The Claw-Torn Tome: 
A Practical Guide To Embodying the Wolf
So, you're a werewolf. Perhaps you always were one, or perhaps you were turned, or used a spell, or came upon a magical wolf pelt or mystical salve. The answer remains regardless: what now? How does one apply their wolfhood in everyday life? What do you do, when you are a wolf?
This tome is intended to be a guide to your newly awakened lycanthropy. And, like, how to have some fun with it. How to transform yourself, ways to incorporate your wolfishness into your regular “human” life, and other similar things. As a werewolf is not merely a state of being, but doing. You must, at some point, don the pelt.
On Full Moon Nights and Transformation:
First, I would like to define what I mean by transforming. When I go out “wolfing” on full moon nights, do I physically turn into a wolf? Not really. What I actually do is deliberately invite a sort of mental transformation. The most important part of a full moon revelry is a shift in mental state. The desired effect is to think like an animal- thoughts that come sensorially rather than in the more “human” and verbal manner.
The most important step to achieve this is to cultivate a space that you can inhabit and immerse yourself into. Somewhere like a backyard or another private outdoor space to claim as “territory” is ideal, here. Allow wildflowers to grow and invite biodiversity- wild animals will come if you plant native plants, as they provide food and shelter that may not have been there before, and pollinators will of course come to do their work. Once my girlfriend and I started gardening more, we’ve been noticing so many birds and bugs coming and going! If you don’t have access to somewhere suitable outdoors, tending to an indoor herb garden or houseplants may help, if you really can’t get outside at all. “Touching grass”, though, is rather important to the werewolf ethos. Regardless, you are an animal. You need a habitat. A territory.
Once you are under the moonlight, immerse yourself into the sensory world of your territory. Sit or lay in the grass and listen to the wind and try to identify whatever animal sounds you may hear. Bats? Distant frogs? Crickets and cicadas? Birds? Try to scent the air, too, seeing how it may vary based on wind direction and what your garden plants smell like (fragrant herbs and flowers may be beneficial). Brush yourself against the leaves and grass and focus on that sense of touch. Feel your paws in the earth- damp, chilly, or maybe dry or sandy. Get dirty. Roll around and don’t think about how much you need to wash your hands- paws are meant to touch the ground. Play and run. (If you must, bring a ball or some sort of dog toy to play with- see if you can use it without grasping with your hands.) Throughout this sensory focus, try your hardest not to use words or internal monologue, and think in senses. Ritualizing this behavior only aids in ascribing it with the sort of self-defined importance that enables the transformation.
There are other transformative experiences that are not exclusive to full moon nights. I have experienced what some call “phantom shifts” or phantom appendages. Once I knew to feel for them, they’ve been ever-present. The most frequent “reminder” I experience is my tail. It’s a really odd feeling. Physically, I can feel it there, and feel it moving, and I can indeed move the tail effortlessly. Of course, it is invisible, but often wagging, and I feel a weird tingling in my tailbone when it moves. You might be able to feel something like it if you follow these steps...
First: walk around. At a normal pace, maybe with some extra sway. Focus on the feeling at the tip of your tailbone and visualize a wolf’s tail swaying from side to side as you walk, how it might curl with your stride, whether you’ve got a high, confident tail wag or a more submissive one. Do this for long enough and you may be able to “trick” yourself into feeling it moving. The goal is to accomplish this “trick” to the extent that you don’t have to “see” the tail in your mind, but merely feel it.
Second: Once you have gotten good at feeling your tail move as you walk, attempt the same “trick” while standing still, and wag your tail while standing straight up until you feel the same sensory sensation that you did while walking. Repeat this until you can consistently “call” the tail up and wag it.
Third: At this point you should try moving the tail at will. Not merely wagging it, but holding it high, tuck it between your legs, move it to one side or the other, hold it level... Et cetera. You may need to visualize this in your mind again to get the trick right, but eventually it can be moved at will. Once I got to this point, the tail has just always been there.
A similar trick can be done with your ears. Try to “focus” sounds you hear to a position just above your head instead of at the sides of your head, it’s hard to describe, and visualize your wolf-ears, eventually moving on to just “feeling” them there. From there, practice moving them, pinning them back in frustration, flicking them towards sounds you hear, perking them up, until they’re similarly omnipresent and can be moved at will without needing to picture them in your mind. I frequently feel my ears pin back when I’m at work, haha...
