The legend of the two wolves

Thanks to this beautiful story, starring two wolves, you will be able to understand why it is necessary to learn to control anger. It is not something simple, there is no doubt about that, however, we can take advantage of that feeling and even achieve the goals we set for ourselves with it.

At the precise moment we get angry, a whirlwind breaks out, a storm of emotions inside us. We cannot think, the negative is “on the surface” and we can say or do things that we will later regret. For this reason, it is necessary that we learn to control that feeling of anger that constricts our face, which causes the heartbeat to increase and our breathing to become labored.

“Speak without controlling your anger and you will get the best speech you will regret”.

-Ambrose Bierce-

Some claim that the best way to control anger is to count to 10 (or 100, 1000, 100,000, depending on how angry we are). Others will indicate that the best recipe for reducing anger includes breathing deeply with your eyes closed. And a third alternative is to drink a glass of cold water. Any method that helps us control anger will be welcome.

Wrath and the legend of the two wolves

If you have trouble controlling your anger attacks and feel that every time you get angry you are like a “Tasmanian devil” or the most violent of hurricanes, Perhaps it will be of great help to you to read the following legend of the Cherokee people (natives of North America) about the fight between two ferocious wolves.

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A man said to his grandson: “I feel like I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One of them is violent, he is always angry and wanting revenge. The other is full of forgiveness, compassion and love.”

The boy asked him: “Which of the two will be the one who wins the fight and stays in your heart?”

To which the grandfather responded: “The one I feed.”

So, If we are in a situation that fills us with anger, let’s not continue “adding fuel to the fire”, as is popularly said, because the fire may be impossible to put out. In the event that another person in front of us begins to get very angry, we should try to end the discussion, or wait until they are calm to continue the conversation.

understand anger

If we are the violent wolves, Maybe we don’t realize what’s happening around us because of our blindness.. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to our body’s signals, first to notice that our temperature is increasing (and with it anger) and second, to put cold cloths on the situation.

Even though the legend leaves us a beautiful lesson, it could be said that it is a “theory”. In practice it is almost impossible to completely eliminate anger from within us. Something unfair will make us angry, as will an argument with our partner. If a job doesn’t go the way we want, anger may take over us, when someone very close to us suffers, the violent wolf within us may come out of hiding, etc. All of this is understandable, because otherwise (if we always had serenity and understanding) we would not be human beings.

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Society has made us hide negative emotions and until we are ashamed of them. That’s why we repress them, and that really hurts us. Remember that everything bad that we keep in our hearts poisons us.

So instead of learning to eliminate anger, It is a good idea to understand this feeling and channel it in such a way that it does not harm or harm either ourselves or others.

Channel anger

Would you like to know a deeper version of the legend of the wolves? Thanks to it you will be able to understand a little better what anger is and how to live with it.

The Cherokee chief said: “In my heart live two wolves, one is white and the other is black. White is loving, good and gentle, he only fights when he has to take care of others or himself. The black man is violent and in the face of any eventuality he unleashes his anger and anger, he fights for no reason, he is full of anger and hatred, he only causes problems.”

When the grandson asked him who will win the battle, the grandfather replied: “Both, because if I only feed the white wolf, the black one will hide and attack him when I don’t care. And if I pay attention only to the bad wolf, he will be stronger and will use his negative energy when he sees fit. Therefore, both wolves must coexist in harmony and balance.”

“How is it possible that both of them are winners?” She wanted to know the child. The old man indicated: “Because the black wolf has qualities that I may need: he is cunning and has heightened senses, as well as eyes accustomed to darkness. If both wolves have food, they won’t have to fight each other. This way, I will be able to choose which one to turn to depending on the occasion.”