The Cherokee Legend Of The Two Wolves And Our Inner Forces
The Cherokee legend of the two wolves tells that inside us there is an ongoing battle between two forces. It’s a conflict between our darker side (the black wolf) and the brighter, nobler area (the white wolf). This duality between good and evil, between joy and pride, guilt and humility, largely defines who we are.
Most of us have come across this story at some point. Although there is some doubt about the veracity of this legend related to the Cherokee people, it should be said that there are certain references included in the oral tradition in small social groups in the Southern Appalachians.
Now, it’s interesting to know that there is slight argumentative variation and that it’s precisely that, that final nuance unknown to some, that makes this account all the more valuable, this unique lesson about personal growth that we’ll discover next.
The Cherokee Legend of the Two Wolves: Beyond the Conflict of Internal Forces
The Cherokee were one of the peoples who grouped together in the so-called “Five Civilized Tribes”. Known for their cultural richness, language and traditions, they are, without a doubt, one of the native references that had the greatest impact on Western society. Many of their stories, ritual practices or mysticism have come down to us.
Thus, in the midst of all this immense legacy, one of the samples that most transcended the world of social media was the Cherokee legend of the two wolves. The account is articulated as a lesson in wisdom from an elder to his grandson. The grandfather explains that inside him, as in the hearts of all men, every day there is a terrible battle between two wolves.
These two animals symbolize two opposing forces. One is evil, as the grandfather points out to his grandson. It is anger, envy, greed, arrogance and even sadness, inferiority and ego. The other strength is goodness, joy, love, hope, serenity, humility, compassion and, of course, peace.
When the young Cherokee asks his grandfather which wolf wins the battle, in most accounts we have, he responds with the following statement: he will win what you choose to feed. Well, it must be said that there is another version, perhaps much more interesting.
In this other version, the old Cherokee warrior indicates to his grandson that, in reality, both must win, because this battle is not a game of forces, but a game of balance. It is necessary to feed the two wolves because they are both necessary, we must be able to guide them both in a good way…
Don’t feed just one wolf: you must have both always present
There are times in our lives when we have the clear feeling of being on a roller coaster. Everything is high and low, moments when we enjoy an immeasurable peace and others when, almost without knowing why, adversity, sadness, anger and despair embrace us.
Life can be happy or sad, beneficial or brutal, human beings weave their complex stories of love and hate, of serenity and loss, being aware that, effectively, within us there are always two opposing forces that we do not know very well how control and who fight fierce battles.
So something the Cherokee legend of the two wolves explains is that it’s not just about feeding one wolf and starving the other. The human being is the essence of Yin-yang, the duality where far from discarding a part, eliminating it or isolating it in a dark space, it is necessary to take it into account, visualize and control it in order to live in balance.
The old warrior indicates to his grandson that if he chooses to serve only the white wolf, the black one will hide around every corner to attack him when he notices him weak or off guard. What’s more, the Cherokee legend of the two wolves indicates that we shouldn’t belittle this night-dark fur, fiery-eyed, bristly fur.
Because, whether we believe it or not, the black wolf also has many qualities: determination, tenacity, courage, strategic thinking… In him there are virtues that the white wolf lacks. It would be the case, therefore, to feed them both to get the best out of their nature, to enhance their best version, identify their needs and train them to live in harmony.
Therefore, let us not starve our fears, as it will always be better to recognize them, understand them and transform them. Let us not also starve our anger, our spite or our sadness. Let us approach these inner realities without isolating them to disintegrate them and know what they mean to us. They can give us valuable lessons to make each day a little better.
As we can see, the Cherokee legend of the two wolves offers us a valuable learning lesson in balance and emotional management. Such teaching underscores that an intelligent sharing of forces, of food between the two wolves, is a very important factor for our quality of life.
