As a practicum student a wise supervisor of mine shared the following story with me, a story that she regularly shared with her own clients to illustrate the internal battles we all struggle with. Not only does it normalize the internal battle we all struggle with but it also gives us the empowerment to choose our path and manage where we send our energy.
A Native American Cherokee Story; Two Wolves
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
“One is Evil; It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
“The other is Good; It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
What does this story bring up for you? What are your thoughts?