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Werewolves: The Occult Truth
How does one become—or kill—a werewolf? Where do our modern shapeshifting stories come from? Are werewolves real? The truth is much stranger than fiction.
Werewolves investigates the centuries-old myths and compelling evidence surrounding these enigmatic beasts of literary fame. Explore four types of werewolves—involuntary, voluntary, other-dimensional beings, and astral—plus Native American beliefs, ancient legends from cultures worldwide, true stories of sightings, and scientific theories. From shamanistic practices and curses to drug-induced hallucinations and serial-killer werewolves, this book will tantalize readers. Also includes authentic rituals for werewolf transformation!
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
21 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Konstantinos
24 books127 followersKonstantinos Rowley, born in 1972, has been a paranormal researcher for over fifteen years, is the author of six books published by Llewellyn and has a bachelors degree in English and technical writing. A recognized expert, he has consulted for and been a guest on various shows and documentaries on MTV, the SciFi Channel, NBC, History, Discovery Channel, and other networks. A former Physics major, Konstantinos been working on explaining the paranormal using modern scientific discoveries, especially in the realm of Quantum Mechanics.
Some of his research has inspired TV, film, and novels, fleshing out scenes in the film “Black Roses” and the novel “Dead Souls.” He has also appeared in the bestselling videogame "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." He was lead vocalist of the now defunct band, Bell, Book & Candle, which appeared on three Cleopatra Records compilations: Goth Box, 100 Tears: Tribute to the Cure, and Vampire Themes. It is unclear how soon he will be able to devote time to a musical solo project.
Some of his research has inspired TV, film, and novels, fleshing out scenes in the film “Black Roses” and the novel “Dead Souls.” He has also appeared in the bestselling videogame "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." He was lead vocalist of the now defunct band, Bell, Book & Candle, which appeared on three Cleopatra Records compilations: Goth Box, 100 Tears: Tribute to the Cure, and Vampire Themes. It is unclear how soon he will be able to devote time to a musical solo project.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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July 28, 2011It's a full moon and the night is crystal clear. You are alone out in the woods and your getting that funny feeling as though you are being watched. Suddenly a loud howl reverberates through the cloudless night. You see a huge lupine shape darting here and there. You think to yourself is this a real lfe werewolf? Time to get out the silver bullets oops but you do not even have a gun. You are convinced you are about to enter the realm of the dead. Of course if you survive this encounter with only a bite then by the nhext full moon you will become one of those......a were wolf.
Well not quite. Don't go believing all that Hollywood non sense. You do not need a silver bullet to kill a were wolf. Then again what exactly are were wolves. It ain't what you think. Author, Konstantinos, describes 4 types of were wolves. The first two types are voluntery and involuntery. Involuntery are those born on Christmas Eve, concieved of on a full moon or those cursed by a witch or warlock. Were wolf bite is not one of the causes. The second type are vountery types or those who choose to become werewolvesof their own accord via an occult ritual. Over teh years there have been sighting of werewolves even in modern times but none of these constitute proof. Even humans captured and accused as werewolves, no one has seen them change. Why would anyone admit to being a werewolf? Insanity, hallucinations or plain delusion. Some of the occult rituals call for teh use of hallucinogenic drugs.
Konstantinos does not put too much credence into these stories. In his mind they do not offer solid proof. There are some diseases which cause people to look hairy and their are diseases that cause people to look rather canine. Porphyria makes one look pale and have fangs. Multiple Personality can give someone an identity or alter ego of a were wolf and some people have different parts of their brain activate into thinking tehey are a wolf.
Many shamanistic culture like those of the Native Americans have their shamans shape shift into different animals and this is the direction the author takes his work. THrough a ritual when the shaman enter another world he can either shape shift into his totemic animal which may be a wolf or other animal. This could be on the astral level and spiritual level.
Through ritual and various substances people have entered into different realms and encountered diffrent beings. Some of these these interdimensional being look like a hybrid betwen a wolf and a human. Of course wolves are not the only animals depicted. This marks the third type of were were wolf.
The last type is an astral were wolf. This can be done by shape shifting the astral body intro the shape of a wolf and going out there into the world. Sometimes people see these wolves and sometimes you may even se the astral body of a freind who has been rendered unconsious after an accident.You see there disembodied spirit. Some magicians have created servitors or other being with astral energy. Tibetan monks do it and the spirit is called a tongpa. Dion Fortune did it with wolves. The author blieves that most of the werewolf citing that were witnessed involved astral were wolves.
I enjoy Konstantino's work. He has the right amount of skeptisim and the right amount of open mindedness to really explore topics such as this. I have read other works and they also concur that werewolves are an astral phenomena that involves shape shifting.
See any were wolves lately?
