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The Tale Of The Two Wolves
An old fable, called “Grandfather Says“, or “Two Wolves” has been circling around a lot as of late. It has been respun like this one on Huffpost, and watered-down IMO. Internet legend says it is an old Inuk or Cherokee tale. Of this, I’m not certain. What I am certain of is this: I think they are spinning the wrong story.
One version Of The Tale
The Tale Of Two Wolves parable comes (allegedly) from an old Cherokee or Lenape tribe, and it goes like this:
An Elder was teaching his Grandson a life lesson as they sat at a fire. The boy had a rough day, as he was being disobedient to his parents. And now, they sat in silence at the fire. You could see The boy’s face was twisted in scorn and resentment, pain glimmering in his eye as he ruminated on his punishment in the warm light of the flames. The elder stopped drawing animals in the Earth, and said to the boy: “I too have felt a great hate for others who have wronged me. In fact, there is a battle going on inside me.”
After a few more minutes of silence, the boy couldn’t take the tension anymore, and asked the man, “What do you mean, grandfather? What kind of battle do you face?”
“There is a fight between two wolves raging inside me.”
“Right now?” The boy asked, shocked.
“Yes, boy. Right now. In fact, they never seem to stop fighting.” He looks off into the far distance, knowingly.
“What are they fighting for?”
“My life…” said the old man.
“I don’t understand Grandfather,” said the boy. He turned to face the old man, fear and curiosity shimmering in his wide eyes – “Who are the two wolves?”
The old man continued on with his metaphor:
“One wolf – he is evil. He is angry, jealous, resentful, and bitter. He is filled with lies, sorrow, arrogance, false pride, shame, and ego.
The other wolf is good: joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, kindness, compassion, empathy, faith, and generosity. The same fight is going on inside you. Inside of us all. They are always fighting, and The Soul is the battleground.”
The little boy thinks for a minute and asks, “Which wolf will win?”
the elder smiled over his shoulder and answered bluntly, “They both will if you feed them right..”
The Game
There is a spiritual battle being fought. It is one that can, and can not be seen at the same time. The Game begins and ends with YOU. It isn’t you vs the World, you vs. the opponent, it’s You vs. YOU. Knowing which wolf to feed is the key to playing this Game and recognizing how much control over your Cell-f you really have. “The one you feed.” is not as simplistic as it seems. Let’s chop this one up in a few ways:
- The mind is not one thing. Just as the human brain has different parts, the mind is a complex set of faculties with a complicated series of functions for different actions.
Going back to the story, there are the two “wolves”, and the “You” that chooses them.
- you can choose which “wolf” to feed, and when, where, and how to feed it.
- you are not always in control of your mind; nor ARE you your mind.
- There are more than one “You’s” you must conquer to find the real “You.”
THE PLAYERS
The Dark Wolf represents the dark parts of our nature: the wounded child, the inferiority complex, the megalomaniac, the road rage, the Sith Lord aspects of ourselves.
The White Wolf is paramount to Yoda in the green flesh; it is loving, connected to Nature, compassionate, and giving. The moral dilemma is: On one hand, if we fuel the dark “wolf” we become greedy, unruly, and want to destroy everything around us. On the other – if we become too light, we are vulnerable to the attacks of other dark entities.
THE MOVES
We should pursue a blend of the two. We should honor thy body, thy neighbor, thy environment. We should look after our loved ones. We should be compassionate, loving creatures – with a caveat. The caveat is, we also need to develop the monster within us, and learn to leash it. Honor thy body means not only putting in it superior food, but punishing the body. Training past our limits. Dominating the mind into submission. Dominating our environment into submission.
Looking after our loved ones also means protecting them from dark “wolves.” The balance also includes understanding where the dark wolf comes from, and realizing it was overfed in others. If you have ever read or watched a documentary on Michael Jordan, you have probably heard how unrelenting he was. He would tell you what he was going to do, do it, and talk trash the whole way! But he did have a component of love and compassion. Tough love, yes. If he could break you down, then so could anyone else. If he did it though, he was showing you where your weaknesses were and if you just trained as hard as he did, you could brandish the rings with him.
THE LESSON
If you can learn to feed the two wolves what and how much they need, you won’t need a pack. You can take on a rival pack, and they will become your pack. If you meditate and become aware, you will recognize which “wolf” is activated, and how to counter yourself – making you impenetrable to outside forces.
An example:
You are on a strict diet. Your “white wolf” recognizes your need to be healthy and love your body more. Your friend’s “dark wolf” pressures you into eating a pizza, drinking beer, and smoking cigarettes. Your friend’s “dark wolf” threatens, belittles, or tricks your “wolves” into succumbing into their will. Your “white wolf” being compassionate, tells you how much you love the other party, and doesn’t want to offend them by saying no. Your “dark wolf” tricks you by saying if you don’t, you agree that you are, in fact, a bitch.
You wake in the morning with sore lungs, a headache, and 50 dollars over budget. Your “dark wolf” beats you up all day about being stupid, and weak. Your “white wolf” talks you out of beating yourself up, tells you it was just the one time, and it’s okay to have a “cheat day.” How long does this continue though? Which “wolf” do you continually feed, and which will win? Drop a comment, and let us know which wolf you are feeding, and how you hold yourself accountable!