This week’s Thursday Tidbits is my February post as part of the Bloggers for Peace movement. At least once a month, over 100 bloggers dedicate at least one blog post to peace and its many facets.
On this blog, I explore peace fairly frequently including the fascinating fact that critical mass consciousness is now possible through the technology that connects the world. Imagine the possibilities for the world if we let peace begin within each one of us. Yet, how to secure the peace within….
There is a Cherokee story about a conversation on life between a grandfather and his grandson. The grandfather tells a vivid tale of the battle between his inner “black wolf and white wolf.” The two wolves are constantly fighting each other no matter what the grandfather does. The grandson wonders which wolf will win.
Here is the grandfather’s reply:
“If you feed them right, they both win.
“…the white wolf needs the black wolf at his side. To feed only one would starve the other and they will become uncontrollable. To feed and care for both means they will serve you well and do nothing that is not a part of something greater, something good, something of life. Feed them both and there will be no more internal struggle for your attention.
“And when there is no battle inside, you can listen to the voices of deeper knowing that will guide you in choosing what is right in every circumstance.
“Peace, my son, is the Cherokee mission in life. A man or a woman who has peace inside has everything. A man or a woman who is pulled apart by the war inside him or her has nothing.
“How you choose to interact with the opposing forces within you will determine your life. Starve one or the other or guide them both” (Beyond the Conflict of Inner Forces at www.awakin.org).
No matter what characteristics you attribute to your inner wolves, they are the two halves of the one that is you. Your left and right halves of your body make up the physical you; emotionally, your ego provides the context of your life, surrendering only to compassion, gratitude, love and joy. In peace, there is no reaction to chaos, only response out of stillness.
For me, the Cherokee story is also another way to view the paradox that is duality: Oneness originates out of opposites becoming one, equal in every way. Only in equanimity is there peace, which requires lifelong attention to the light and dark that is in each one of us, where peace begins.
Once again, my thanks to Kozo at Everyday Gurus for this mindful way to spend 2013 as well as every moment we ever have.
Thursday Tidbits are weekly posts that offer choice bits of information to celebrate our oneness with one another through our unique perspectives. It is how we connect, how we have always connected but in the 21st century, the connection is a global one.
Blogs of Interest:
Kozo on Peace Practice
Radical Amazement on The Presence of Peace
Bullzen on How to Save the World (Abridged)
Grandmalin on The Global Family
KM Huber's Blog 
Great post, something I have pondered on for a long time… it reminds me of the Yin-Yang. There is light in darkness, and darkness in light.
Blessings be 🙂
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Starve one or the other, or guide them both.
Powerful message. Thank you.
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“Guiding them both,” and the attention is then focused for the intention. Thanks, Marylin!
Karen
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That balance of the inner forces is so momentary. Equilibrium is something a living being rarely achieves. There must be some value in the uncertainty as well–a life that flows and is rarely at rest.
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Yes, “value in the uncertainty” may just be what gets us to the balance as well as keeps us searching to return to it. Frankly, the Cherokee story really fascinates me. Thanks, Adrian.
Karen
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Great story Karen and so true without dark we cannot see the light.
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Thanks, Athena. One does seem to lead to the other and back again, perhaps.
Karen
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If you want peace, you forgive the dark, you don’t feed it what it what it thinks it wants.
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Ah, wise friend, all we ever have are words to relay what is. Perhaps feeding the dark is forgiving it but I am not a Cherokee only someone passing on the story with the words I know. No doubt, the Cherokee language would add yet another dimension to the story. Regardless, we keep the wolves close, I suspect.
Thanks, Deb!
Karen
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Karen, I am liking the Thurday Tidbits. Love that insignia. It reminds me of the “60’s”. I remember wearing the peace sign necklass. I thought I was cool. Thank you for sharing that story. And spreading the word about peace! 🙂
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So glad you like Thursday Tidbits! Isn’t the Bloggers for Peace logo wonderful?!? Takes me back to my own not so cool moments but it was such an exciting time. Peace, Karen!
Karen
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Great post. I always heard the grandfather’s response as “the one you feed is the one that wins”, meaning to ignore the fear and anger and feed only the positive. I actually like your version better. One cannot exist without the other. To deny our darkness is to deny our light.
Thank you for the link!
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Like you, I prefer this version for it is the oneness that we are. Glad you liked the post.
Karen
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I guess I should have read all of the comments first before making mine. 🙂 Your post reminds me of this quote by Emily Dickinson “Anger as soon as fed is dead; ‘Tis starving makes it fat”.
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What an apt Emily Dickinson quote! Now, whenever I think of the Cherokee story, I will think of Emily Dickinson as well. Thanks so much!
Karen
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Wow, Karen. I started reading this post and immediately recognized the Cherokee story, but when I heard the story the grandfather tells the son that the wolf he feeds will win. The implication is to feed the white “good” wolf. I like your version of the story better. I like pursuing equanimity rather than “good.” If we keep feeding good then bad will always crave for attention. True peace has no enemies. Lovely post. Thank you so much for revisioning peace for me. Can’t wait until next Thursday. Wait, scratch that. So grateful for this Thursday Tidbit. {{{Hugs]}} Kozo
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Yes, Kozo, I know the story the other way as well. According to the post I cited, the Cherokee consider the reply to be feeding both. May need to make it clearer that the version comes from http://www.awakin.org. Excellent point. Truly, thank you for Bloggers for Peace. Remember, it really is one post, one person at a time. Thank you, dear friend.
Karen
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Beautiful story. Thanks for the pingback, and thanks for being peace! 🙂
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