Let Us Practice

Directions: Read carefully the story below and answer the questions in your Journal notebook

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines late 2009, In

20-year-old Rusty Quintana lined up at a classroom in Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan for a shot at one of the scholarship grants that the university offered.

Though unsure that be would get a chance of entering his dream university, he queued up anywау.

Rechelle Tolinern, a faculty of the Development Communication Department at XU, said that she first met Rusty on that day for an interview for a scholarship grant. "We knew right there that he was different, that there was something about him, Tolinero said.

A native of the Agusan river in Barangay Florida in Butuan City with lineage from the indigenous Banwahon tribe, Rusty's brown skin and hair is hard not to mine.

"When it was his part for the interview, Rusty was quick to point out that if possible, we converse in Hisaya because he cannot speak English," Tolinero said. In fact, Rusty did not finish his elementary and high school.

"But what struck us the most is his honesty and straight forward demeanor, shen he came here, he had no pretentions that he knew something, or (that he could speak English, unlike those who came belare him in the queue who struggled to speak in English just to prove a point, Tolinero said.

Questions

1. What makes the story of Rusty inspiring? Why?

2. How did he achieve his goa?

3. If you were Rusty, would you do the same? Why? Why not?

4. Are there times in your life when you are afraid to do what you want? Why?

5. How did you overcome your fears?

Figure: Self-Actualization (∆)

Self-actualisation (Achieving individual potential)

Esteem (self-esteem and esteem from others)

Belonging (Loye, affection, being a part of groups)

Safety (Shelter, removal from danger)

Physiological (Health, food, sleep)

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs explains the basic theory of self- development. According to this theory, needs in the lower hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up.

Growth seeds do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a pemon. Every person is capable and has the desire to move up the hierarchy toward a level of self- actualization.

The Story of The Two Wolves

The following is an old Cherokee Indian story that is enlightening and helpful. One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all."

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil he is anger, emy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. He continued, "The other is good he is joy. peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you inside every other person, too

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather "Which wolf wil win?" The did Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed". Knowing which wolf to feed is the first step towards recognizing you have control over your own self. Have you ever had thoughts, feelings or acted in ways that were unacorptable to yourself but felt powerless to control? The purpose of this story is to help you find ways to manage your mind so that you can live your ide more in accordance with what your own judgment says is best for you.

As we grow up, we gradually became aware of the many things in the external world which are largely beyond our ability to control. These include other people in general and most events in our lives. Initially this is difficult to acerpt, but a more shocking realization is that there are many things about ourselves that we seem powerless to control.

Sane of these are our own thoughts, feelings, and actions which unfortunately can be the source of much distress. It may be thoughts such as "I cannot stop hating my teacher for not giving me high grades." It may involve an emotion eg. "My girlfriend left me and I cannot stop feeling sad, lonely and unloved.

It can also be in the farm of a behavior such as the inability to control one's craving for food such as cakes and chocolates."

But are we indeed really powerless to control our own maladaptive thoughts, feelings and actions? The grandfather's answer "The one you feed is deceivingly simple. The results of psychological research indicate that there are at least four important concepts or ideas impäed by the answer:

1. The mind is not the unitary entity it seems to us but consists of different parts.

2. For example, in the story there are the two wolves and the "you" that chooses between them.

3. These parts of the mind/brain can interact and be in conflict with each other i.e. the two wolves fight for dominance over our mind and behavior.

4. The "you" has the ability to decide which wolf it will feed. 5. Having made a choice, "you" can decide specifically how to "feed" or nurture

the selected woll

Deepening/Processing:

The Power Triad: Thoughts, Feelings and Actions

The story of The Two Wolves gives rise to a number of questions. Let us

share our thoughts, feelings, and opinions on the following questions. By taking

time to do this, you will learn to better manage your mind, feelings, and actions

and consciously feeding the good wolf in you.

1. How aware are you of the two different opposing "wolves" operating within you? Explain briefly.

2. What ways or techniques or exercises do you use to strengthen yourself and control your choices?

3. What instances in your life that you have become the positive and negative wolf?