Wolves, and a wise old Indian provides a lovely way in story about going from shame/blame to forgive/let it go.
The Two Wolves
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, 'My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all..
One is Evil.
It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret , greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego..
The other is Good.
It is joy, peace , love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.
The grandson thought about it for a minute.... And then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'
The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed .'
Photo found and attributed (as requested by the website operator) at http://www.all-about-wolves.com/wolf_photo_download.aspx?image=4
Here is the link to the piece in this same Forum that I wrote previously, in the fall of 2009, based on something I learned with other professionals meeting with Cheryl Young, LMFT. I had her input and approval on this piece, as I thought is was a very good start for people in Lumigrate's first holiday season on the Internet, who might be realizing the mind/body/spirit connection that 'integrative medicine' embraces. A lot of 'issues' surface with all the reflection and interactions brought on at the holidays. In 2010, her husband and business partner and LONG TIME contributor to Lumigrate iand collaborator professionally with me in my previous 'life' as an outpatient OT in insurance-based medicine, Dr Chris Young, hopped in with others to discuss in the forum the concept of processing when someone has caused you harm, knowingly or unknowingly. Here's the link, it was well-received/popular:
www.lumigrate.com/forum/let-go-shameblame-game-better-health-cheryl-young-lmft [1]
SO, I ventured out to request of Mastin Kipp, famous for the blog The Daily Love, if he'd like his FORGIVENESS piece to be on Lumigrate, and he agreed. It's another VERY similar way of looking at it, yet also powerfully shifted in a progressive way.
That link is: www.lumigrate.com/forum/if-you-want-love-learn-how-forgive-heres-how-mastin-kipp-daily-love [2]
I hope that one or the other approach, or studying both a bit, will help guide you in beneficial directions! ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [3] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
Links:
[1] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/let-go-shameblame-game-better-health-cheryl-young-lmft
[2] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/if-you-want-love-learn-how-forgive-heres-how-mastin-kipp-daily-love
[3] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[4] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/two-wolves-exemplifying-shameblame-or-let-it-go#comment-521
[5] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/two-wolves-exemplifying-shameblame-or-let-it-go#top
[6] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/349%23comment-form
[7] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/349%23comment-form
[8] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/two-wolves-exemplifying-shameblame-or-let-it-go#comment-525
Comments
I love that two wolves tale. It reminds me of one I heard as a child. It was given as a Creek Indian explanation of the conscience.
A conscience is like a square block of wood next to your heart. When you do something you know is wrong the block of wood starts to spin. The sharp corners hit the heart and hurt. When you stop doing wrong it stops turning and the pain goes away. You become a better person because you do not like the pain in your heart.
If you choose evil over good, and continue to do wrong the block of wood spins and spins. The more wrong you do the more it spins. Soon that the corners wear away, it does not hurt anymore and you have no conscience left.
Alice Franklin was raised on a sandy beach in Point Clear, AL and lived along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Alabama in her youth, graduating from Fairhope High School on Mobile Bay. Prior to becoming disabled due to severe spine problems, she worked her way into management and purchasing positions in industrial manufacturing and art industries. She worked her way into Lumigrate unknowingly by impressively writing at Lent 2010 about utilizing her religious and spiritual beliefs with chronic pain/disease management (she has had fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain for decades); it turns out she holds the priesthood office of elder in her church and became active again in this office in May 2010 and has been pastor or copastor in previous churches. We are so very proud to have her words and thoughts gracing our 'pages' of this website and look forward to what the future holds for her.
Simply put -- Lovely, and thank you for sharing that. ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [3] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!