Calm Energy and The Terrible Wolf of Gubbio
- Isay Rapanut
- Nov 5, 2016
- 6 min read
I grew up as an only child so I was a voracious reader since I learned to read. One of my favorite story in High School was about St. Francis and the Terrible Wolf of Gubbio. I guess, it touched the animal lover in me and for me, St. Francis was the original animal whisperer. It was fascinating.
The story goes that there was a large and terrible wolf who roamed the lands outside the stone walls of Gubbio. This is a town in Italy. At first, the wolf preyed on the livestock till eventually he preyed on the shepherds and then the townsfolk. The people grew scared to venture outside the walls when the guards sent out to destroy the wolf devoured them all. He was fierce and hard to kill.
At the time, St. Francis was at the town and he took pity on the wolf and the townsfolk. He decided to meet the wolf outside the walls. The townspeople feared for St. Francis but he is resolved to talk to the wolf.
So he went in search of this predator and saw him at the edge of the forest. The wolf rushed him with an open jaw, ready to kill but St. Francis remained calm as he felt a connection to the wolf. He said "Brother Wolf, I wish you no harm" then the wolf calmly approached him.
Depending on where you read it they said the wolf and St. Francis talked and whispered to each other like brothers for hours while some says the wolf simply understood and laid at his feet. Either way, what fascinates me is how a connection was made between man and animal.
St. Francis, took the wolf with him back to the town and the people thought it was a miracle. They made a compromise upon seeing the wolf walking calmly with St. Francis. Rather than seek revenge, they promised to feed the wolf and took it as their own. The wolf since then lived as a town protector till it died of old age. It has then been a valued part of Gubbio's history and culture, evident on the statues and the stone wall still visible to this day.
Now mind you, I am not sharing this because of religion or such. I have enough tolerance for different kinds of belief system, this is not about being a Catholic. I shared this because I am still as fascinated as I have first read this story. And I am amazed that no matter how terrible an act has been done or how it seems unforgivable, the human mind and heart is capable of forgiveness. One act of compassion can spark a wave of peace and forgiveness to encompass an entire town. But that is an entirely different topic that I do not want to delve into.
This story reminds of how calm energy can tame even the wildest, most terrible wolf. This reminds me of a man who can rehabilitate even the most infamous breed. It reminds me that this is what we should all strive to achieve as dog parents. It made me think of how this calm, forgiving, assertive energy can help many Animal Rescuers so they can reach and communicate with the animals they rescue. I can imagine St. Francis envisioning in his mind how the outcome would be and how the wolf responded to that energy. It enabled a connection between the two of them and thus resulted to a peaceful encounter.
To remain calm in the face of the unknown is truly difficult. But once achieved, it can truly make a difference between you and your fur kid and especially your life in general. Here are the words and advice of the the present and well known practitioner of calm, assertive energy... Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, www.cesarsway.com.
FIVE STEPS TO BECOMING CALM AND ASSERTIVE
BY: Cesar Millan
Relax. Your dog is not misbehaving on purpose No matter what it seems like, your dog is not peeing on the floor or tearing up your favorite shoes to get back at you. When dogs do things like this, it is because you are not fulfilling their needs — but they don’t know that. Bored dogs can become destructive and insecure dogs may urinate if they become fearful. It’s your job, as the pack leader, to make sure that their excess energy is drained through exercise, that their lives have structure through rules, boundaries, and limitations, and that you leave them with something intellectually stimulating — like a toy stuffed with treats — at those times when you have to leave them alone. Remember, unlike children, you can’t rationalize with dogs and you cannot explain why something they did when you weren’t there is wrong. Don’t take their behavior personally and don’t get upset about it. Take it as their way of telling you what’s missing in their life.
Your dog’s energy is a reflection of your own The quickest way to figure out what energy you’re projecting to the world is to look at your dog, especially on the walk. If your dog is not calm and happy-go-lucky, then neither are you. Does your dog go crazy at the sight of any other dog? Then you’re probably nervous or tense about a possible dog encounter as well. Is your dog hesitant about going on the walk, refusing to follow you and trying to pull you back home? Ask yourself how you’re feeling in that moment. You may be angry or insecure. How does your dog act at home? Is she bouncing off the walls or is she resting calmly? Again, this is all a reflection of the energy you’re exhibiting to your dog. What’s great about it is that you can use your dog as an emotional thermostat to check and adjust your own emotional “temperature."
Try living in the moment There’s a saying (incorrectly attributed to Lao Tzu) that goes, “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.” So many of our negative emotions and unstable energy states come from not living in the present moment. The past gives us regret over things that we did or did not do, while the future gives us worries over things that may or may not happen. We can’t change the past and we can’t live in the future until it becomes the present. Focusing on what’s happening right now will help us find that place of calmness. It’s what our dogs do naturally, and it’s one of the greatest lessons we can learn from them.
Reconnect with nature Take the time regularly to go someplace where nature surrounds you. It can be a park, the beach, the mountains, or the desert — whatever appeals to you. Leave your cell phone behind (or turn it off), take a walk with your dog, and just observe and enjoy what’s around you. Learn to listen to nature and observe the interactions of the land, plants, and animals — wild birds have fascinating conversations with each other all the time. Stop thinking about what’s going on in your day-to-day human world and focus on the sensations; what you see, hear, smell, and feel. Breathe deeply and maybe even meditate. This is the world that your dog lives in. It’s also the world that all humans were born into. It’s just very easy for us to lose sight of that.
Rehabilitating your dog is a process It’s the rare dog that seems to be born perfect — housebroken instantly, never destroys things that aren’t hers, and obeys automatically. If you have one of those dogs, congratulations. If you don’t, then you’re like most dog owners. And, sometimes, it may seem like you’ll never be able to fix the problem. However, this attitude can become a trap. Remember what I said about living in the future? Well, worrying that you’ll never be able to rehabilitate your dog is living in the future, and if you’re anxious about not getting results, then you won’t get them. Focus on the small successes on the way, as they happen. Pretty soon, the small successes will become more constant until you’re having medium successes and then big ones. At the same time, you’ll stop worrying about what’s going to happen and learn to enjoy what is happening.
We can't all be Cesar Millan or St. Francis but through their example, we are given the tools to achieve the calm and assertive energy we and our fur kids need. I am still a work in a progress but the key is to always keep trying.
Stay Calm!
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