What makes the wolf such a unique dream symbol is its close connection to Mother Earth and wild instinctual behavior. The wolf is a very powerful omen that has chosen to come to you during a specific time in your life; a symbol often connected to the unconscious, connecting to the wild masculine side of the dreamer.
Native Americans understood the wolf to represent loyalty, strong family ties, good communication, spirit, and intelligence. Wolf dreams present these traits metaphorically so we are able to inntegrate them with our unconscious minds.
The fact that wolves are not domesticated (like dogs) suggests that the wolf in your dream corresponds to your instincts, behaviors, and urges that need to be controlled. Since humans have an innate instinctual fear of wolfs that has passed down in our DNA from our ancestors we must trust this image when it comes to us.
Wolf Symbolism In Dreams
- Shadow – the unknown side of the dreamer
- Hidden or repressed behaviors (ex. greed, sexual urges)
- Wild unknown side to your personality
- Unconscious masculine traits
- Reincarnation
- Spiritual energy
- The spirit
Wolf Dreams: Good vs Bad
A wolf in our dreams contains both a positive and negative connotation depending on how you interact with it. According to some Native Americans the wolf has been a symbol of both good and evil.
The wolf reflects leadership, intelligence, deep connection with instincts; and the ability to endure struggle during hard times. Could the wolf in your dream reflect these aspects of yourself at the moment?
Alternatively, a negative interaction with a wolf may represent unconscious traits that poses a threat to you and others – or – a warning a threat is heading your way.
The flip side of the coin might elude to greed and malicious aspects of yourself that are not yet recognized in your waking life. The wolf would sneak up on you as if you were the innocent “little red riding hood.”
Analyzing Wolf Attack Dreams
- Being attacked our ganged up by a pack of people.
- Wolf bite might suggest some type of betrayal. The area where you are bitten is an indication of where to look at. If you are bitten in your hand someone might want to stop your progress.
- If you are running away or facing it. How you position yourself in the dream might suggest how you will tackle this problem. Being afraid of your fears or going towards it.
- Who and what is around you when the wolf appeared? How could that person relate to what is taking place? If you are alone suggest it could be an internal conflict.
- A female wolf suggest the nurturing power of nature, like Romulus and Remus that where both protected by a wolf. The core of the short story of “Little Red Riding Hood” is the wolf portraying the devouring Grandmother as well as the “Great” mother nature that is wild.
- A black wolf could suggest your “shadow” that is now coming to you. The shadow is everything that we hate about ourselves that is not recognized or pushed away since a young child. These repressed emotions, desires and thoughts need your attention no matter how difficult it is to face it or else they will wreak havoc on your life. Once you shine the light on some of the dark corners in your room then the wolf might be your best friend.
- Have you ever heard the term “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” We encounter lots of dangerous people in our lives that have the ability to take advantage of our weakness. Wolves, like people, can be cunning and malicious in nature. People who have high levels of psychopathy act similar to wolfs going after the chicken coop, they will wait to pounce. You might need to integrate aspects of yourself that might be too weak or innocent in order to protect yourself from danger.
- Integrating the wolf within yourself. If you are too naive like poor old little red riding hood you might be next. You need a wolf to catch a wolf. Working on your own darkness is the best way to understand others.
- If you are friendly with a wolf is a very positive symbol that suggest a close bond with your instincts. You might have a deep connection for the wild and your shadow.
White, Grey, & Black Color
More than likely the color of the wolf will stick out in your dream. Does the color really matter? It might just be the color of the wolf, however it might provide you with some clues to help you decode.
Stronger colors like black suggests you might be more inclined your dealing with the shadow. An attack suggests being victim to your own behaviors and urges you have no control over.
A white wolf might point to the spirit or something that is now seen in the darkness. White has always been known as a symbol of purity, though being attacked could be a threat to it. Grey might be a representation of a mood or emotions that are not understood.
Wolves In Fairy Tales
You may remember as a child your parents reading you fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids, or the Russian tale Peter and the Wolf. These animals have appeared as deceitful and cunning like” a wolf in sheep’s clothing”.
These short stories reflect the theme of the ravening wolf and of the creature released unharmed from its belly and has become a generic archetype of a menacing predatory antagonist. These fables date back as far as the 11th century; culturally embedded fear in the minds of children as these blood thirsty animals want our souls.
Carl Jung Wolf Symbolism
Carl Jung once said whenever you dream of a wolf pursuing you in your dreams: it wants to come to you. Even if you would like to ignore it, this is something foreign to you and if is not recognized, then it becomes more dangerous. Jung understood the best stance would be for it to come and devour you. Wanting a wolf to devour you might point to transformation of the self.
