Faith or Fear: The Two Wolves Within Us

Have you ever heard the story of the two wolves? It's where a Cherokee grandfather told his grandson about two wolves that lived inside him; one called Faith and the other Fear.

He said the two wolves fought everyday. Fear would use it's power of manipulation, grief, desperation, deception, envy, and ego to overpower Faith. Faith would use it's powers of love, kindness, compassion, gratitude, honesty, and humility to overcome Fear. The grandson eventually asked, "Which one wins?". The grandfather replied, "Whichever one I feed."

For years, I held myself captive; a prisoner at the mercy of my own emotions. I stayed in a place of uncertainty, doubt, indecision...Fear. I consistently disregarded my own intuition, trusting anyone else's before my own. I needed proof or validation that my feelings had justification, when they were just that - MY feelings. If something affected me negatively, I owed it to myself to explore it and seek greater understanding of it. Similar to if something affected me positively, I'd explore that too, more than likely after I celebrated it.

A few years ago, I started putting this into practice. I began consciously identifying the emotions "steering my ship", what course I was on and why. It wasn't something I learned overnight. It took a lot of practice over a couple years, and came with it's share of emotional bumps and bruises too.

However, with every show of self-honesty and kindness, I eventually learned how to admit fault, summon the courage to accept it, and the compassion it would take to forgive it - within myself. The story about the two wolves is one I know all too well myself - the inner-battle between righteous and self-righteous - my two wolves fighting the daily fight to simply walk away victorious.

I'll openly admit sometimes it seems more difficult to summon faith over fear. It seems almost easier to point fingers at someone or something; anything rather than pointing it at the truth. Sometimes admitting the truth within ourselves can be down right horrifying.

From personal experience, I'd rather face all my truths a thousand times over if it meant avoiding what could potentially haunt me forever. I'd rather learn the truth within myself to best understand - for my future - showing courage and compassion along the way.

It's one thing for me to feel locked in cage with no way out. It's another to build my own cage, hold myself prisoner to it, while taking no responsibility for it. It's the age-old question, really: "Is the devil that I know better than the devil that I don't?" Do I allow fear to keep me paralyzed in doubt? Or do I welcome faith to help me overcome it? In the end, it's whichever wolf I choose to feed: Faith or Fear.

...Which will U Feed?