Deep in the Canadian Rockies, a small mountain village of 500 people dealt with a problem that hit close to home. Over the span of a month, a rare black wolf was spotted near the village on four occasions. According to local legend, this animal was believed to be a sign of misfortune and impending doom.
During this rash of sightings, parents kept their children locked indoors, and all adults completed their outdoor work at least two hours before sunset. Though they were highly contemplative and spiritual people, the villagers fell sway to the dogmas of their own fear.
Following the latest sighting of the black wolf, village elders resolved to send their two most courageous warriors deep into the mountain wilderness to confront the wild beast before it could visit harm upon the community.
The following morning, the two young warriors, River Stone and White Lightning, set off on horseback into the desolate snow-capped mountains to track down the feared animal. For the first three hours, the two revered men rode in near silence, up an ancient path that steadily climbed high into the alpine forests. Finally, White Lightning broke the deep and awe-filled silence:
“My dear brother, how do you suppose we’ll know where to find the black wolf? What if we never find it and fail in our mission? Then we’ll return home in defeat and shame.”
River Stone smiled warmly at his travelling companion and replied:
“My loyal friend, have no worry about the answers you seek. If the Great Spirit wills for us to encounter the beast, then that shall be so. Have faith that it’ll present itself. The ancestors are already guiding us toward our destiny.”
The two warriors rode for another hour in silence, until they arrived at a sacred cave just off the beaten path, where a long line of medicine men and women took refuge to pray while on vision quests.
Down through the centuries, these conduits of the traditional way invoked the spirits of their ancestors there. This invocation included the chanting of mantras and the smoking of Gasha, a psychedelic herb that expanded consciousness and unlocked certain spiritual powers like clairvoyance and telepathy.
Both men dismounted from their horses, climbed into the ancient cave and sat down cross-legged. Without uttering a word, River Stone pulled a magnificent embroidered pipe from his coat pocket and packed it full of sacred Gasha. White Lightning bowed his head in reverence, as River Stone recited a prayer before taking the first hit and passing the pipe counterclockwise to his soul brother.
Within moments, the effects of the holy Gasha began to take hold, and the sounds of their ancestors’ voices began echoing through the cave. River Stone and White Lightning dropped to their knees and touched their foreheads to the ground to honour the spirit of the Earth.
The voices grew louder, before breaking into haunting cries of soulful wildness. As the sounds became more intense, the two seekers felt the ground shake and a luminous presence appear.
At that very moment, both men emerged out of their trance and gazed at the entrance of the cave—only to find a great being standing before them. It was the black wolf!
The wolf speaks
River Stone and White Lightning stared in wild wonder at the great being. Both warriors noted its thick black fur, strong stature and razor-sharp claws. However, it was the black wolf’s glowing yellow eyes that mesmerized them. Indeed, they weren’t the eyes of a typical wolf.
No! These eyes revealed one who somehow knew all the secrets of 宇宙. Yet, the black wolf’s enduring stare also radiated total balance, inner peace and transcendent wisdom.
The warriors (who were no strangers to being in the presence of holy people) again sprawled their bodies on the ground and pressed their faces to the dirt, with arms extended forward, exalting this God incarnate in animal form.
After a few moments, River Stone and White Lightning returned to a seated position and stared at the mighty being, with both apprehension and excitement. The black wolf locked eyes with both men, as if he could see through the windows of their souls.
Suddenly, the young warriors heard a strong, yet comforting voice emerge in their heads, as the black wolf raised one of its front paws to signal that all present were now communicating telepathically. The black wolf explained:
“My name is Wyah, and I’m a humble messenger of the Great Spirit. I’ve been sent here to help expunge fear and root out paranoia among your people, so you may carry on in the tradition of the original Earth-dwellers in these times of moral decadence.
“It’s imperative that you learn to fully see into the nature of things, and that you don’t tarry in the realm of illusion. For your people have been called upon to help those remember the traditional way.”
White Lightning fixed his gaze on Wyah, the black wolf, and replied with a question:
“Oh, venerable Wyah, I can see that you’re blessed with heavenly powers. Please tell us what you mean when you say that it’s imperative for us to learn to see into the nature of things?”
Wyah replied with a parable:
“There is an ancient story of a beloved medicine man who had very remarkable powers. The gifts of healing and prophecy were among his bestowed abilities. This healer would pray for two hours, each morning and night, for the Great Spirit to visit him and share the secrets of healing. Every day, he waited patiently for the Great Spirit to appear, but to his disappointment, no such visit occurred.
“For many months, this healer looked far and wide for signs of IT’s visitation: in the sky, while fishing on the river, in encounters with wild forest beings and even through fire ceremonies. After much searching, the healer began to doubt whether he’d ever come face to face with the transcendent.
“As his search grew with vigour, this healer began to have strange recurring dreams of meetings with a mysterious owl, who flew him on its back over the high peaks. But each morning, he awoke again with an insatiable desire to resume his quest to meet the Great Spirit. Do you understand what I’m trying to convey to you, oh noble seekers?”
