The Grey Path

There is an old Native American folklore. At this point pretty much everyone has heard it, and its origin is still fairly unknown. It’s about having two wolves inside of us. One represents light. One represents darkness. And they are always fighting. Which one wins? The one you feed.

Well, this never made sense to me. Putting all your energy into the light does not make your darkness disappear. One may argue that it has the opposite effect. After all, more light means more shadows. Not to mention that we need our darkness. We cannot survive without it. The problem is not the darkness itself, it’s being controlled by it.

Imagine life without a dark side. You wouldn’t be able to defend yourself if you’ve lost your edge. You’ll never learn from your failures if you just brushed them all off. You won’t remember the people you’ve lost if you never mourned them. Your dark side has its benefits. Just like your light side can have its disadvantages. With just your light, you fall into the danger of being too nice. You might become a bit of a pushover. You may lose the ability to protect the ones you love. If you only feed the light wolf, the dark wolf will always be hiding and waiting for you, ready to attack. This wolf will prey on your weaknesses and find the advantage over you. He will also always be angry and resentful over the light wolf, and constantly be trying to defeat him.

One day I discovered a different version of the Two Wolves story. I don’t know which one is actually true, or if either one is true for that matter. But this one is the same, until the question is asked: Which one wins? The answer: If you feed them right, they both win.

Yes! Feed both wolves! If both wolves are provided for, then they have no reason to fight. One of the first things I learned on my journey was that the universe is all about balance. People say this, but most people don’t live it. There is no wrong wolf to feed if you feed them both. It’s that simple.

In the darkness, there is strength. There is power. There is bravery. There is will. There is passion. Without those things, we cannot continue the battle that is life. We cannot survive the storm. But don’t forget that we need the light just as much. We cannot just feed the dark wolf for the same reason we cannot just feed the light wolf. In the light there is love. There is compassion. There is hope. There is joy. Both sides are essential.

For me, this was the key to everything. After years of studying Shadow Work, Taoism, Non-Duality, Yin-Yang, Jungian Psychology, and even The Grey Jedi, I have found The Grey Path. This isn’t some self-help guru life program. It’s not an empty promise or some sort of snake oil. It is exactly as it sounds. A path. A path of freedom. A path of understanding the balance. Never choosing a side. Not subscribing to a label. Looking at our lives with a clear lens. The world is not black or white, it is simply grey. As long as you feed them both.

The goal is to prevent the wolves from fighting. Keeping them both fed, and keeping them both happy. That will, in turn, help us succeed in all areas of our lives. Because we’re not just limiting this to our internal battles, but extending it to the outside world and our lives as a whole. Weighing every outcome. Every side of every argument. Every view. Remaining unbiased. Having the freedom of choice. Because, these days, that freedom is rare. We’re told what to choose instead of choosing it ourselves. Whether it’s an employer, an officer of the law, a political party, a brand, a movie studio, a religion, an influencer, a therapist, a life coach, or even a healer. The choice isn’t theirs. It’s yours. Listen to it all and make your decision. Make what they’re telling you simply information, and make the choice with your own free will. I’m giving you a chance to get your freedom back.

It’s time to walk the path. This is your chance to make the first choice of many. Live free. Survive the storm. Be able to look at that face in the mirror with a smile.

Feed both wolves.