Feeding The ‘Good Wolf’ Changes Everything!

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by parables, folk tales and fables. I realized at a young age that there is something truly inspiring about a story that not only entertains, but carries a deeper message or spiritual lesson and speaks directly to the heart.

This love of meaningful stories hasn’t diminished over time. I still find myself drawn to stories that offer wisdom, healing, and perspective.

A few years ago, I came across a beautiful Cherokee story — one that spoke volumes to me and offers guidance to many of us as we navigate the emotional terrain of modern life.

The story goes that a young Cherokee boy found himself in a dispute with a friend. The boy felt that his friend had treated him unfairly. Hurt, and burning with anger, he stormed off to find his grandfather, a revered elder of their tribe who was known for his wisdom.

Sitting with his wise grandfather, the boy poured out his frustration, sharing the injustice he felt and the fire of anger that burned within him.

The old man listened patiently, his eyes pensve and kind. Then, with a nod, he spoke:

“I too have felt great anger at those who have taken from me what was not theirs or who have treated me unjustly. But anger wears on the soul like fire on dry grass. It consumes you if you are not careful.”

He paused, then continued, “You see, it is as if two wolves are fighting within me. One is full of anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. This is the evil wolf. He lashes out, trusts no one, and isolates himself from the world.”

Nothing is more compelling than the power of choice. You can choose good over evil and right over wrong. Choose right! ~ DeWayne Owens

The boy leaned closer, spellbound.

“But,” his grandfather continued, “the other wolf is different. He is full of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This is the good wolf. Although he too knows what anger feels like, he chooses a different path.

The boy sat quietly for a moment, then asked the question that had begun to form in his mind.

“Grandfather…which wolf wins?”

The wise elder smiled and replied, “The answer is simple, my boy — the winner is the one you feed.”

This simple yet profound story illustrates a universal truth: that each of us carries both wolves within. The wolves represent our inner dialogue, our emotions, and our reactions to others.

At any given moment, our thoughts, actions, and choices either feed the good wolf or strengthen the bad wolf. It’s not a matter of denying one and fully embracing the other, but rather of becoming consciously aware of who we are empowering through our behavior, our focus, and our responses to life’s challenges.

Like the Cherokee boy, we all face moments of emotional upheaval, conflict, and disappointment. It is so easy to feed the bad wolf without even realizing it — when we hold grudges, speak unkindly to ourselves, or allow fear and resentment to take root. But we also have the ability to stop, reflect, and choose love, kindness, and understanding instead.

Truth always prevails. Both divine and devil are two sides of the same coin… It is for us to make a conscious choice, whether we want to be devil or divine. Let us choose good over evil ~ Vishwas Chavan

How To Feed Your ‘Good Wolf’

So, how can we consciously choose to feed our inner good wolf every day? Here are a few simple practices that can tip the balance in your favor.

MORNING ROUTINE

How you start your morning often sets the tone for the rest of your day. If the first thing you do is absorb negative news or check your phone for messages that trigger stress or comparison, you’re immediately feeding the bad wolf.

Instead, try starting the day with something uplifting — a moment of gratitude, a short meditation or prayer, your favorite music, or even just going outside for a breath of fresh air. While it’s important to stay informed, there’s no harm in delaying exposure to upsetting news until you’ve fortified yourself with some light and calm.

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Becoming more mindful isn’t just a viral trend — it’s a deeply rooted spiritual and psychological practice that helps us to be more present and fulfilled in our lives.

Mindfulness is to be fully present and engaged in the current moment, without judgment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings with a sense of curiosity and acceptance. When we become aware of our thoughts and feelings without judging them, we give ourselves the power to choose which ones to dwell on and which ones to let go.

To cultivate mindfulness, you can try these simple steps:

Simple breathwork: Start by simply focusing more on your breathing — notice the sensation of air entering and leaving your body.

Practice meditation: Set aside a few minutes daily to sit quietly and observe your thoughts without reacting to them.

Engage your senses: Pay attention to what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch in your environment.

Be more present: Whether eating, walking, or washing dishes, fully immerse yourself in the experience of even the most mundane daily activities.

Practice regularly: Consistency is key to developing mindfulness as a habit.

Mindfulness teaches us to recognize the stirrings of the bad wolf — jealousy, irritation, impatience — without acting on them. It’s in those quiet, conscious pauses that we feed the good wolf instead, choosing compassion, understanding, or simply stillness over reactivity.

There can be good without evil, but no evil without good…Evil is a parasite. It is there only because good is there for it to spoil and confuse ~ C. S. Lewis

SHADOW WORK

It is important to acknowledge the “bad wolf” within without feeding it. It may seem that the easiest way to peace is to ignore or repress the bad wolf, but repression only gives power to the shadows within us. What we resist persists. Ignoring the parts of ourselves that feel anger, fear, or sadness doesn’t make them go away. In fact, it often causes them to manifest in destructive or unconscious ways.

Shadow work has its roots in the theories of the renowned psychologist Carl Jung. It is an inner healing practice in which we explore and integrate the hidden or repressed aspects of our personalities — referred to as “the shadow”. Shadow work involves acknowledging the “bad wolf” (your darker traits, such as anger or jealousy) without feeding it, meaning you don’t let it dominate your actions. Instead, you observe it with compassion and work toward balance and self-awareness.

By acknowledging our shadow (the bad wolf) and listening to what it’s trying to tell us, we actually disarm it. Often these negative emotions come from old wounds, unmet needs, or unhealed parts of our past. Acknowledging their presence gives us the opportunity to heal them. Shadow work is the courageous act of facing our darker emotions, not to be consumed by them, but to integrate and transform them.

KINDNESS & SERVICE

One of the most powerful ways to feed our good wolf is through acts of kindness and generosity. Whether it’s offering a listening ear to a friend, giving a heartfelt compliment, or performing a random act of kindness for a stranger, these small choices build a life of integrity and love.

When we lift others, we’re lifted. We create ripples of positive energy that go far beyond the moment. The good wolf thrives on compassion, kindness, and tolerance — not only for others, but also for ourselves.

The battle between light and shadow isn’t something we resolve once and for all. Feeding our good wolf is a daily choice and challenge. In every thought we think, every word we speak, and every action we take, we must choose which wolf to feed.

There will be days when the bad wolf growls louder than usual. That’s okay. We are human. But we must remember that even then we are not powerless. We can stop, take a breath, and make a new choice. We can choose to cultivate love instead of fear, patience instead of frustration, faith instead of doubt.

And the next time you feel overwhelmed by negative emotions, remember: you hold the bowl. You hold the choice. You create your own reality.

Which wolf are you going to feed today?