Both men bowed their heads to the mighty Wyah, as River Stone spoke for the first time:
“I think I understand the lesson you’re trying to bestow upon us, oh enlightened messenger. You’re saying that because the medicine man didn’t see clearly into the nature of things, he failed to notice that the Great Spirit appeared to him as the owl in his dreams.
“Because the healer clung to his belief that he could only be visited in his waking state, he dismissed the possibility of such a divine visitation through the dream world. This beloved seeker, then, got lost in the illusion of appearances, derived from his dogma as to how things ought to be.”
Wyah nodded his head approvingly and replied to River Stone’s answer:
“You’ve understood well, oh esteemed student. But do you know what led the medicine man to cling dogmatically to his belief as to how the Great Spirit should appear?”
The two warriors shook their heads no.
“After many days of prayer, the healer began to fear that the Great Spirit wouldn’t visit him at all. This fear led him to cling ever-harder to the belief that the Sublime One must appear before him in physical form. Of course, our fabled friend didn’t clearly see into the nature of how things actually were!”
Wyah took a long, deep breath and finished his thoughts:
“Unfortunately, the story I just relayed to you has many parallels with the way your community of otherwise well-intentioned seekers regards me and my recent visitations to your land. I only ask that both of you return to your village with this message: release your fears and absolve your dogmas. Then clearly see into the nature of things. Tell them, too, that I shall appear before the entire village in exactly one fortnight.
“It will be up to them to see through the veneer of this world of appearances and delve into the realm of living truth and wisdom. If they’re able to recognize the essence of who and what I represent, then your tribe will be graced with great fortune and eternal protection. More importantly, your people shall fulfill their destiny by disseminating the values of the traditional way to a world lost in ego.”
When Wyah finished speaking, he raised the same paw that began the conservation, bowed his head in reverence to the two warriors, and then walked out of the cave and disappeared into the dark night.
Warriors’ return
The next day, River Stone and White Lightning arrived back at the village to an anxious reception by the tribal elders. Within moments of greeting the two returning warriors, Red Tail, the oldest and most respected in the elder circle, inquired about their journey and their meeting with the black wolf.
In honour of tradition, River Stone bowed to the revered elder and then spoke:
“Esteemed Grandfather, we come home bearing good news! By the grace of the Great Spirit, we encountered the black wolf. Contrary to the beliefs of this tribe down through millennia, though, the feared black wolf is actually a perfect manifestation of the very God we worship and honour through the sacred pipe.
“Far from being a source of evil and misfortunate, this divine being is a protector and watchful guide of the traditional way. Furthermore, the black wolf says we’ve been chosen by fate to lead the world through these dark times that are upon us. But first, this sage among sages says we must give up our fear and have faith that this black wolf is who he says he is. “
With a look of disbelief on his smooth-tanned face, Red Tail took a moment to collect his thoughts. Then, he turned to White Lightning and raised his voice just enough that it made the hair stand straight up on his back:
“Is there anything else you have to report? Before you reply, I’d just like to remind you both that it’s a grave offense in this village to deceive your elders with words of chicanery.”
White Lightning locked eyes with Red Tail—just as Wyah had done with him in the cave, only a day earlier—and said:
“I’m aware, oh loving and wise chief, that it’s a grave offense to tell lies to the revered elders of the tribe. Please be assured that every word we’ve spoken is the truth.
“However, there is one additional thing that I have to report. The black wolf, whose real name is Wyah, wants the elders to know that he’ll be visiting our tribe in exactly one fortnight minus a day. Surely, his visit will be a test of our faith and our ability to see beyond appearances into the true nature of things.”
Red Tail reflected deeply on White Lightning’s words, and then, with a wave of his hand, dismissed both warriors from his presence. The two young warriors went to their dwellings and retired for the evening.
The next morning, River Stone and White Lightning awoke to gentle shaking from Green Mountain and Grazing Elk, the elders’ two messengers. The two envoys informed the young warriors that they were to meet with all 18 of the village elders within the hour. Both men promptly washed up, prepared breakfast and dressed in their traditional garb to meet the elders.
After a short walk through the community, River Stone and White Lightning arrived at the village centre and took their seats on the ground, surrounded by the elders. They bowed their heads to each one of the wise men and women and waited for someone to speak. Red Tail, the same revered elder who had spoken to them the night before, fixed his gaze on the two men. He then took three steps forward in their direction and said:
“The elder circle met last night, and we came to a very difficult decision: to strip you both of your warrior status. Furthermore, we’ve decided that if the black wolf doesn’t visit us when you say he will, we shall have no choice but to banish you from the village for a period of five years. You’ve spoken words of deception and have visited great shame upon yourselves and the tribe. All gathered here are unified in their belief that you both must be punished for your transgressions.”
