The Wolf You Feed

I'm back. And so are you.

Hey Friends!

I know I know, I haven’t written in a minute.

I wish I could tell you why, but I’m not really sure. I’ve been busy, going through a few big life transitions, and haven’t felt particularly creative or inspired for a bit.

The good news is, I’m officially re-inspired.

I joined a sound bath this weekend and it opened me up to a part of myself that I had disconnected with - the wellness loving, self-care prioritizing part of myself. It shocked me to realize how long it had been since I’d done something so healing and mindful.

Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever disconnected from something you used to love and value?

I imagine it’s quite common as our patterns evolve and life changes.

Toward the end of the sound bath, as I was wondering why it had been so long, the tale of 2 Wolves popped into my head:

A grandfather is talking with his grandson.

The grandfather says, “In life, there are two wolves inside of us which are always at battle.

One is a good wolf which represents things like kindness, bravery, generosity, gratitude, and love.

The other is a bad wolf which represents things like fear, envy, anger, ego, and regret”.

The grandson stops and thinks about it for a second then he looks up at his grandfather and says, “Grandfather, which one wins?”

The grandfather replies, “The one you feed.”

So, if I’m being really honest with myself, I think I I have been feeding the bad wolf lately.

I’ve been experiencing emotions like anxiety, dread and fear more than usual. Of course it’s normal to experience all of these negative emotions sometimes, but overfeeding and leaning into them is when that wolf starts to really dominate our lives and mental landscape. The wolf you feed gets stronger.

I’m a person who feeds my good wolf like it’s my job (at one point, it was).

I meditate daily (always).

I journal regularly.

I contribute to the betterment of others and dare I say it, the world!

I practice gratitude, kindness, and bravery.

And yet, the more we feed our little bad wolf, the more it grows, the more food it requires, and the more space it takes up.

What was beautiful about my experience in the sound bath is that I realized we can always go back to who we are.

We can stop feeding the bad wolf (or at least feed it less!)

It can be that simple.

We can change the feeding pattern and over time we will return to who we are. We will feed the good inside of us and the good will grow.

Because really, the core of us is good. We are naturally kind, grateful, and loving. The darkness arises when we feed the negative patterns and thoughts, and then the bad feelings grow.

When I shared this notion with the community after the sound bath, the artist asked me why I thought the sound bath was good (because who’s to say, right?), and I said because it made me feel grateful, strong, present, happy - all of the good things.

So as of today I’ve made the conscious decision to feed the good wolf, take care of myself, and not give so much effort and attention (food) to the dread, anxiety, or doubt that inevitably exists inside me. The less I feed it, the smaller and smaller it will become.

My challenge to you this week is to really feed your good wolf - spend time doing the things that make you feel joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

The more you feed it, the more it will grow.

With love and light,
Liv