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joang

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This arrived in my mailbox today:

An elder Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, ?A fight is going on inside me? . It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.?

They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, ?Which wolf will win?? The old Cherokee simply replied, ?The one you feed.?

Namaste,
Joan
 
C

candid

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I've forwarded this to my friends and family, and my boss who is consumed by the first wolf.
 
D

dharma

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This is a good one Joan. I will add it to my collection.
happy.gif


<CENTER>In Lak'ech
<FONT SIZE="-1">(Mayan code of honor)
"I am Another Yourself"</FONT></CENTER>
 

joang

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You're welcome, Everyone.
By all means, pass it on. And if you do, please add the word "hatred" to the list. As the opposite of love, it obviously belongs there.

Namaste,
Joan [who is determined to starve her big bad wolf]
 
C

candid

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Joan, I can't resist the urge to respond philosophically.

I don't think we want to starve the big, bad wolf. Fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego, are all part of why we're here rather than in some austere, ethereal plain. I see it as Jung's Shadow: those elements that build tension in our lives. From chaotic life-force comes an ordered life.

As the elder said: This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.

I think a better solution would be to appease the beast with benign offerings, and thus preserve the life and health of the benevolent wolf.

Namaste,
Candid
 

joang

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Hi, Candid.
"...appease the beast with benign offerings," you say? You've got my attention, but I'm not sure I know what you mean. Care to elaborate?

Namaste,
Joan
 

pedro

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the trick is using the big bad wolf's energy constructively; convey it right; use it to delve into the essence of it all; we can do a lot more with that wolf's energy!

the good wolf is such a wimp...
wink.gif
 

joang

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Pedro and Candid, you are right.
My shadow is the harsh, brutally frank judge, who wields logic like a sword, and frequently gives me cause for remorse. I don't want to kill that wolf, however, because it is also the part of me most capable of seeing through lies, deception, illusion and self-delusion. My challenge is to find a way to temper its ferocity with kindness, patience, gentleness and understanding.

I apologize to anyone I may have wounded with my words. I will try to do better.

Namaste,
Joan
 
C

candid

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Hi Joan,

I only have a minute to respond so I'll be brief.

The easiest way to explain my point is to point to the many references in I Ching (W.B.) which mentions the inferior man (bad wolf). No where does it say to destroy or attempt to destroy it. It does make reference to holding it in check and not lending it power. "If evil is branded it thinks of weapons."

There are several ways to appease the wolf. The wolf appears cyclically, a condition of the time. Therefore, at such times we can wait until the conditions of the time fulfils itself. Other times the evil wolf appears not as a result of the time but as a result of our own indifference and inattention to details. During these times energetic movement in the good can neutralize these destructive influences.

According to the elder, we all have both wolves, neither can be entirely destroyed. We must learn to live with them in such a way so as to utilize both wolves, but its important that our inferior (bad wolf) does not run the show. There are many positive uses for an inferior. If it were not so, there would be no big, bad wolves.
happy.gif


There's more I'd like to say about this but I gotta run.

Namaste,
Candid
 

hilary

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I've an idea the Truth Wolf has deep, glowing eyes and exceptionally sharp teeth. I think Joan keeps hers glossy-coated and healthy, and I appreciate this very much.
 
D

dharma

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We don't want to starve the "bad" wolf, as Candid says. It represents a lot of necessary elements to our overall healthy development. In reality, there is really only ONE wolf and so starving (repressing) any part of it causes a distortion that affects the development of the WHOLE wolf. In fact, failing to nurture parts of oneself is what divides the wolf in the first place. Therefore when the "good" wolf comes across as a wimp (the distortion), it is only because the "bad" wolf is hungry, and vice versa. Thus, the whole wolf needs to be recognized and be fed.

Grrr...
happy.gif


<CENTER>In Lak'ech
<FONT SIZE="-1">(Mayan code of honor)
"I am Another Yourself"</FONT></CENTER>
 
C

candid

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peeks in once more before heading out...

Dharma, right on! I'm glad you expressed the connection between starving and repressing. This reminds me of hex. 52 line 3. "This refers to enforced quiet. The restless heart is to be subdued by forcible means. But fire when it's smothered changes into acrid smoke that suffocates as it spreads."

Ok, gone to face one of the big bad wolves- my BOSS! heh heh
 

martin

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The "bad" wolf is our warrior nature. Our warrior rips apart the veils that hide the truth.
How bad is that?

Something interesting happened. In the second sentence I accidentally typed "evils" instead of "veils".
Kind of Freudian slip of the fingertips.
But a veil is not necessarily evil (bad). Sometimes it's better to leave the veils intact and approach the truth with reverence and love.
Perhaps that's the way of the "good" wolf.
But this is really beyond good and bad.
It's about Truth and Love, we need both and they need each other.
 

joang

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Thank you,Candid, for your insightful comments and for taking the time to express them.

It is no coincidence, IMO, that the W/B part [#43, commentary on the judgement] that you quoted, "If evil is branded it thinks of weapons," comes from the same passage I had in mind when I began my reply to you. I almost quoted to you the part that says "a compromise with evil is not possible," but fortunately, I thought better of it after considering it again in the context of the whole. That entire commentary is very relevant and timely, IMO. I also would like to say more, but I to have to go out for a few hours. More later on this, as well as replies to the other posters.

