In Egyptian mythology, Wepwawet was a deity with the head of a wolf. His name means “opener of the ways” and he is often depicted as a wolf standing at the prow of a solar-boat. In later texts, he was referred to as Ra, the “opener” of the sky.
In mythology, death isn’t necessarily about ending. It’s about standing on the edge of an abyss and allowing yourself to pass to the other side.
Between each ending and each beginning there is the Middle Place where you face the unknown. It feels like dying. You have to let go of everything you once were so that you can pass through to the other side of everything you were meant to become.
Limbo. The River Styx. The Underworld. There is lore surrounding this place of hidden transformation, and, according to the Egyptians, it was Wepwawet who was a guide to the undead, leading the deceased into the netherworld.
The wolf symbolizes our fierceness, our mystery, our passion. These aspects of our spirits guide us through darkness to the other side.
[ source images courtesy of Joy Prouty, used with permission ]
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