The Two Wolves Parable
Parable, attributed to Cherokee tradition · Oral tradition, popularized by Billy Graham and others (2026)
A grandfather tells his grandson about two wolves fighting inside all of us: one is evil (anger, envy, greed) and the other is good (joy, peace, love). When the grandson asks which wolf wins, the grandfather replies: 'The one you feed.' The story illustrates that we have the power to choose which mental habits and qualities we cultivate.
Core Concepts
The Problem
How do we choose which inner qualities to nurture amid conflicting impulses?
The Claim
Narrative of inner struggle and the power of conscious attention to shape character.
Key Evidence
- •Widely cited in self-help and spiritual literature
- •Used as a metaphor in cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness practices
- •Popularized across cultures, though exact origin unclear
Practical Implication
Our internal experience is not fixed; we can choose which thoughts and emotions to feed through attention and practice.
Nuance & Limits
While the parable suggests a binary choice, actual inner work involves accepting all parts of ourselves and integrating rather than suppressing the 'evil' wolf. Nonetheless, the metaphor remains a powerful reminder of agency.
Source Material
Videos
Variations of the parable told by various speakers
Citation Density
thousands
Gaps
- ⚠ Historical attribution is unverified
- ⚠ The binary framing may oversimplify internal complexity
Citation Trend
Who's Talking About This
2 episodes reference this idea.
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