"The Wolves Within" references the ancient Native American parable about inner self-conflict and serves as a source of inspiration and hope.
It features two characters: a grandfather and his grandson.
The grandfather explains to his grandson that there are two wolves fighting within him. The conversation between the two men goes like this:
“I have a fight going on in me,” the old man said. “It’s taking place between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
The grandfather looked at the grandson and went on. “The other embodies positive emotions. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. Both wolves are fighting to the death. The same fight is going on inside you and every other person, too.”
The grandson took a moment to reflect on this. At last, he looked up at his grandfather and asked, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee gave a simple reply. “The one you feed.”
The two wolves story is packed with important life lessons that you can use to shape your own mindset. The important thing is to be open to them as you work on improving your life. The “wolf” you decide to feed in your own life will ultimately determine the way you live it every single day.
One of the most crucial lessons hidden in the Native American story of two wolves is the the fact that you have more power over your happiness than you think you do.
Your mind has a profoundly powerful effect on your entire outlook on life. If you choose to focus solely on the negative thoughts in your mind, you will perceive the world around you as an equally negative place.
Alternatively, being intentional about feeding the positive thoughts in your mind will have the completely opposite effect.
It’s clear which path is the more fruitful one to take. At the end of the day, maintaining a positive mindset is about much more than just choosing which thoughts to have. When you decide how you want to perceive the world, you’ll have the power to change the way it appears to you. This will give you the freedom to live life according to your personal goals, desires and dreams, which will also empower you to encourage others to do the same.
There is a much deeper meaning behind this ancient parable. When you make the decision to switch to a more positive way of life, your choices will naturally have an effect on everyone around you. Those who observe the way you approach life with a sunny outlook and a determination to avoid negativity won’t be able to resist being drawn to your positive energy. They’ll want to know what inspires you to live the way you do, and they’ll be eager to try out this lifestyle for themselves.
This effect is more meaningful than you might think. On a small scale, you might have a positive influence on those in your immediate vicinity, such as your friends, neighbors and family members. However, it’s the larger scale that makes the real difference. Over time, more and more people will begin to catch onto your transformative mindset, and they’ll be more inclined to see how it works for them.
As time continues to go by, you’ll have found that you helped change the world, one thought at a time.
Every single person has the same “fight” going on inside them, whether it’s between anger and peace or arrogance and humility. Knowing that you’re not alone can help you face life’s difficulties with a sense of confidence and peace of mind.
Event Mission
According to the Indiana Arts Commission, Indiana’s creative economy primarily consists of self-employed individuals. Indiana’s high level of independent artists differs from national trends, which show a reliance on more corporate and payroll-based artists. We have a unique artistic well of talent that we should be proud to showcase. Go Indy, go artists!
Despite our uniquely strong presence of self-employed artists, Hoosier artists’ wages lag behind the U.S. average. Indiana’s highest-paid creative industry workers make less than half the average U.S. wage for their field. So, to highlight the best art of Indy, and to support artists in earning fair pay for their talents, Indy Auto Man paired with Hue Murals to create Indy Arts Fest #byartistsforindy to bring exposure and paid opportunities to local artists.
