Our Shadow-Self
All Beings Cast A Shadow
Beneath our social mask, we hide our shadow-self, the wounded, sad, part of ourselves we ignore. Our shadow-self consists of the sense we have of ourselves, created from the life experiences we filter, to order to illuminate only what we wish others to see. Hidden from view is, what we wish not to reveal. When we only bring light to the parts of ourselves we are comfortable showing, we leave the rest in darkness. Spiritual development is about deconstruction, taking from our darkest corner what needs to be cleansed by the light.
The gain is an inner peace, a feeling of joyful relief, an act that births our denied Self-Love. As we allow light to shine on the dark corners of our lives, we find inner peace restored. Shame is powerful, often becoming toxic; when left hidden; these misguided feelings carried, keep us in a constant state of feeling unworthy. Once acknowledged, they become the path to true healing, when living an authentic-life we heal and free our soul. For the burden of shadows kept locked away can have grave consequences upon our lives.
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Relationships are strained, as well as our health. Many eating disorders & body image issues are born from an unexamined shadow-self. The reflection that houses our darkness, are the emotions that burden and remain tethered to our soul. Renowned psychologist, Carl Jung, the creator of the archetypes concept explains. Our unconscious mind become fragmented into different selves, for the many faces we choose to wear. These significant archetypes that become our persona, our shadow-self, how fitting, as persona, is derived from the Latin word meaning mask. Our masks become interchangeable, worn in different situations, with groups of people, which we deem appropriate.
“When the dark night is past, unexpectedly, yet right on time, the light returns and we are resurrected, reborn, renewed. Allow for the cycles of renewal. Spring always returns.” Ann Mortifee
Our shadow-self is an archetype of our unconscious mind, composed of repressed traumas, perceived weaknesses, and fears. Childhood conditioning, and our rearing often categorized our behavior into two groups. Either good or bad, acceptable or non-acceptable traits deemed acceptable to society. Birth our selected personas, while those unacceptable remain hidden in the darkness.
Light Awakens Our Authentic-Self
All are born whole & complete, as pure divine sparks, a life-plan is created in each lifetime we journey in earth’s classroom of spiritual growth. At some point in our early childhood development, it was impressed upon us that there were two reactions witnessed, one for good and one for bad thoughts and deeds. This duality developed into separating our actions, personas, as well as our inner core into both good & bad – light & dark.
Our Shadow-Self Is Born
Most, unknowingly created an acceptable in-authentic persona acceptable, burying deep within the depths of our unconscious mind, the unworthy! Emotionally hiding, repressing negative aspects of ourselves soon became the most significant barrier to living an authentic life. Our greatest barrier to self-love, created soon after we took our first breath. Teaching, we must fear the dark mirror of reflection of ourselves, that if we look into it we may succumb to it’s darkness.
Our souls purpose is to awaken us, seeking to re-connect to the pure source of who we are. If we leave them separate, both light and dark create an internal fissure. An unfulfilled, fragmented life of lack, as we hide our unloved duality twins. It will be our willingness to embrace all expressions, all parts of our divine being that births wholeness. To perhaps gain a new perspective of compassion, born from suffering. As we progress we begin to understand our journey is to unite the positive and negative aspects of our nature. For as we fuse both aspects we allow healing and understanding to begin. This and only this can birth our Authentic-Self. In order to awaken our true-nature, our True-Self.
“You gain Strength, Courage and Confidence by every experience by which you stop to look Fear in the Face. You must do what you think you cannot.” Eleanor Roosevelt
In the movie Star Wars, Luke Skywalker must face his shadow, discovering he is the son of the evil Darth Vader. Luke, as well as his father share the same spiritual gifts, but as we witness, one uses them for good, while the other for evil. In the story, Darth Vader is redeemed only through Luke’s unwavering belief that below the shadow is good! A profound statement that births a new perspective of possibilities.
“The hero is the man of self-achieved submission.” Joseph Campbell
Left in the darkness, our shadows soon veil and overwhelm our heart consciousness, as this self-imposed power looms.
Our journey in Earth’s classroom is to seek “wholeness,” a higher vision of ourselves, gained through self-awareness. On all paths we must face our demons to make the unconscious, conscious. To become mindful of our words, deeds, thoughts, feelings, and our behaviors towards others as well as ourselves. We send new seeds to our heart with the energy of forgiveness for other’s deeds, as well as our own.
Shadow-Self Acknowledgement
For We Are The Sum Of All Parts
With gained wisdom we no longer play an acceptable role to hide what we believe others judge. Re-claiming our fragmented self, we move closer to becoming authentic. As we do, we release the barriers this dual life created to self-love. A process of embracing and loving all of who we are, brings light to our perceived darkness. The natural healer illuminates what we hide, for left in the dark, our shadows, our fears, continue to create internal havoc with our emotions.
“Unresolved issues left in the Dark become the undertow beneath the surface of our emotions until we turn on the light!”
Letting go is the “critical tool” of our awakening process; this is not a journey of avoidance, it is one of release. A process that requires your participation, your courage to look deeply at what suffocates with crippling fear. As we rewrite our story, we realize, we are not our traumas, our pain, nor our mistakes. These are but lessons, for we are who we become as we transform them. Knowing we are Spiritual aspirants who desire a life of passion and meaning.
Light vs Dark
The energies of darkness & light are within, denying this truth shall continue our internal disharmony.
Secrecy births the shadow-self, the darker traits we cannot face, as we veil our true-self in masks to hide the pain! Our secrecy, allows our shadows to remain shrouded in the darkness of shame and guilt. We remain a prisoner of a victim mentality, shielded from the whole of who you are, and who we can become.
Life struggles, conflicts, relationship issues, and others placed in our life have a purpose. Often, they bring the mirrors to reflect the shadows in need of unmasking. It is through our willingness to accept life, to accept our mistakes, and our pain, that brings forth transformative healing.
“You cannot Heal what you do not first acknowledge.” Franciscan Priest – Richard Rohr
Shadow-Self Denial
The repression of our negative traits bear a high cost, as we slowly begin to live in a fragmented state. Continually rejecting, ignoring certain parts of who we are, as we accept others. When pieces of a puzzle are missing, we create an incomplete picture of our authentic-self. Our journey towards love of self is encumbered, self abuse through avoidance soon bears the fruit. As the pink cloud of spiritual bypass, becomes our vehicle of self denial.
Integration, soul infusion is the internal healing journey to balance our many parts with the will of the divine. A soul retrieval if you will, to embrace the parts we deny love. As these ignored parts become fragmented,our life becomes challenging until we purify what we believe to be unclean. To face, and embrace our darker traits, enabling the cleansing light to birth inner peace.
Shadow – Self
Inner Work
Shadow Work – The first footprint on your path to living authentically. The path of self-discovery that awakens the golden nuggets that lie within, no longer hidden in the dark crevices of the mind. A journey of Self-Mastery that seeds your continued path with compassion for your journey. The Soulful Path of our Becoming.
“Beneath our social masks we have a shadow side, the wounded, sad, part of ourselves we ignore. But all unhealed shadows left in the dark create havoc, depression, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Left in the dark they continue to ferment, while our authentic-self remains lost from view!”
There is No Overpass or Detour when we seek healing through shadow-work, but the road does lead to peace through strength, freedom through self-acceptance. As our dark traits continue to accumulate they can erupt into deep depression, as we unconsciously manifest them into deeper feelings of unworthiness. Our denial can lead to physical, emotional, and psychological conditions that carry forth into our lives for years until we turn on the Light. Leading often to further self-harm through the abuse of alcohol, drugs and sex to mask the locked closet of our inner wounds.
“It is where light and darkness overlap we find acceptance, healing, and self-love.”
As we take inventory of our shadows, embrace our polarities, we find comfort in our strengths AND our weaknesses. They reside within all, as we embrace and integrate the darkness with light, we feel free to come out of hiding and merge. As we welcome our repressed parts, the light of transfiguration begins the healing process. The bridge to our soul, honoring our complete authentic-self, our true-nature, as we reclaim our Personal Power.
Our Soul at Peace.
Through shadow work we become more accepting of ourselves, as well as of others.
Embrace the Dance,
Carol