I also sometimes experience what I call being “wolf shaped”, particularly in my hind legs. Where, even if logically I know my legs are plantigrade, my mind maps them onto a more digitigrade form. I often end up toe-walking, or holding my hands limp-wristed instinctually, as if they’re paws. A similar visualization trick works here- your heel corresponds to a wolf’s hock, and the ball of your foot to the paw. I like to lay on my side and visualize this “shape”, or stand on my toes while bending my knees slightly to mimic it. It feels surprisingly natural and puts less weight on the heel.
There are also some transformative experiences that are a little harder for me to properly explain. Particularly, on full moon nights, when I stare up at the sky, I can feel my muzzle stretching out of my face. It is a little painful, and, oddly, I can’t seem to replicate the exact feeling when it isn’t a full moon. I also feel odd mood swings and increased energy around full moons, and stress and frustration around new moons. Is it supernatural or just something I like to believe for fun? That will remain a mystery... But my changing muzzle is of particular importance to me, as I dreamed about a similar transformation happening many years ago and the feeling is eerily similar to how it felt in that dream.
In essence, to transform is to combine these aspects- to allow your perception of your body and senses to change, deliberately. That’s how you turn into a werewolf. Or, at least, that’s how I do it.
On Everyday Wolfhood:
Being a werewolf doesn’t stop when the moon isn’t full. Ideally, being turned should be a constructive change that affects all aspects of your life. Even behind a human mask, you aren’t just a normal human now, after all.
Really, I think the most important aspects of what makes wolfishness resonate with me are outlined most strongly in my essay on wolfaboo subculture, but it bears repeating: a werewolf creates without shame. A werewolf engages with negative feelings constructively and does not bottle them away; so too does a werewolf embrace joy and revelry and other “silly” things. A werewolf supports pups and packmates. A werewolf cares for the earth it inhabits. This can and should be incorporated into your everyday life. Make art, even if it’s not good. Take walks and pick up litter- spend more time outside. Learn the various textures and nuances of your territory and observe that which lives there. And most importantly, be kind.
Socially, you can act out your true nature as well. Wolves can identify each other through smell; perhaps you can pick a favorite scent or perfume to associate with yourself. Present wolfishly and wear what makes you feel most comfortable in your own fur. Keep in touch with your friends and organize outings and get-togethers. You are a pack animal, after all. Share food and help with whatever you can. Be the one at a concert whose hoots and cheers morph into bestial bays and howls. Reject hierarchy and in-group drama, and be a reliable packmate.
And of most importance, be sincere. Be embarrassing. Feel openly, undeniably so, and have pity and sympathy for those who still live bound by shame. This is simply the philosophy of the werewolf.
On Foods:
Perhaps you have some wolfish cravings around the full moon. This is normal, of course. The hunt and the feast are a natural part of a wolf’s life. In this section I shall offer some quick and easy snacks to satisfy your animal hunger.
Most straightforwardly, you can easily imitate things a wolf would typically eat. Jerky and other similar preserved meats are a good substitute for carrion; I find the chewiness is a good comfort for my need to gnaw. They’re a good snack to sink my fangs into; dry salami and other sausages are also quite good.
It’s not all meat, of course. Curiously, during the summer months, when prey is harder to catch, wolves are known to supplement their diet with plants and berries- particularly blueberries. Planting a blueberry bush in your territory (or other edible plants) and snacking on berries, dried fruits and nuts may feel affirming to your instincts. Researching local edible plants and such also links your sustenance to the natural world to which you have dedicated yourself.
If you’re craving both of these flavors, there’s an easy-to-make snack that should satisfy both: Trail Mix! I once had a delicious trail mix my girlfriend prepared that used preserved sausage bites, dried fruits, nuts, and candy, and it was frankly delicious. For the purposes of this shrine, I’ve created a modified recipe to suit a wolf’s pallet. You’ll need dried blueberries or cranberries, graham crackers split into smaller pieces, peanuts, Boston Baked Beans or a similar candied nut sweet, and jerky, sausage or other preserved meats cut into small bites. Simply mix them together in a container. The sweet and savory combination is absolutely wonderful.
