“This is a time when disentangling ourselves is about more than our personal happiness.  Working on ourselves and becoming more conscious about our own minds and emotions may be the only way for us to find solutions that address the welfare of all beings and the survival of the earth itself.

There was a story that was widely circulated a few days after the attacks of September 11, 2001, that illustrates our dilemma.  A Native American grandfather was speaking to his grandson about violence and cruelty in the world and how it comes about.  He said it was as if two wolves were fighting in his heart.  One wolf was vengeful and angry, and the other wolf was understanding and kind.  The young man asked his grandfather which wolf would win the fight in his heart.  And the grandfather answered, ‘The one that wins will be the one I choose to feed.’

So, this is our challenge, the challenge for our spiritual practice and the challenge for the world -- how can we train right now, not later, in feeding the right wolf?  How can we call on our innate intelligence to see what helps and what hurts, what escalates aggression and what uncovers our good-heartedness?  With the global economy in chaos and the environment of the planet at risk, with war raging and suffering escalating, it is time for each of us in our own lives to take the leap and do whatever we can to help turn things around.  Even the slightest gesture toward feeding the right wolf will help.  Now more than ever, we are all in this together.”

Pema Chodron

Taking the Leap:  

Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears