Introduction To The Shadow.

I didn’t know much about my inner world until Carl Jung showed me the way. Through his books, as if he were personally guiding me through the underworld, I was able to connect to my inner, unconscious spirit. I realized the duality within our psychic nature.

“Good does not become better by being exaggerated, but worst, and a small evil becomes a big one through being disregarded and repressed. The shadow is very much a part of human nature”
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If you are confused, let me outline where the shadow is located. Your mind (psyche) is made up of two realms, the conscious and unconscious. The conscious is everything in your awareness. The shadow hides within the unconscious part of the mind.
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According the Jung, as children we begin to build our egos (thinking mind) and develop two psychological systems. The persona and the shadow. The persona is usually labeled as the mask we consciously wear, outwardly. The shadow is hidden within.
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The shadow represents our suppressed thoughts and emotions that we have not faced or integrated into being. It is our dark side. A side difficult accept. A part of us that, when revealed, is a displeasure to ourselves and our peers.

“It is quite within the possibility for one to recognize the relative evil of one’s nature, but it is a rare and shattering experience to gaze into the face of absolute evil”
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It is only in darkness where our shadow can be relinquished. We must look within. Face it with humility. Understand it and accept it. Limit its power. Lower the shade. Give it space and balance it out.
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We cannot be perfect, but can be whole. If we focus only on the positive, we deny a whole other side of ourselves. Why deny you?
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The next post continues on facing, accepting, and assimilating the shadow….

One hint about this shadow integration requires a perspective shift.

A look beyond good and evil.

It’s wisdom and insights may turn your greatest enemy into your best friend.