I also have a recipe I like to call Full Moon Tea, which I first posted on my cookbook page. It is a take on Earl Grey that calls to mind the earthy scents of the forests and the milky light of the full moon. It’s fragrant and has a mild, though nuanced flavor profile. You will need a tea steeper, earl grey tea, rosemary, thyme, mint, hazelnut syrup or hazelnut coffee creamer, whipped cream, and nutmeg. First, combine Earl Grey tea leaves, rosemary, some thyme, and mint in your steeper, and brew your tea. Once the tea has steeped, add in sugar to taste, your hazelnut syrup, and enough milk to create an almost-white color when stirred. Then, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. It has a comfortingly nutty and earthy, though sweet, flavor. It rewards careful attention to the scents and subtle flavor notes.
Similarly fragrance-forward foods may be stimulating to a hungry werewolf. More than anything, a suitable meal for a werewolf should be a sensory and comforting experience.
On Special Occasions and Holidays:
Any good spiritual-adjacent belief should have some fun holidays. I highly encourage you to make up your own celebrations and revelries, but if you are in need of suggestions, I have a few.
The first, and most well recognized holiday, is Wolfenoot. Dreamed up by a seven year old boy, Wolfenoot occurs on the 23rd of November, and is “when the Spirit of the Wolf brings and hides small gifts around the house for everyone. People who have, have had, or are kind to dogs get better gifts than anyone else. You eat roast meat (because wolves eat meat) and cake decorated like a full moon.” Wolfenoot is absolutely in the spirit of my own lycanthropic philosophy, a celebration of youthful creativity and kindness, and I greatly encourage doing something to observe the occasion- another wonderful addition to the great wolfaboo web-folklore.
As for other celebrations, I have always been compelled by celebrating the passing of seasons. The yearly cycle means something to everyone, as it affects all life on earth; thus, it is an all-inclusive set of celebrations. And the cycle of the seasons is especially important to wolves. The birth of pups, the mating season, the hunt- all aspects of wolf life are affected by the coming and going of seasons. Thus, I suggest honoring the solstices and equinoxes, from a particularly wolfish viewpoint.
The spring equinox is somewhat of a “new year”, as it is when new, vulnerable life is born. This is a good time to spread new seeds, commit to new plans, make resolutions, and reflect on the past year’s growth. It is an optimistic, reflective time of new beginnings, and focus on the home and self as wolves stick close to where they have denned during this time.
The summer solstice represents hardship, for a wolf. Pups are in their “rapid growth” period during the late summer, and are hungrier than ever- unluckily, this is the time in which prey is at its most hale and healthy, and thus difficult for wolves to kill. This is a time of resilience, contemplation and struggle, and may be observed by abstaining from meat for the day of the solstice or doing some kind of work or act of service.
The fall equinox should then represent the courtship season, as wolves court in the fall and early winter. It should be a playful time, as the hardship of summer has passed, and may be used as a time to celebrate bonds, both romantic, familial and platonic. As the weather gets cooler, use this time to go out with friends and lovers and cause good natured mischief. A healthy dose of Halloween would be nice here- share candy and treats with your packmates or dress up in something interesting.
The winter solstice represents the most prosperous time for wolves, as they are specially adapted for the deep snow. Prey animals are weakened by scarce grazing and the cold temperatures, and thus food is easy for a wolf to come by. This should be the most joyful holiday in the wolfish calendar, a night for a feast and bonfire and a large pack gathering. Celebrate the past year and exchange gifts and trinkets with those you love, and share your hopes for the coming spring.
Another occasion worth noting is the rare blue moon- when there are two full moons in one singular month. To me, this is a sign of good fortune, some sort of recognition that I am on the right path. It is an introspective time to reflect on where your transformations have taken you and what mysteries of the self you have uncovered, and a sign to give yourself over to the wolf more strongly on this night.
But what of eclipses, and super moons, and other moon-related anomalies and occasions? Should special things be done on the new moon? That I leave up to you- what I outlined above are merely ideas and suggestions to get you thinking. Really, all of what I have written should be taken as suggestion and not rule. I’m honestly just spitballing. To be a werewolf is not a religion at all, and for some it might not even be spiritual. It’s a constantly shapeshifting philosophy of mine that I have been gnawing on for some time now. What you gain from the wolf may be entirely different. That is a wonderful thing, and you should let yourself define the boundaries of this territory for yourself.
You are the animal, after all. Make your home a habitat you can be proud of. Take sentimental objects and ascribe them a higher meaning. Take what you already have and transform it. Make it yours. That is the essence of the wolf. Every wolf, every pack, is different, and there is no correct way to be a lycanthrope, as it is your shape to take.
May your tail be held high and your spirits higher.