The archetypal significance of the wolf denotes evil as well as positive and spiritual aspects. The wolf is usually understood as the reflection of man, with its aggression, impulses and weakness in sexual restraint. Considered a deceitful, viscous predator, the idea of a wolf hidden in the wild (unconscious) that indicates all the wrong impulses that men inherit such as greed, urges and dissatisfaction. This is a prime example of what Carl Jung would call the Shadow archetype.
In my dream I was at the back of my house by the woods and a grey tall wolf appeared. I was immediately afraid, only to be relieved when it attacked another bad animal in front of me. Leaving me time to walk away in awe to safety. What does this mean?
Houses in dreams often connect the person to the psyche/mind or inner architecture. Being at the back becomes a metaphor for something behind you, and of course the wolf would emerge because it belongs to you. Whatever this is devoured something else. What was the animal? Its quite possible the bad animal was you, or the hidden part of you that was devoured by something more aggressive. Wolves are wild so it belongs to some hidden element within you. What could that be? Well it left you walking away in awe to safely. The dream seems to be very positive… Read more »
Had a dream about a black wolf I was coming out the front door of my house and started to walk along the pathway like going to my driveway as I approach the side of my house I see a black growling wolf staring at me I backed back and the wolf went pass me and into like a den that it had made in the front of my yard never had a dream seem so real and vivid woke up after wolf went under ground puzzled
It seems as if the wolf is connected to your shadow (see shadow in search bar). Now this might be connected to the masculine energy; dark or unconscious aspects of yourself you haven’t identified with as yet. The fact it left you house and goes to the side is very interesting. Houses in dreams often connect the person to the psyche/mind or inner architecture. It is a very symbolic dream but I don’t know what else it was referring to because you would need to provide me with more information.
I had a strange dream. One where I was with an older bald man whom I do not recognize in real life. He tells me he is “going” dream me tells him its not a good idea he insists anyway and I tell a third person to wait for us because this is a terrible idea anyway I get into a car with this man and he starts driving. After awhile he looks at me and says “Wolf….mom….Wolf…mom…Wolf…mom” over and over and suddenly I’m in a strange looking almost CGI looking room on a wooden table… and I see a… Read more »
Very complex dream that has a rewarding outcome if you learn to make what is unconscious within you conscious. But how? Based off of the symbols that emerge you can explore the things that you have built; the wooden table emerges metaphorically providing structure, stability for nourishment. Its close association with the tree tells you about its significance (see tree dreams for more details in the search bar). But what could this be eluding too? I am thinking the feminine unconsciousness that resides within you (a symbol that is androgynous) that might connect you back to the mother (if you… Read more »
I have had the same reoccurring dream starting from the age of 2. I am now 19. I am in a tiny room with no doors. all that is in the room is my old bed and a window. I would look out it and see it is spring time but almost looks like glass or ice was on top of the pink flowers and the green grass. then 5 wolves , their coats fade from black to grey and their eyes are black. every time without fail they try to get in the room with me. almost like they… Read more »
I am surprised you are able to remember your dreams from such an early age. Did you experience any sort of trauma at that age?
Wolves are very powerful symbols that often relate to the untamed, wild, behaviours that are unconscious. Though I do not have enough experience with dreams occurring at that age.
If you had to guess what do you think it might be alluding to? For example if your parents read the book with the 3 wolfs or little red riding hood could it have scared you..
my father was abusive and my mother is my rock. when i was 2 my dad decided he wanted nothing to do with me.
My boyfriend dreamed that I let a pack of wolves into the house…
It would be hard to say with little or no information about the dream. The house would belong to the psyche of the dreamer (see house dreams). Wolfs can be both good and bad depending the context.
