or at the very least cause them to skim some sections. Still, I found this to be a very original sort of read, and would definitely be interested in reading more from the author if he writes a follow up on the ranch or more on the coevolution and connection between humanity and wolves.

[Amanda Borys · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I wanted to be generous in rating this book, because I think the message of changing the perception of wolves is an important one. But the New Age/wolf as spiritual healer schtick got a bit much.

While I was willing to stick it out as there was some useful information at the start of the book, the further into the chapters I got, the more I skimmed over things. The final straw was when the author claimed he sent his 5 month old "bonded" wolf to hunt seagulls and then took her kill home to eat. YUCK! Sorry, that mental image was just a little too much.

I also have some doubts about the whole 'wolf as healer' idea, given that the wolves at the sanctuary are all domesticated, in the sense none of them have lived in the wild. I wonder how much of their connections are due to the fact they are trying to adapt to living with humans, apparently in close contact.

It's a shame really.

[Paytonious · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teo is a great writer and an incredible, inspirational human being who is very in touch with his connection to animals and nature. I admire him for dedicating his life to helping wolves and young people through practicing the power of love, openness, and empathy. I learned so much about wolves through my reading of this book, such as how humans evolved alongside wolves and adopted their behaviors in order to survive a changing world, how wolves can teach us to BE rather than DO (the key to inner peace), many different myths about wolves and what they symbolize to different cultures/native tribes, etc. There is so much credible scientific research about wolves in this book, as well as universal spiritual lessons that can easily be adopted into one's life. For me, this book was never boring, and with each turn of the page, I learned something new. I particularly enjoyed the parts about Teo's Wolf Heart Ranch and the young people whose lives have been completely changed during their stays there. His Wolf Therapy program has made such an impact on kids who came from bad situations and teaches them valuable life lessons that awaken them to their true inner light (something I wish all schools would teach). I hope to run my own animal sanctuary one day and would love to develop my own therapy program to help young people connect with animals, nature, and themselves, too. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about wolves, our connection to them, or simply learn new things! 5/5 stars.

[Cody Hoagland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Book

I have been drawn to wolves from a early age, Something inside me pulls me towards them. I have been lucky to have encountered numerous wild wolves over the years. Each encounter has a special place in my soul, the first time seeing in the eyes of a wild wolf it grabs you and never lets you go. I photograph these amazing souls and share their wilderness with them. Teo Alfaro has explained this deep connection that I feel, I recommend this book to everyone…

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start, I have always been fascinated by the wolf-human connection since I was a child. I am a wildlife biology major and always eager to learn more about our human connection with animals.

I'd give this book a solid four-star. Although I was expecting more from the biology and study perspective from this, there was a lot of spirituality aspect in this book. I felt like it began to drag on near the seventh or eighth chapter, and by the self-help section, I'd lost most of my interest since I'd already read about the principles earlier in the book. However, I loved the sections about culture and biology and the mentions studies of the wolves in Yellowstone.

Since I only really felt dragged in the very last chapter, I only docked one star. Overall, this was a fascinating book, and I did enjoy reading this all the way through.

[Neall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only the 4th book ever that I DNF. I try to keep an open mind about most things and wolves are my favorite animal, so this book had potential for me. I expected it to be pretty New Agey, but when I got to the part about the entity "Wolf" passing on knowledge to the author in a vision, that was just too much for me to accept. I tried to get past it, but I'm definitely not in the correct mood to be receptive to it right now. If I decide to give it another try at some point, I'll try to remember to update this.

[Manuel Quiroz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wolf Connection explores and explains the unified history of wolves and humanity within our past, present, and potential future. It is just as much about people as it is wolves. The author, Teo Alfero, is beyond qualified to write this book, as he is the founder of the Wolf Heart Ranch wolf sanctuary. Highly recommend.

[Michael Inder · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 8 “Realms” of the book were a little painful to get through, particularly towards the middle of the book, but I usually finish a book that I start no matter how I feel about it. Realm 9 is definitely worth reading and gives some good tips on how to slow down and learn some things about yourself.

[Patti M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...#

[Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and interesting analogies to the human race

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolves have always interested me. I read the description of this book and was intrigued.

Any pet-to-owner interaction releases serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin- the feel good hormones, helping to relieve emotional and psychological stress; making us more happy and balanced people.

Teo shares stories of how Wolf Connection helps different individuals-
you feel a part of their story.
Travel back in time learn about early man and wolves.
Learn more of the Realms of the Wolf- some will challenge your thinking and make you reflect.
Some will inspire you, shining a little light in your life.
You will be energized while your mind expands.

Teo also explains how Wolf Connection began.
Rekindling the ancient bond between wolf and human.
We need to slow down and pay attention to our connection together as our ancestors made their wold connection a main part of their life.

Enjoy the journey!

[Tiffany Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved wolves and a book about them seemed right up my ally. I enjoyed this look at wolves and their connection to us. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in wolves and their nature.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.