THE LEGEND OF THE TWO WOLVES || Native American Legend

Anasazi Foundation

5 Mar 202103:38

Summary

TLDRThe Cherokee legend narrated by an elder to his grandson illustrates an internal battle between two wolves representing the forces of good and evil within each person. The elder explains that the wolf that prevails is the one we choose to feed with our actions and attitudes. The story emphasizes the importance of nurturing positive emotions and virtues to achieve true happiness and progress in life.

Takeaways

🐺 The story conveys a metaphor about the internal struggle between two aspects of human nature: one representing negative traits and the other positive virtues.
👶 The dialogue is between a wise Cherokee elder and his grandson, symbolizing the passing of wisdom from one generation to the next.
🔥 The 'war' mentioned is an allegory for the ongoing battle within each person between good and evil tendencies.
😈 The 'evil wolf' embodies negative emotions and traits such as anger, greed, and ego.
😇 The 'good wolf' represents positive attributes like love, hope, and compassion.
🤔 The grandson's question about which wolf will win highlights the uncertainty and choice each individual has in their moral and emotional development.
📚 The elder's answer, 'the one you feed,' teaches that personal growth depends on nurturing the positive aspects of one's character.
🚶 The script emphasizes that true progress in life is not just about physical movement but also about emotional and spiritual growth.
🏞 The importance of one's attitude towards others is highlighted as a key factor in determining one's happiness and the quality of life's journey.
💔 Holding onto negative emotions like anger and grudges is portrayed as a hindrance to personal development and happiness.
🔄 The message concludes with the idea that to move forward in life, one must leave behind what holds them back, reinforcing the need for self-improvement and letting go of negativity.

Q & A

Who is the main character in the legend shared in the transcript?
-The main character in the legend is a wise Cherokee elder who is teaching his grandson about life.
What is the central metaphor used by the elder to describe the internal conflict within a person?
-The central metaphor is the 'war between two wolves,' representing the struggle between good and evil within a person.
What are the qualities attributed to the 'evil wolf' in the story?
-The 'evil wolf' represents anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
What are the qualities attributed to the 'good wolf' in the story?
-The 'good wolf' embodies joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
What does the elder tell his grandson about the outcome of the war between the two wolves?
-The elder tells his grandson that the wolf that will win is the one that is fed, implying that one's actions and focus determine which aspects of their character prevail.
How does the elder relate the internal war to the grandson's life journey?
-The elder explains that the internal war is a reflection of how one's heart is moved and that the journey of life is not just about physical movement but also about emotional and spiritual growth.
What is the significance of the elder's statement about walking far but being angry toward others?
-The elder's statement emphasizes that if one is angry or holds grudges, they effectively make no progress in their spiritual journey, even if they seem to be moving forward physically.
What lesson does the elder impart about the importance of how we perceive others?
-The elder teaches that our perception of others greatly influences our happiness and the quality of our life's journey, suggesting that seeing others as enemies or with negativity hinders our progress.
What advice does the elder give regarding leaving behind what holds one back?
-The elder advises that to move forward, one must leave behind anything that invites backward walking, symbolizing the need to let go of negative influences and emotions.
How does the legend conclude, and what is its ultimate message?
-The legend concludes with the message that the outcome of the internal struggle depends on the choices one makes, feeding the 'good wolf' with positive actions and attitudes.

Outlines

00:00

🐺 The Battle of Two Wolves

This paragraph narrates a Cherokee legend shared by an elder to his grandson, illustrating the internal struggle between two aspects of human nature. The elder describes two wolves within each person: one representing negative traits like anger, envy, and ego, and the other embodying positive virtues such as joy, peace, and compassion. The grandson inquires which wolf will prevail, to which the elder replies it is the one that is fed, implying that our choices and actions shape our character. The story emphasizes the importance of nurturing the good wolf within us for personal growth and happiness.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡War

War in this context symbolizes the internal struggle that every individual experiences within themselves. It is a metaphor for the constant battle between negative and positive emotions or aspects of one's character. In the script, the elder describes the war as an ongoing conflict between two wolves, representing the forces of good and evil within a person.

💡Wolves

The wolves represent the two opposing forces within a person's psyche. The 'evil wolf' embodies negative traits such as anger, greed, and ego, while the 'good wolf' represents virtues like love, hope, and compassion. The story uses the wolves as a metaphor to illustrate the choices individuals make in nurturing either their negative or positive qualities.

💡Evil

Evil in the script is personified by one of the wolves and represents the negative aspects of human nature. It includes emotions and behaviors such as anger, envy, and greed. The elder's description of the evil wolf highlights the destructive potential within each person if they choose to feed these negative traits.

💡Good

Good is the positive counterpart to evil in the narrative, represented by the other wolf. It encompasses qualities such as joy, peace, and love. The script emphasizes the importance of nurturing the good wolf, as it is through these virtues that individuals can achieve inner peace and a meaningful life.

💡Anger

Anger is listed as one of the negative traits associated with the evil wolf. It is depicted as a harmful emotion that can lead to a destructive cycle if not controlled. The script suggests that managing anger is crucial for personal growth and maintaining healthy relationships.

💡Compassion

Compassion is one of the positive traits associated with the good wolf. It reflects the ability to empathize with others and is seen as a key virtue in fostering harmony and understanding. The script implies that cultivating compassion can lead to a more fulfilling and connected life.

💡Guilt

Guilt is mentioned as part of the evil wolf's characteristics, suggesting it as a negative emotion that can weigh heavily on a person's conscience. The script implies that guilt, if not addressed healthily, can contribute to a person's internal conflict and hinder personal growth.

💡Empathy

Empathy is highlighted as a positive quality of the good wolf, indicating the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. The script uses empathy to illustrate the importance of connecting with others on an emotional level, which is essential for building strong relationships and community.

💡Pride

Pride is presented as a negative trait, associated with the evil wolf's false pride and superiority. The script suggests that an inflated sense of self-importance can lead to arrogance and alienation from others, which contrasts with the humility promoted by the good wolf.

💡Happiness

Happiness is a central theme in the script, linked to the nurturing of the good wolf's qualities. It is portrayed as a state of well-being that arises from positive emotions and actions. The elder's teachings emphasize that true happiness comes from within and is a result of the choices one makes in life.

💡Heart

The heart in the script symbolizes the core of a person's being, where emotions and values reside. It is the seat of the internal war between the two wolves and is central to the message that one's journey in life is influenced by the state of their heart. The elder's advice to move forward by leaving behind what holds one back is a call to align one's actions with the heart's true desires.

Highlights

A wise Cherokee elder teaches his grandson about the internal struggle within every person.

The elder describes a war between two wolves inside each person.

One wolf represents negative traits such as anger, envy, and greed.

The other wolf symbolizes positive traits like joy, peace, and love.

The elder emphasizes that this internal war is present in everyone.

The grandson asks which wolf will win, and the elder's answer is profound.

The outcome of the internal war depends on which wolf is fed.

The elder explains that life's journey is not about physical distance but emotional and spiritual growth.

Anger and grudges can negate the progress made in life's journey.

Conquering challenges without compassion leads to no true victory.

Seeing the world without love and empathy is like seeing nothing at all.

Happiness and life's journey are determined by our feelings towards others.

We can only travel as far as our hearts allow us to.

To move forward, one must leave behind what holds them back.

The message is a call to action to nurture the positive wolf within.

The legend serves as a metaphor for personal growth and self-improvement.

The story concludes with the reminder that the choice is ours to make.