The Cherokee Legend About The Two Wolves, Or Our Inner Forces
The Cherokee legend about the two wolves tells of a continuous battle between two forces within us. There is a conflict between our darker side (the black wolf) and our more luminous and noble side (the white wolf). That duality between good and evil, between joy and pride, guilt and humility, defines much of who we are as human beings.
Maybe you’ve heard this story before. Although there is some doubt as to whether this is really a Cherokee legend, there are certain references that are part of the oral tradition of small social groups in the southern Appalachians.
Read on for the story – and an interesting variation…
The Cherokee legend of the two wolves: the conflict between internal forces
The Cherokees were one of the so-called “five civilized tribes”. Known for their cultural wealth, language and traditions, they are undoubtedly one of the indigenous cultures that have had the greatest impact on Western society. We know about many of their stories, rituals and their mysteries. They were collected and written down in interesting books such as the Cherokee Clans by Professor Panther-Yates.
As part of their vast heritage, the Cherokee legend of the two wolves is one of the most popular . The story is told as a wise lesson from an old man to his grandson. He explains that a terrible battle between two wolves is unleashed every day inside the hearts of all people.
These two animals symbolize two opposing forces. One is evil, the old man tells his grandson. It’s anger. There is envy, greed, arrogance and even sadness. It is the feeling of inferiority and the ego. The other power is kindness, joy, love, hope, peace of mind, humility, compassion and, of course, peace.
When the young Cherokee asked his grandfather which wolf would win the daily battle, he answers in most versions: the one you choose to feed is the one who will win. But there is another version, which is perhaps much more interesting as well.
In the second version, the old Cherokee warrior tells his grandson that both must actually win. Because the struggle is not a matter of strength, but one of balance. We have to feed both the two wolves because we need both. We must guide them both along the right path …
Do not feed only a wolf: they must both be present
There are moments in our lives when we feel like we are on a roller coaster. Everything is up and down. There are moments when we enjoy immense joy and moments when almost without knowing why, adversity, sadness, anger and despair weigh us down.
Life can be happy or sad, friendly or brutal. People weave complex stories of love and hate, of serenity and loss. We are aware that, in effect, within us, there are always two opposing forces that we cannot completely control. They are fighting fierce battles inside us.
This Cherokee legend about the two wolves explains that it is not about feeding just one wolf and starving the other. Humans are mainly made of a ying and a yang. It is a duality where, far from eliminating or hiding a part of ourselves, we must take it into account, make it visible and control it in order to live in balance.
Finding inner harmony
The old warrior tells his grandson that if he chooses to feed only the white wolf, the black wolf will hide in every corner and pursue him every time he sees that he is weak or unprotected. The old warrior says we should not be condescending to the beast that is dark as night.
Because whether we believe it or not, the black wolf also has many good qualities: determination, courage, courage, strategic thinking … Some are virtues that the white wolf lacks. Feeding them both allows us to take advantage of the best of each wolf. It enhances their best version, identifies their needs and trains us to live in harmony.
As we can see, the Cherokee legend of the two wolves teaches us a valuable lesson about balance and how to control our emotions. We learn that distributing the forces within us in an intelligent way, feeding both wolves, will give us a better life.