River Stone and White Lightning stared at the elders in disbelief, and sighed deeply. After a tense moment of silence, River Stone asked Red Tail for permission to speak. The old man obliged.
“Dear esteemed elders, White Lightning and myself have spoken the truth. The black wolf is a being of divine light, not a dark demon. And he’ll return here when we said he would. In only a short time, you’ll see the folly of your ways.”
The warriors bowed to the village elders and surrendered their crossbows and swords to their superiors. Indeed, in just a short time, Red Tail and the rest of the elders would learn just how mistaken their conclusion was!
A divine visitation
In preparation for the black wolf’s visit, the elders organized a militia to combat the feared animal.
In pursuit of this endeavour, 42 of the most able-bodied males in the community were called up for service to vanquish the black wolf. However, the tribe’s two bravest warriors were conspicuously absent from the militia. On the last evening of the fortnight, the entire tribe held their collective breath as they waited to see if the black wolf would make an appearance.
As the last rays of sunlight shined on the village, a silhouette of a great animal suddenly emerged out of the surrounding forest. In the direct line of fire, the black wolf emerged with the same glowing yellow eyes that had hypnotized the two young men only weeks prior.
Fearless Lion, the respected leader of the tribal militia, barked out orders to his men to engage the black wolf. Hiding in a nearby treetop, River Stone and White Lightning watched in horror as the militiamen brandished their weapons to strike down Wyah, the God incarnate. Both warriors cried out in agony as the army unleashed a flurry of burning arrows at the black wolf.
Amid the chaos of that moment, all who were present saw what would be described as a “miracle.” As the militia released the burning arrows, the black wolf simply grinned and stood upon his hind legs, with his two front paws raised triumphantly in the air.
River Stone, White Lightning, the militia and the elders watched in amazement, as the black wolf then deflected all of the arrows off him and transformed them into beautiful lotus flowers that fell harmlessly to the ground.
In response, the militia (down to the very last man) put down their weapons and fell to their knees in grateful acknowledgment of Wyah, the divine manifestation. The elders also dropped to their knees and began to quietly recite invocations to the holy Wyah. In seconds, the two young warriors had climbed down from the tree they’d been hiding in, and they ran up to the black wolf. They bowed and joined the village in exaltation of the venerated sage.
The black wolf let out a series of wild and haunting howls that brought all into a mystical state. He then raised his paw, like he had when meeting River Stone and White Lightning or the first time, to signal telepathic communication. Following that, he spoke:
“Brothers and sisters, kindred spirits and fellow pilgrims on the path; my name is Wyah, and I’ve come here with an urgent message from the Blessed One—the Great Spirit. IT wishes to tell you that you’ve been chosen to carry on the traditional way in this dark age of ego.
“The Great Spirit also wishes to say that there is no separation between IT, which is the creative energy of the Universe, and you. Just as the river flows into and becomes the ocean, you flow into the cosmic vibration of eternity and become one with it. “
The black wolf took a long pause and then continued:
“The Great Spirit also wishes to say that in order to fulfill your destiny, you must exercise the degree of free will that IT bestowed upon you. You must conquer all your fears and conceptions of how you think it is. You must learn to see clearly into the nature of how things are. This, my noble seekers, is the surest path to self-realization and world peace.
“You should never forget that the fruits of wisdom fall from the tree of pure awareness. As you embark upon this journey of enlightenment, be on guard for the tricks your egos might play in order to create the illusion of separateness. Like the still wonders of the wild, the arch of the Universe bends toward non-duality and Oneness. You are these bodily forms, but also remember that behind them, there are fractals of your being that live beyond time and space in the realm of the formless.
Wyah took another pause and added:
“Must I also remind you that, only minutes ago, you attempted to extinguish that which you are part of? Because you failed to see that I’m you and you’re me, you really shot those burning arrows at yourself. And because there is only one of us behind the forms, I forgive and love you just as you should now forgive and love yourselves, in your momentary lapse of vision.
“Please know that I will always watch over and protect you in your inspiring quest to spread peace, light and love throughout the land. Before we part, I wish to say one final thing: Whenever you’re in doubt as to how to act, look to the Earth and consult your own inner wisdom. But also emulate the honour, courage and honesty of your own two courageous warriors—River Stone and White Lightning.”
With these final words, the black wolf let out another great howl before turning and disappearing back into the forest. Soon thereafter, a glorious shrine for prayer and meditation was erected in the exact spot where Wyah delivered his legendary sermon.
After the construction of the shrine was complete, the elders made amends with River Stone and White Lightning, by bestowing upon them a coveted medal of honour for their courage in discovering the black wolf. However, what was more important to these young warriors was the fact that they had kept their faith all along, knowing that the Great Spirit would guide all their brethren into seeing the true nature of things.
«相关阅读» INTERFAITH SURVIVORS: A story of four saints»
图1： Pixabay; 2: Pixabay; 3: Needpix.com
