"To confront a person with his shadow is to show him his own light. Once one has experienced a few times what it is like to stand judgingly between the opposites, one begins to understand what is meant by the self. Anyone who perceives his shadow and his light simultaneously sees himself from two sides and thus gets in the middle."
— DR. CARL GUSTAV JUNG
“The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner opposite, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposing halves.” - C.G.Jung
The Shadow, is a psychological term introduced by the late Swiss psychiatrist, Dr. Carl G. Jung. It is everything in us that is unconscious, repressed, undeveloped and denied. These are dark rejected aspects of our being as well as light, so there is positive undeveloped potential in the Shadow that we don’t know about because anything that is unconscious, we don’t know about.
The Shadow is an archetype. And what an archetype simply means is that it is typical in consciousness for everyone. Everyone has a Shadow. This is not something that one or two people have. We all have a Shadow and a confrontation with the Shadow is essential for self awareness. We cannot learn about ourselves if we do not learn about our Shadow so therefore we are going to attract it through the mirrors of other people.
- From article "The Shadow Dance-Understanding Repetitive Patterns in Relationships"
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The unconscious mind is a powerful tool, a guide, a helping hand to let us see what it is that we are missing from our wholeness, what haven't we accepted as parts of ourselves, what is holding us back. The stronger our shadow aspect is, the stronger are the connecting fears.
I realised today, doing shamanic meditations, that my shadow totem animal is the snake.
When I was young I fell seriously ill. This was straight after a traumatizing experience of running away from a snake in the living room of our country house. For about a week I was raving with high fever and hallucinating. I remember only the snakes- snakes covering the floors, the walls, hanging down from a ceiling. My grandfather, who I had a profound link with, was having nightmares at the same time, he was walking in the shadow lands of death with me, as he later said. On leaving me behind as he woke, he was afraid that I would remain in those shadows forever.
Whenever I have nightmares now, the subject has never changed, I am still haunted by snakes. What has changed though is a realisation that maybe there is something within me in my subconscious mind that is desperately trying to connect with me. As if little chippings of self are separated from us during traumas and then look so alien to us that we don't recognise our own spirit fragments anymore. Now I see that perhaps I have been trying to avoid and to run away from an important part of myself.
As Jung says, "Filling the conscious mind with ideal conceptions is a characteristic of Western theosophy, but not the confrontation with the shadow and the world of darkness. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."
And from shamanism: "As the Shadow Totem walks, flies or swims beside us, we may come to understand, and ultimately integrate, the darker reflection of our Personality. By understanding the Contrary Medicine that this Animal Spirit brings to us and absorbing the Lessons and Wisdom he/she has to impart, we transmute the Medicine from something to be feared or repressed, to an integrated and cohesive Center.
When the pain of past traumas have been embraced, healed and resolved, then we may look upon our Shadow Totem in a new light, understanding that all along, he/she is merely a reflection cast from our own unresolved issues, lessons and pain. With understanding, healing and integration, the Shadow is no longer a separate and dark entity that relentlessly pursues us, and we come to see that where our footsteps fall, no fractured Shadow is cast, for there is only the light of the Integrated Self. "
Also an interesting article from the Buddhist view on facing the shadow self - "Inviting the demon".
I realised today, doing shamanic meditations, that my shadow totem animal is the snake.
When I was young I fell seriously ill. This was straight after a traumatizing experience of running away from a snake in the living room of our country house. For about a week I was raving with high fever and hallucinating. I remember only the snakes- snakes covering the floors, the walls, hanging down from a ceiling. My grandfather, who I had a profound link with, was having nightmares at the same time, he was walking in the shadow lands of death with me, as he later said. On leaving me behind as he woke, he was afraid that I would remain in those shadows forever.
Whenever I have nightmares now, the subject has never changed, I am still haunted by snakes. What has changed though is a realisation that maybe there is something within me in my subconscious mind that is desperately trying to connect with me. As if little chippings of self are separated from us during traumas and then look so alien to us that we don't recognise our own spirit fragments anymore. Now I see that perhaps I have been trying to avoid and to run away from an important part of myself.
As Jung says, "Filling the conscious mind with ideal conceptions is a characteristic of Western theosophy, but not the confrontation with the shadow and the world of darkness. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."
And from shamanism: "As the Shadow Totem walks, flies or swims beside us, we may come to understand, and ultimately integrate, the darker reflection of our Personality. By understanding the Contrary Medicine that this Animal Spirit brings to us and absorbing the Lessons and Wisdom he/she has to impart, we transmute the Medicine from something to be feared or repressed, to an integrated and cohesive Center.
When the pain of past traumas have been embraced, healed and resolved, then we may look upon our Shadow Totem in a new light, understanding that all along, he/she is merely a reflection cast from our own unresolved issues, lessons and pain. With understanding, healing and integration, the Shadow is no longer a separate and dark entity that relentlessly pursues us, and we come to see that where our footsteps fall, no fractured Shadow is cast, for there is only the light of the Integrated Self. "
Also an interesting article from the Buddhist view on facing the shadow self - "Inviting the demon".
This is OUTSTANDING, and something I must seriously look at. I've never healthily confronted the darkness within. My religious upbringing has always made me fear that and want to resist it, run from if, but I can now see the need and purpose for it.
ReplyDeleteYour revealing personal experiences are very similar to those of my mother, who always had terrifying dreams of a large snakes as a child and teenager, until one day she chopped of its head and awoke 'freed.'
The Jung quotes amaze me too, especially the one that puts a unique spin on enlightenment. That is very interesting indeed. I must ponder that!
Much Metta!
Oh yeah... That a perfect song and clip for this post. It's all there recorded live!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! That is so interesting about your mother, thanks for sharing that. I have also confronted snakes that attack me but they have then turned around and attacked somebody I care about, and then little puppies.:) I think the tale of Milarepa in the Buddhist article is excellent advice to subduing obstinate dark parts of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes- I think that particular Jung quote is very true and important. The light is there, always, but to turn the light on in the dark- that requires to befriend it.
Great comment Markus, stay blessed!
Sometimes you are reading something and you hear a song in your head, I'm sure you've experienced it a lot, the songs on your blogs are always perfect fits.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding blog, Hille! I'm a great admirer of Jung and spent many months working on a thesis on his life in grad school. Everything ties in perfectly in this blog - your personal story about fear of snakes, the music, the quotes by Jung, the marvelous painting. Excellent work!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carrie, I had an incling that you would like the Jung quotes ;)
ReplyDelete