During one of my member shifts at the Park Slope Food Co-Op I was scanning the bloated billboard walls in the stairwell. Amongst the various flyers, postcards, and hand-written index cards proclaiming trades, sales, services and upcoming community events, one leaf in particular caught my eye. The simple yet bold black and white postcard offering a weekend retreat in upstate New York. Retreats upstate, out of the hustle of the city with green, wild space, views of the Hudson, fresh air – these had always appealed to me and as an avid yoga practitioner and teacher, I have attended my fair share of these renewing retreats, but this retreat, this stopped me mid-stair. This retreat was with actual wolves. I was flooded by the imagery of Wes Anderson’s powerful ending scene in his film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Canis Lupus, atop a windy mountain veering down toward the foxes in the valley below – an unfaltering silhouette, firm fist in the air, a wild elusive creature inspiring intrigue and respect. ‘Is this a thing?’ I thought, and where can I sign up? Eventually, Aligned Magazine caught up with the retreats founder, Vanessa Chakour, an activist in different forms, about her lead Wolf Retreats and the importance of connecting to the primal self. “Wolf medicine includes the medicine of change,” according to Matthew Wood, a well-known herbalist who teaches plant medicines in relation to each animal. “Esoterically enlightening the wolf represents strength and change.” The 1st Nations peoples and many indigenous cultures view the wolf as a teacher with both healing and hunting powers. Among various tribes the wolf restores harmony and balance to the land and in turn, the people. Relatively recent scientific research has discovered that in fact wolves are a major contributor to change in an ecosystem. Wolves are a key player, at the top of the chain, apart of a trophic cascade. They re-established the balance and health of rivers, plantlife and wildlife, and in turn human life. Contrary to past environmental beliefs, it was discovered that larger predators are vital to a healthy eco-system as with the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. The effects of re-establishment are beautifully noted in the How Wolves Change Rivers documentary. “We have discovered that an ecological effect called, “trophic cascade” has taken over Yellowstone, with the wolves initiating a more natural ecosystem balance.” The packs affected the number of deer and elk herds, which changed the vegetation, plant life increased, smaller animals and birds began to flourish more, and surprisingly the wolves changed the behavior of the rivers. The packs affected the number of deer and elk herds, which changed the vegetation, plant life increased, smaller animals and birds began to flourish more, and surprisingly the wolves changed the behavior of the rivers. “From plant, to insect, to people… we all stand to benefit from wolves.”— MissionWolf.org For Vanessa Chakour it was a visceral calling to work with the wolves. “I went to hear indigenous leaders speak. Debra White Plume, a Lakota leader was talking about environmental issues that I care deeply about. When she started to talk about wolves I felt it viscerally in my body. It hit me on a personal level that none of the other issues did. She said that the wolves were in peril, were losing their protection as endangered species and being hunted. I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I went home. I woke up thinking about it. So, I got online and started to learn more about the issue. I signed petitions and through research I found out about the Wolf Conservation Center. I had no idea there were wolves living an hour away from New York City. I was so excited. I contacted the director, Maggie Howell. It’s a place you can’t just drop in and visit. You have to make an appointment or go to an event, so I had to wait for what felt like months before I could go. I couldn’t wait to see the wolves. I felt like I was about to meet a celebrity. There was something guiding me internally, I had to get involved.” Reflecting on her first encounter with the wolves at the WCC, Vanessa recalls how she initially felt. “Honestly, I had mixed reactions. There is a part of me that calmed, felt complete being in their presence and a part of me that felt great sorrow. It pains me that we have to interfere at all.” Her passion for learning about and eventually working with them through the a partnership at WCC grew. “Wolves are the epitome of wildness. They have such dignity and grace. There is a saying that says ‘look into the eyes of a wolf and you will see your own soul’. It rings true.” The Wolf Conservation Center is a wildlife reintroduction center. They have 25 wolves on a little over 30 acres of land. According to Maggie Howell, program director, “Once people come here and they learn about what we are doing I think they realize they are apart of something MUCH bigger.” “wolves are not these mythical, vicious, animals that we are conditioned to believe in fairy tales” The wolves are kept as wild as possible in a large enclosure. Visitors don’t always see the more ‘wild’ wolves, but are surrounded by them and can certainly hear them howling. There are different species that are critically endangered, like red wolves and Mexican grey wolves. Mexican grey wolves are some of the most endangered species on the continent. The Wolf Conservation Center help to reintroduce these wolves back into the wild as participants of a Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP is a breeding and management program designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of captive-based animal populations. Wolves released back into the wild are chosen based on behavioral criteria: natural, shy, elusive behavior. The wolves at the center are given the opportunity to be released back into a natural, wild habitat because they are kept off-exhibit and away from visitors, even staff members, to maintain their healthy aversion to humans. “By safeguarding their natural, wild behavior, we are giving them the opportunity to be prepared for that wild future.” WCC also houses four “Ambassador Wolves.” They have been raised in captivity and are accustomed to human interaction. The ambassador wolves won’t be released. “They are ambassadors for their species so people can learn that wolves are not these mythical, vicious, animals that we are conditioned to believe in fairy tales.” These are the wolves visitors see and spend time with.Primal, Elemental Meditation Practice Through Sacred Warrior, Vanessa has been conducting retreats at the WCC for four years now. “It’s an opportunity to see [the wolves] and be in their presence.” These retreats have also raised awareness and money for the Wolf Conservation Center. Vanessa has been an activist in various forms, working with medicinal plants, reconnecting to the earth and wildlife. “One of the things I teach often at my workshops [and or retreats] is to really heed that instinctual, visceral call, whatever that is, and working with the wolves is definitely that for me. When I got to the center for the first time, there was something inside of me that calmed. It was almost like this feeling of completion, this