SIRIUS ARCHIVE: 020
"The Shadow" first theorized by Carl Jung, has become widely accepted as being the unconscious or 'dark' part of our personalities that are bred into our being by social, religious, political indoctrination. It includes all the negative emotions/thoughts/perceptions related to impulses such as sexual lust, power, violence, selfishness, anger, and greed as dictated by our parents and the institutions we are born into.
Shadow Work entails healing those aspects of ourselves which we have shoved into the dark (unconscious) corners of our psyche by bringing them to the light (consciousness) and freeing ourselves of their hold. How do we bring awareness to that which is unconscious? It starts by accepting that the Shadow was born out of that which we were not allowed to express. It begins during infancy; where once we’ve been forced to repress our needs, desires, and expressions, in adulthood we continue to repress those very things out of habit or conditioning.
The most important step is choosing to heal those parts that we have spent so much time and energy denying.
It's not easy for most of us. It means that we have to examine and cultivate awareness in as many aspects of our lives as possible: physical, emotional, mental, sexual, social, and spiritual. Unfortunately, our society does not yet support the model where not only are we encouraged, but compassionately supported through this process. No one is immune to their Shadow; it is a byproduct of the human condition.
How can we begin to identify the Shadow? The Shadow works (predominantly) through projection. That which we dislike/fear in ourselves is usually what we dislike/fear in others. There's no need to be ashamed of this, it is simply how the psyche works. Now knowing this, we can begin to examine why we fear/dislike these qualities. Shame is a super powerful teacher here - because we must look past that to the raw feelings underneath. Anytime we feel shame we can be almost certain that Shadow is right there with it.
This is a long process indeed, depending on where you find yourself on your journey, childhood experiences, relationships (past and present), and how deeply involved and committed you want to be in regards to emotional/spiritual self-development. It is important to recognize that having a shadow is neither "good" nor "bad". It just is.
Many find it helpful to enlist the aid of a therapist or someone who can provide a safe, trusting, and supportive environment during the healing/purging process. The feedback is invaluable. However, if a therapist is not an option currently - journaling is the next best thing! Write down, as clearly and honestly as possible how certain situations made you feel/react, and use it to observe yourself.
Also, it goes without saying, that having a mindfulness practice will help the Shadow not only reveal itself but give you the centeredness to embrace and love yourself during that process of revelation. If writing is not your way of dealing with emotions, dance, sing, paint, draw, burn it out in sports ... but allow yourself to witness it completely, see the connections and then release it with love.
There are some great articles on the subject, here's one to get you started: Loner Wolf has a great one.
The main reason Shadow Work is so important, especially now, is because the Collective Shadow is out of control. Just turn on the News. Any station, any city, any country ...
Be the change. It starts within.
FULL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND HERE:
https://bit.ly/3cm8HBA
