An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A fight is going on inside of me; it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil-he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and egotism. The other is good-he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.
"This same fight is going on inside of you and inside every other person, too."
The children thought about it for a moment. Then, one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply smiled and replied, "The one you feed."
Each day, each moment, you have an opportunity. To give into the habits of a lifetime that have kept you in doubt, fear, anger, or bitterness; or to choose to acknowledge those habits, then to move in a new direction.
Turning from old habit patterns is not only difficult; it's risky. You never know what waits when a protective barrier comes down. That is what your habits are. They have served you well. You hesitate when anything or anyone tells you that, in order to be happy, more successful, more spiritual, more joyful, these habits must be overcome, released, or denied. But your habits serve as an immune system for your emotions. They keep away all that would peer in, look at the stuff of your life, and perhaps criticize.
We often use these habits to keep even ourselves at bay. So, what do we do with these incredible protectors, these habits of mind and body and spirit that do their best to make sure we travel this earthly journey in relative safety, these habits that can also keep us locked in a pattern of fear and defensiveness?
First, thank them for doing a marvelous job in keeping you alive. Second, bless them and let them know that some of them may have to go in order for you to grow, to progress, to experience new beginnings. And finally, recognize that we are all going through similar awakenings, that we are all attached to our habits. And that much of the time, what we take personally from another person is just their habit reaching out to protect them from presumed danger.
Acknowledging and facing your habitual patterns can be both enlightening and discouraging. Either way, when you engage with your habit patterns, new possibilities emerge. And, surprisingly, you don't have to let go of any of them if you don't want to. All you have to do is decide which ones you'll continue to feed. In making the conscious choice, you can be fairly assured of the result.
Take a moment now to go within, consciously acknowledging any habit you are aware of, good or bad, and thank it for how it has served you. If the habit of feeling bad about other habits arises, thank it as well. And, ultimately, if you allow it and feed it, gratitude will also become a habit.
It all depends on the wolf you choose to feed.
Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com
No comments:
Post a Comment