The Wolf You Feed
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil–he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you–and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf will win?”
The grandfather simply replied, “The one you feed.”
This is a story from the Cherokee tradition. It speaks of the good and bad within each of us and the balance we need to maintain between both if we are to be functional human beings. The whole point of the story is not to feed one and starve the other, but to keep both at peace because both have something we need.
By the way, what do wolves eat?
These wolves live inside us and therefore feed on what we consume, just like a human fetus does in the womb of its mother. The media you consume – TV, newspapers, social media; the music you listen to, the friends you interact with and what they tell you; the books you read, podcasts you listen to, videos you watch, billboards you look at, adverts you listen to. . .the list is endless. We may not be aware that programs we watch or listen to program our minds with the agendas of their creators. Books you read are written with the intention to sway your thinking a certain way. Adverts are probably the most blatant in their intentions, unapologetically.
All these influences are around us constantly and in some cases, we don’t choose to engage with them – they are forced on us. So do we then have control over the wolf we feed? If I am stuck in a traffic jam and there’s a huge billboard demanding that I obey my thirst that I’m forced to look at for 5 minutes, am I to blame if I pick up a bottle of Sprite at the supermarket next time I’m out shopping?
The wolves are within me but they are not ME. I am a distinct person with a will and I can make informed choices about every action I take if I chose to do so. The key word is INFORMED. How many people can actually say they think independently, make decisions independently and form opinions independently, based on research and non-biased decision making?
Sadly, very few. From the tissue and toothpaste you use, to the neighborhood you live in or the school your children attend, most people’s choices are based on what others like, what someone said or thinks or what will look cool to their peers. We are no longer hunting game for our wolves, instead we are feeding them off of other people’s leftovers and regurgitated curd. Is it any wonder that for most of us, the wolf that’s winning is the one we don’t want to win?
Anxiety, fear, mistrust, envy, resentment, greed is weighing many down and causing an epidemic of depression. Love, truth and kindness are fast becoming foreign concepts. We lack balance in our lives and are living off of extremes – a sort of collective bipolar disorder.
This weekend, take a media fast. Keep away from it all, switch it off for a season. Take a walk in nature and see the different shades of green, hear the difference in pitch among the bird chirps. Do a breathing meditation and focus on your breath. Engage your right brain and get creative doing some work with your hands. Before you act on an idea, ask yourself why you want to take the decided course of action – can you defend your action based on logic?
Remember if you feed your wolves right, they both win, and you win. Both sides are necessary. Balance is key. Just don’t feed either wolf on a diet of junk.
“Accept your dark side, understanding it will help you to move with the light. Knowing both sides of our souls, helps us all to move forward in life and to understand that, perfection doesn't exist.” ~
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