The eagle flew high overhead keeping a watchful eye for his prey below.  The field mouse scurried about picking up remnants of grain to feed his family.  The fox, stepped every so slowly in the tall grasses looking for his own prey.

All of these animals have a “world” of their own for which they live.  Some of the animals are predators and others are prey.  Being the prey is a role that most animals live, while the role of predator is saved for the carnivores.

In your life, you may sometimes feel like you are the “prey” or there may be times when you feel like the “predator.”  The question is whether or not these roles are ones that you care to take on.  When you behave as though you are the prey in your life, you may be letting the world around you act as though it is in control of your life.  When you behave as though you are the “predator” you may be trying to control the lives of others.

Being in control, is often times a reaction to a situation for which you have little self-confidence.  When one has little confidence in a situation, the natural instinct is to try to gain “control” of the situation.  For instance, maybe you are in a job where the boss is often pushing you so hard that you are afraid that you might make a mistake.  You may try to gain control of the situation in many different ways.  One way may be to talk with your boss and ask to be retrained, or to provide extra suggestions on how to do your job.

Another approach to the situation may be to undermine the boss to your colleagues while the boss is away.  You may try to act as though you do not care, or are not worried, by lashing out possibly at others or even the boss.  When you attempt to gain “control” in this way, you often times are covering up the real issues that may be better served with your attention.

No one likes to be “controlled” in any way, especially by another human being.  When there is an attempt for one to become the “controller” in a relationship, the natural tendency for the other person, is to flee or to stay and “fight back.”

The mouse, cannot put up much of a fight against an eagle, but the mouse can heighten its senses so that the eagle never has a chance to “pounce.”   The mouse can stay near its hole, use its allies for “look outs” and never put himself in a position where the eagle has an opportunity for being the predator.

In life, the “predators” and “prey” can take on many forms.  For some, the predator may be an organization that seems to be controlling your views of the world.  For others, being the predator may be an unconscious attempt at helping another.

When someone attempts to “control” another person either through instruction, demands, criticisms, or even compliments it is often times coming from a position of caring.  However, to the so-called “prey” it is anything but caring.   It would be a difficult conversation trying to convince the mouse that the eagle has the mouse’s interest at heart.

Look around in your life, for most people are playing both roles in different situations.  Open up to the fact that you may be the “predator” or predator-like in some of your behaviors.  Open up to the fact that you may be behaving like the “prey” in other relationships or scenarios.

These roles are there in your life to help you learn the lessons that you came to this lifetime to learn.  However, when you begin to understand that these roles may exist in your life, you can begin to make a conscious decision on whether or not either of those roles belong in your life.

InspiraCard

The circle of life in the animal kingdom is a cycle of predators and prey – where some animals play both roles.  Look at areas in your life where you may be behaving like either the predator or the prey and decide if that is a behavior that brings everyone involved joy and happiness.

Written Mon Mar 3, 2014, 7:24 – 7:40 AM MT