Just want to add, your reference to CG Jung are well taken. I have read and admire his works, and understand his concept of the shadow. Hence, I never meant to imply that I could or would kill the wolf by starving it to death. :)

Namaste,
Joan
 

heylise

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1060.jpg


I copied it without her face, because I don't know if she would agree. But I am sure she will be proud her beloved wolf-dogs will steal the show.

LiSe
 
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dharma

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Wow, LiSe!!

They're absolute beauties, no doubt about it. The wolf is my totem, I should know!
happy.gif


Dharma
 
C

candid

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Speaking of totems, imagine the ?bad wolf? laughing as we anthropomorphize him into our image! Or is it his image into us? And what of the ?good wolf?? Good wolves need attention too.

I did an estimate a short while back for a couple who owns a large ranch. They also own five wolves, all which stay inside out of the hot sun. Nothing like walking around a huge house examining duct registers with 5 wolves following right behind you, with their owners downstairs ?somewhere?. Fortunately, animals seem to trust me. Truly, they were magnificent.

Joan, and I almost quoted "a compromise with evil is not possible." Great minds...
happy.gif
 
C

candid

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How does one not compromise with the "bad wolf" and still appease him?

thoughts?
 
C

candid

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Dharma, giving more thought to: "In reality, there is really only ONE wolf."

Would that be the elder?
 

pedro

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What about little red hood!? What business she had to go walking alone in the forest like that? hum? mighty suspicious...
 
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dharma

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What elder? And what compromise?

The "bad" wolf only exists because we've neglected parts of ourselves by deeming them "bad". Feed all the hungry parts of yourself and then you dealing with a unity (the one wolf) not parts (the duality of good wolf/bad wolf, in this instance).

<CENTER>In Lak'ech
<FONT SIZE="-1">(Mayan code of honor)
"I am Another Yourself"</FONT></CENTER>
 
C

candid

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The elder in the story.. the one in whom the two wolves live.

The compromise referred to earlier in #43.
 

joang

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Hello, everyone.
Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday. Those few hours turned into an exhausting day, and I conked out.

"Truth Wolf," I like that, Hilary, I think I'll keep it. :) But since Truth is an attribute of the benevolent Wolf in the grandfather's story, I'm not sure where my shadow, the Judge, fits in with the metaphor. That's the trouble with metaphors; no matter how good they seem to break down at some point.

Namaste,
Joan
 

joang

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Martin, your words are well spoken.

"The "bad" wolf is our warrior nature. Our warrior rips apart the veils that hide the truth.
How bad is that?"

Namaste,
Joan
 
D

dharma

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Candid,
my questions were rhetorical. Both were inconsequential to my perspective. (However... yes, the one wolf in your question would be the elder telling the story.)

Again,

The "bad" wolf only exists because we've neglected parts of ourselves by deeming them bad. By feeding ALL parts of yourself, none of you goes hungry. By recognizing that ALL of you is good, you remain a UNITY (ONE wolf) not a duality (the ONE wolf split into conflicted PARTS that FEED on compromise and appeasement in order to exist).

When you deem some parts of yourself "bad", you automatically go into repressive mode. The act of repression causes the repressed aspects of yourself to become "indignant and angry" beneath the surface where they've been relegated into hiding.

One cannot remain perfectly vigilant about these matters either. If we are repressing any part of ourselves the "bad" wolf is lurking and threatening to spill out of us in distorted ways (ie. greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority... ) when we are weakest ... those are the moments when we are over-sensitive to other people and feel the need to defend ourselves and fight it out.

The "good" wolf (ie. joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion... ) will have a hard time expressing itself when anger (the manifestation of the bad wolf's repressed hunger) is always lurking in the shadows nearby.

The suppression of one wolf intimately affects the other. All that is deemed good cannot/will not function well under this type of inner personal regime. As long as you believe that there are some parts of you that are unacceptable then you have this good wolf/bad wolf struggle going on inside you.

The answer: Don't choose sides.

Joan,
I hope this helped.

<CENTER>In Lak'ech
<FONT SIZE="-1">(Mayan code of honor)
"I am Another Yourself"</FONT></CENTER>
 

joang

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LiSe,
That's a beautiful pair of matching wolves. They appear to be equal in size and strength. From my Taoist point of view, that seems significant.

Namaste,
Joan
 

joang

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LiSe,
what you said in the other thread clicked with me and merged with this thread. You wrote:
"Shenshu 34:
Maybe "raise your head and look to the blue heaven" is a better translation. Leaves more open to your own interpretation. "Blue sky/heaven" also means "judge; upright magistrate, a respectful sobriquet for a clean and upright official".

'Judge' was the key clue to my understanding the answer to: "What question do I need to ask?"

Thanks for your help.
Namaste,
Joan
 

joang

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Dharma, youu wrote:
"The "good" wolf (ie. joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion... ) will have a hard time expressing itself when anger (the manifestation of the bad wolf's repressed hunger) is always lurking in the shadows nearby."

My Truth Wolf agrees, that is so true.

Namaste,
Joan
 

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