Well not quite. Don't go believing all that Hollywood non sense. You do not need a silver bullet to kill a were wolf. Then again what exactly are were wolves. It ain't what you think. Author, Konstantinos, describes 4 types of were wolves. The first two types are voluntery and involuntery. Involuntery are those born on Christmas Eve, concieved of on a full moon or those cursed by a witch or warlock. Were wolf bite is not one of the causes. The second type are vountery types or those who choose to become werewolvesof their own accord via an occult ritual. Over teh years there have been sighting of werewolves even in modern times but none of these constitute proof. Even humans captured and accused as werewolves, no one has seen them change. Why would anyone admit to being a werewolf? Insanity, hallucinations or plain delusion. Some of the occult rituals call for teh use of hallucinogenic drugs.
Konstantinos does not put too much credence into these stories. In his mind they do not offer solid proof. There are some diseases which cause people to look hairy and their are diseases that cause people to look rather canine. Porphyria makes one look pale and have fangs. Multiple Personality can give someone an identity or alter ego of a were wolf and some people have different parts of their brain activate into thinking tehey are a wolf.
Many shamanistic culture like those of the Native Americans have their shamans shape shift into different animals and this is the direction the author takes his work. THrough a ritual when the shaman enter another world he can either shape shift into his totemic animal which may be a wolf or other animal. This could be on the astral level and spiritual level.
Through ritual and various substances people have entered into different realms and encountered diffrent beings. Some of these these interdimensional being look like a hybrid betwen a wolf and a human. Of course wolves are not the only animals depicted. This marks the third type of were were wolf.
The last type is an astral were wolf. This can be done by shape shifting the astral body intro the shape of a wolf and going out there into the world. Sometimes people see these wolves and sometimes you may even se the astral body of a freind who has been rendered unconsious after an accident.You see there disembodied spirit. Some magicians have created servitors or other being with astral energy. Tibetan monks do it and the spirit is called a tongpa. Dion Fortune did it with wolves. The author blieves that most of the werewolf citing that were witnessed involved astral were wolves.
I enjoy Konstantino's work. He has the right amount of skeptisim and the right amount of open mindedness to really explore topics such as this. I have read other works and they also concur that werewolves are an astral phenomena that involves shape shifting.
See any were wolves lately?
April 4, 2012
I reviewed another of Konstaninos's books, VAMPIRES: THE OCCULT TRUTH, a couple years ago and I just re-read it to see what I felt of that title against what I feel about WEREWOLVES.
The tone is the same, which I really liked. Konstantinos approaches the subject as a skeptic and isn't ashamed about it. He brushes aside the more frivolous, Hollywood aspects of werewolf lore and delves pretty deeply the hardcore legends from a bunch of different cultures, including European, Native American and some Asian cultures. It was interesting reading about werewolf aspects that I didn't know much, if anything at all, about before. He has a definite sway as to which werewolf mythos he believes in which is fine. In reality it's the one that makes the most sense but it's a point that he brings home, however subtly, from the beginning.
Konstantinos's voice didn't have any of that dryness I mentioned in the VAMPIRES book, another good thing. I think WEREWOLVES was more succinct and to the point than its predecessor and didn't spend as much time dwelling on the technical. That might also be because there wasn't too much technical to delve into since werewolves are even more mythical than vampires.
As with VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES does contain letters from his readers detailing their "experiences" either with or as werewolves but they're pretty much as clear as footage of Bigfoot or an acid trip. They really only lent further credit to Konstantinos's theory that werewolf experiences are more psychological than anything.
What really bothered me about WEREWOLVES, though, and it doesn't appear that I had this issue with VAMPIRES, was Konstantinos's constant name-dropping of his own books. That got really grating. It felt like it was at least once a chapter he was mentioning another of his titles, VAMPIRES especially. It just seemed . . . tacky. And a cheap way to advertise and try to hook people into his other books. I've only read the one and I did like it but I was put off by WEREWOLVES by his advertising.
Overall another good reference book for people on the more serious track of werewolf myths and legends. There's nothing TWILIGHT-ish about this one; it's just a journey into myth history. But it's enlightening all the same. As someone that really isn't into werewolves all that much, it was interesting reading about all the different types and their histories. It all goes so far beyond what Hollywood has taken upon itself to show us that it's barely recognizable. But just beware of his name-dropping. It happened enough that it really started to grate on me.
The tone is the same, which I really liked. Konstantinos approaches the subject as a skeptic and isn't ashamed about it. He brushes aside the more frivolous, Hollywood aspects of werewolf lore and delves pretty deeply the hardcore legends from a bunch of different cultures, including European, Native American and some Asian cultures. It was interesting reading about werewolf aspects that I didn't know much, if anything at all, about before. He has a definite sway as to which werewolf mythos he believes in which is fine. In reality it's the one that makes the most sense but it's a point that he brings home, however subtly, from the beginning.
Konstantinos's voice didn't have any of that dryness I mentioned in the VAMPIRES book, another good thing. I think WEREWOLVES was more succinct and to the point than its predecessor and didn't spend as much time dwelling on the technical. That might also be because there wasn't too much technical to delve into since werewolves are even more mythical than vampires.