medicine, being there. I listened.” For Vanessa, sustainability means to be in a balanced state within ourselves. “The whole premise of each Sacred Warrior retreat is to deepen connection to ourselves and to the living earth. I’ve been a wildlife and environmental activist my whole life, I’ve come to feel that it’s our lack of connection and lack of relationship, personal relationship with the land and with the animals, that really causes a lot of problems.” “I feel nature includes everything. I hope to inspire lifestyle shifts, I don’t impose anything on people. People need to be brought into experiences where they deepen a relationship with themselves, where they experience healing in relationship to the earth. What I’ve come to through this work, is so much more contentment. Through these practices of meditation and movement and internal work, I feel so content living simply. I realize I have a lot of what I need within me. The plant medicine work I do has been a vital part of it because I have such awe and appreciation for the land no matter where I am. I know now that there are medicine plants in the city. I take good care of the land because I’m in love with it. I try and introduce these relationships to others. Same with the animals, when you have a direct experience you fall in love and you’re moved to act. My intention and vision, is to help people fall more in love with themselves and with the earth and with these animals and to act from that place (instead of a place of anger).” Unlike the image of the elusive Lone Wolf on the hill top foraging solo through the wild, wolves move and live among a pack. They are loyal and family-oriented. “Wolves are amazing teachers. One teaching I love is, the Alphas stay in the back of the pack, while the elders and the young go first. They follow behind to look out for the others. They have a level of awareness about the environment that is so attuned. Within ourselves we can tap into our intuition and instinct through different meditation practices. All animals are amazing teachers, predators especially, about using your energy efficiently. For example, being able to be totally relaxed. If you watch a wolf attack its prey there is a level of observation, relaxation; only using their intense energy when it’s needed.” “There are life teachings we can take from wolves, like the way they interact with the land. In fact when they kill their prey they kill the sick and injured animals. They actually help the strength of the herds. They go for the weak and injured elk or deer and in turn, help the entire ecosystem to flourish. Plants too are vital to a healthy ecosystem. Every being has a particular purpose”. Unfortunately, we don’t see them in that way. Many only see plants as weeds or wolves as a vicious animal, but they have a role to play here. “At one point, they were really revered, especially wolves- they are vital to keep everything in balance.” All Sacred Warrior retreats partner with wildlife organizations, because Vanessa feels we need to become familiar with a ‘re-connecting’ experience. “Many of us are so disconnected from the wild, the wild places and especially the wild animals. It’s really rare to have an experience with wolves because they are very elusive. If people are around they aren’t going to attack, generally they go far away. It’s rare to be in an environment where you can be sleeping amongst them. There are a lot of parallels between our own health and well-being and the health and well-being of the earth, the plants, the wolves – it’s all totally interconnected.” Sacred Warrior conducts a 2-day Wolf Retreat at WCC. Participants are asked to unplug in order to tune into nature and their immediate surroundings. The retreats are intimate, usually about 10-15 participants. Most people that come are drawn to wolves in some way, for some reason. Vanessa feels it’s an opportunity to really re-wild yourself. It’s a space where people can completely be themselves. If they need to, they can go off and take care of themselves for a minute. It’s a healing space a place to just howl when can you howl. “After we greet the wolves by howling and let them know we are there. We meet the ambassador wolves spend some time to sit with them, which is really rare. Because the retreats are intimate, everyone really gets time to feel connected [to one another]. It’s a very intentional space on beautiful land, with wolves howling around you. It’s really special”. Along with connecting to the animal, wolf medicine and awareness of their teachings, the retreats incorporate a blend of practices through movement and ‘plant ally (medicine)’ work. The second day of the retreat consists of some plant medicine work. Through exploration of the land made accessible by WCC, Vanessa takes the opportunity to teach participants about the language of plants and how they communicate to us all the time. For example, what does a plant with thorns say? Without saying very much, she’ll get people acquainted with the language of plants. Is it delicate? Is it thick? Does it look strong? Does it stand tall? People are invited to start to explore from that perspective. Really looking more deeply. Usually people are called to a particular plant. “I don’t reveal all the plants, when we start to explore the land until we do some form of exploration of intuition around plant medicine. We all have this innate knowing and I like to show that to people. Sometimes we will do a plant meditation with that plant.” “The thing I like to remind people is that we have so much wisdom within us already and often we are guided to the medicine that we need. There is always a plant that calls to us. Plants affect us physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. When I started to practice herbalism I felt like I was remembering something rather than learning something. It’s all in our DNA somewhere.” “You know how someone walks up behind you and we tend to jump? that’s that fight or flight response, but when you do a continuous practice of “seeing” or perceiving behind you with eyes closed, you can feel something or someone coming from further away. You can pick up on the sensory information. It expands your field of awareness.” Vanessa strongly believes that we have these tools at our disposal internally and externally. “Ancient cultures understood that. We have over complicated things now. To me Sacred Warrior is really a kind of a peeling back of layers to the simplicity of it all. We are part of the earth.” “The whole premise of the Warrior comes in when you are really in your strength. You don’t ‘need’ for very much. Being in harmony with nature is incredibly powerful. You don’t have to waste your energy. That’s what animals teach us. The plants are here to help us heal and teach us as well. To me it’s an ancient premise of what a warrior is.” “If you think about a fire, if it’s scattered all over the place it is out of control, but when you bring it into one point, it can be very directed and healing. It’s hearth brings people together. You’re channeling all that intensity and all the primal energy, that we are often uncomfortable with, so we tend to burn off and scatter. Honing it in, that’s your power.” Stand tall, one fist in the air, and one arm around your pack.
