There’s a native American legend that tells the story of a old man teaching his grandson about a battle that goes on inside everyone. “My son, the battle is between ‘two wolves’ inside all of us. One is evil. It’s anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good. It’s joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.” The grandson thought for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Indian replies simply “The one you feed.”

This story illustrates the choice we all have: to feed the wolf of chaos and confusion, the wolf that devours your positive thinking, destroys your sense of self worth and hungrily consumes your happiness and gratitude or to feed the wolf of inner peace, calm, positive thoughts and abundance.

In their book, Power Up Your Brain, David Perlmutter and Alberto Villodo, write that healing your body and brain and creating a state of synergy will allow the talents of the prefrontal cortex to be fully expressed. They say we are biologically programmed for this as they are the gifts of our humaness: bliss, generosity, peace and compassion. These traits and this area’s highest function is blocked and silenced by the fear, violence, and trauma in the world today. The author’s posit that the prefrontal cortex has to be performing optimally to diminish the more primitive, instinctual regions of the brain and the corresponding fight or flight behaviors to allow the more evolved traits to be expressed.

They write:

Think of a lake. When the waters of the lake are still, it reflects everything around it perfectly. You see the pine trees on the other side or a rising moon as mirror images. But when even the slightest breeze crosses the lake, the surface reflects only itself. It, in effect, says, “Look at me.” Similarly, when your mind is disrupted by uninvited thoughts or emotions or when it is distracted by television or a barrage of commercial advertising or social gossip or trivial banter, it removes itself from connection with the greater universe. It interrupts your deep, innate desire to perceive the grand mystery of creation – and be a part of it. Shamans believe that, to interact with the vast information fields of the biosphere, you must enter a state of clear perception. Your mind must be at peace in order to perceive the true nature of the world and not merely the reflection of your own below-the surface drama created by your destructive emotions.

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