As with VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES does contain letters from his readers detailing their "experiences" either with or as werewolves but they're pretty much as clear as footage of Bigfoot or an acid trip. They really only lent further credit to Konstantinos's theory that werewolf experiences are more psychological than anything.
What really bothered me about WEREWOLVES, though, and it doesn't appear that I had this issue with VAMPIRES, was Konstantinos's constant name-dropping of his own books. That got really grating. It felt like it was at least once a chapter he was mentioning another of his titles, VAMPIRES especially. It just seemed . . . tacky. And a cheap way to advertise and try to hook people into his other books. I've only read the one and I did like it but I was put off by WEREWOLVES by his advertising.
Overall another good reference book for people on the more serious track of werewolf myths and legends. There's nothing TWILIGHT-ish about this one; it's just a journey into myth history. But it's enlightening all the same. As someone that really isn't into werewolves all that much, it was interesting reading about all the different types and their histories. It all goes so far beyond what Hollywood has taken upon itself to show us that it's barely recognizable. But just beware of his name-dropping. It happened enough that it really started to grate on me.
August 26, 2010
Unlike a lot of people, I enjoyed the book on vampires that Konstantinos did. At the time, there was so little in mainstream literature that even touched on what the modern vampire community is. It was a bullet point-esque, layman's introduction to the sub-culture, sure, but it wasn't a misleading one. It was a book that could really open people's eyes to concepts they hadn't considered before. For those reasons I was highly anticipating this, the werewolf book.
This book is NOTHING like the vampire one.
It is a cliffsnotes version of the werewolf encyclopedias on the sale table at every Borders.
I read the whole thing to find the only mention of otherkin and modern therianthropy was a short disclaimer that Konstantinos is NOT involved in the culture and that you should read Lupa's books if you are interested.
I bought THIS book because I was interested. Don't write a crappy book and then at the end admit that you should have been reading someone else's all along. That's like if The Monkey's put out an album with one song, but the song is just a recording of the producer repeating "You should try the Beatles."
Read Lupa's books, all of them. Pay full price and then buy copies at full price again.
I didn't know it was possible but I love Lupa more now.
This book is NOTHING like the vampire one.
It is a cliffsnotes version of the werewolf encyclopedias on the sale table at every Borders.
I read the whole thing to find the only mention of otherkin and modern therianthropy was a short disclaimer that Konstantinos is NOT involved in the culture and that you should read Lupa's books if you are interested.
I bought THIS book because I was interested. Don't write a crappy book and then at the end admit that you should have been reading someone else's all along. That's like if The Monkey's put out an album with one song, but the song is just a recording of the producer repeating "You should try the Beatles."
Read Lupa's books, all of them. Pay full price and then buy copies at full price again.
I didn't know it was possible but I love Lupa more now.
December 24, 2020
3.5 stars. I was feeling generous tonight and rounded up. The author brushes on many thoughts and beliefs that are different from the mainstream, I liked that. However, he proposes an interesting theory about werewolves and astral projection. I do not really understand astral projection and the theories behind alternate dimensional beings. Quantum mechanics and theoretical physics are not my areas of expertise. As a student of both biology and history, I can safely say that, conceptually, physics confuses the hell out of me. For that reason, I found the last couple of chapters to be a little too “trippy” and abstract for my tastes.
February 27, 2021
Some interesting cases and stories from various cultures mythos, over all not a bad book, but a tad condescending at times. I'm not sure I'd call this the occult truth given the content within the book
September 3, 2017
Interesting take on the typical werewolf beliefs, which includes voluntary, involuntary, interdimensional and astral werewolves. The latter two are less interesting than the former.
October 19, 2015
I found this book in the paranormal section of the giant book sale near my home. It was a somewhat unusual read for me. I liked best the historic and modern legends of werewolves. The last section about astral animal transformations was also interesting. The author explained well some concepts that were unfamiliar to me. I enjoyed his sense of humor.
August 21, 2012
For a serious look at the possibility that werewolves exist, I liked this one. The author throws in his own personaility into it, as well as some bits of sarcasm and humor. Lets face it, nonfiction books are not something alot of people can get into. This one made it kinda fun.
Good job!
Good job!
May 6, 2024
Not what you'd think - not all fur, fangs and howling at the moon. This is a well written piece of work, full of interesting research into and ideas about the folklore and legends surrounding a fascinating topic.
January 25, 2011
Rambling, incoherent, inaccurate*, self-aggrandizing ("As in my other books...") and chatty like a bad blog. [*with regard to shamanic belief and practice in particular]
April 13, 2012
I LOVE BOOKS ON WEREWOLVES.
February 19, 2015
Very informative. Lots of facts and easy to understand. I will be reading the rest of his books.
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May 30, 2015fucking sucks
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews