We are used to the fact that good and evil, light and dark are always in a state of struggle. “Who will win?” – that’s the age-old question. But what if peace with yourself and inner peace can be found much easier – just by stopping fighting with your dark side? And there is a reasonable explanation for this.
Somewhere on the Internet, and perhaps at various personal growth trainings, you probably came across the parable of the Cherokee Indians about two wolves. Just in case, let us recall its essence.
The old Cherokee told his grandson that in every person there is an ongoing struggle between two “wolves”. Black represents rage, jealousy, arrogance, greed, envy, self-pity, ego, pride, longing and guilt. Whereas white is joy, peace, faith, hope, kindness, love, compassion, generosity, sincerity, modesty and generosity.
When the boy asked which wolf would win this fight, the old man replied: “The one you feed.” This is the well-known version – but it is, according to meditation and yoga teacher Beth Bradford, truncated and therefore distorted.
This abbreviated version encourages us to ignore and starve the black wolf. It cannot lead to anything good – it inevitably becomes even more aggressive and uncontrollable. So, one day it will definitely prevail over the white wolf.
According to the full version of the parable, the wise old Indian tells the boy that we must give up the fight – otherwise we will not see the world. The black wolf has strength and fearlessness – something that the white wolf lacks, which means that he also needs to be properly fed and cared for. Only in this case, both wolves will stop fighting for our attention and will serve us faithfully.
The way out lies where we least expect to find it – in our shadow, in the lair of the black wolf.
When peace reigns inside, it is easier for us to listen to the inner voice and go where it leads us. A person within whom harmony reigns has everything. The one who is torn apart by internal contradictions has nothing.
In addition, the denial of the very existence of the black wolf creates problems. Thus, the principle of duality helps us to better understand life: we often define things and concepts for ourselves, starting from their opposites. Knowing the darkness, we know the light. If the black wolf continues to remain in the shadows, his hunger, and hence his strength, grows. All this makes us continue to suffer, experience pain and regret.
Although we are supposed to feed both wolves, sometimes it is not necessary. After all, if everything in our life goes on as usual, everything is good and stable, the black wolf, as a rule, does not declare itself. He wakes up only in moments of crisis, when our rational brain ceases to cope with the situation.
And the way out lies where we least expect to find it – in our shadow, in the lair of the black wolf. There is the key to our freedom and to the source of strength that will help us cope with new circumstances and begin to live the way we want.
Realizing all this, we can change our attitude towards other people. To begin to sympathize with those who still live inside a hungry black wolf, forced to fight for the crumbs of our attention and “food”.