My dream was when I was in a forest but seemed more like an open landscape, there were a squirrel, bunny, and werewolf, the werewolf was attacking me we had to run and I had this stick of some sort that helped us get to a hill and the werewolf fell, I had like 3 friends (I didn’t know them) but in the dream seemed like we were in a game of sort but mixed with reality. There was one boy in particular who seemed to be more protective of me and seemed to have feelings towards me, there was… Read more »
Forests are very symbolic symbols of the unknown, uncharted areas or what is known to be called the unconsciousness (see forest dreams). The squirrel and bunny are considered tricksters or aspects of yourslef that might not be understood, this is why the wolf showed up. The three friends might in fact be the wolf, squirrel and bunny relating to some aspect of your life. Now being underwater might be related to understanding your emotions as the wolf connects with your masculine energy or what might be called the animus. This is why I think the boy came into the dream… Read more »
I had a dream where I was in what seemed like a large abandoned warehouse in the middle of a forest surrounded in a white mist. It was at night but for some reason the lights around the property were on even though the building looked old and abandoned. Almost like the lights in the parking lot of shopping center. I am standing near the building and I feel eyes or someone watching me. I notice a few men walking around the far edge of the property hiding in mist. One starts running towards me and I stiffened getting ready… Read more »
Hello Jon. This is a very symbolic symbol of an area of your unconscious mind (see forest dreams) as well as the warehouse being a sub compartment so to speak. The fact this building is old and abandoned it suggests this might have been built sometime in the past that was left neglected. Another very powerful symbol of the unconscious is the wolf (symbolic nature of the wolf) seems to be connected to behaviors, urges, wild, untamed – a message that it has come to you. This is why it may have turned into a human. Seems like a good… Read more »
Thank you so much for the reply and insight. It seems as if for the past month or so I am having a vivid dream once a week. Just now I had another one that stood out and just like before, the forest, a building and wolf symbols were present. It starts with me again in the forest only now it is a scorching hot day and I mean really hot. It is one of the things that stood out the most really about this dream. I am standing in an empty clearing beside a road surrounded by a forest.… Read more »
You are welcome Jon. Once you figure out what the cat is you have your answer. Now you have a ton of symbolic images that are telling you something that still remains unconscious. The wild nature of the wolf belongs to you. The digging might be related to pulling something up that has been laid out in the past or the fact you are trying to dig to find something. So you want to take the elements of the wolf and connect it with the damaged cat – feminine, creative, yin energy (see cat dreams). The house is a representation… Read more »
I had a dream that I was stranded out in a snowed out highway close to the wilderness. Many people were climbing the road as it got steeper and I was left behind but kept going. Two wolves ran towards me and I faced them head on. I puffed up my chest and growled as loud as I could. The gray wolf became scared and ran back and was out of sight. A pure white wolf remained and snarled at me unafraid. I knew turning my back would mean death so I tried to fight it and punched as it… Read more »
Facing them head on is a very good symbol, in fact some might say a symbol of a major transitional shift to come. If you turn your back it would mean death so this is something you will confront head on. Wonderful dream!
Had a reoccurring dream over the last week or so. My dog and I are walking through the woods when I notice two wolves watching/following us (one white and one black) the first time we ran off. Then last night during my dream we stopped off and had a fire and that’s when they decided to attack my dog. I protected him and just as I was about to kill one, I jolted awake.
This left me feeling in a weird state
The black and white might be related to a situation involving clearly defined opposing principles or issues. Wolfs are the untamed side where as the dog are domesticated (behavior/instincts/urges that remain unconscious. Notice you are protecting the dog. Fires are very symbolic that have the ability to transform or destroy the dreamer. (see fire dreams).
had a dream that my father was bit by a wolf. I was the first to see the wolf in a hotel lobby of all places in brazil. The wolf had combination brown and black fur. it was stretching as if getting ready to sleep.I went back up to my family’s hotel room to warn my family not to go out of the room because there was a wolf outside. However, my dad ignored my warning and still went down to the lobby. My mom was asking what’s taking your dad so long. Then I looked out the window and… Read more »
Interesting dream. Is there anything you can think of that your dad ignored a warning? If not you can explore the inner masculine called the animus as I think it might be related.
In my dream, it was the dead of winter and I was outside. I stumbled upon some bears in the distance, so I climbed a fence into a strangers yard for safety. Inside the yard were some small harmless animals, and a wolf. There was an electric fence which the harmless animals got caught in. Then, the wolf attacked me. It went for my hand and took my glove. I wrestled with the wolf and then distracted it by throwing my second glove in front of me. I found refuge inside the house as the stranger let me in. Then… Read more »
The bears and the wolf might be connected to the feminine & masculine traits that are not understood within. Now you can even look into the relationship you have with your parents and see common links. The safety aspect mixed with fence (electric) becomes metaphoric to how you could be protecting yourself – but the wolf that is unknown to you overpowers you.
Last night i had a dream that a fairly young wolf was entering my back yard, he was calm, salt & pepper color with kind eyes, I remember saying when I saw him that he reminded me of a Great Dane like my dogs. We opened our home to it so he stayed among us and must have been hot because then I see him lying down in the pool freshening up!!! I wonder what the meaning of this is? My feeling in the dream was unsure at first when I first saw him arrive but shortly after my fear… Read more »
A key symbol here is the fact you “opened up the door” to it. The house is like a blueprint of our mind (see house dreams) that connects to the unconsciousness. The age might suggests its young or new to you, as the water connects the emotional side. Perhaps you are now nourishing aspects of your unconsciousness (masculine)