Lion Quote by Madeline Sheehan
““There is an old story passed down through the generations of a Native American grandfather counseling his young grandson, telling him that he has two wolves living inside of him, constantly fighting each other for dominance. One is the wolf of peace, love, and kindness. The other represents fear, greed, and hatred. The boy asks, ‘Which wolf will win, Grandfather?’ and the wise old man replies, ‘Whichever one I feed.””
About This Quote
Source Story: Traditional Native American oral tale, retold in various books and articles
The quote illustrates that our inner qualities are shaped by the attention we give them; nurturing positive traits leads to peace, while feeding negative ones fuels conflict.
In simple terms: Our inner wolves grow based on what we nurture.
Key Takeaway
Choose to nurture kindness and peace.
Themes
inner conflict
personal growth
mindfulness
values
Mood
contemplative
inspirational
reflective
Type
moral
psychological
storytelling
When to use this quote
- parent‑child teaching
- personal reflection
- conflict resolution
- habit formation
- mental health coaching
Key Concepts
dual nature
choice
self‑control
emotional intelligence
Questions to Reflect On
- Which inner quality do you feed daily?
- How can you balance acknowledging negative emotions while still fostering positivity?
A Different Perspective
It oversimplifies complex human psychology to a binary model.
