This two part blog on the Shadow has taken us from the obvious to the metaphysical and on to the metaphorical. The practical aspect of “Shadow work”, as it is called in psychology and self-help, is the simple examination of your personality traits which you don’t like. This is simple but not necessarily easy. It requires you to look deep into your soul and see yourself as you are! Not pleasant for most people.
The traits I speak of are things like anger, jealousy, spitefulness, vindictiveness, loathing, meanness, cruelty, apathy, etc, etc. Whatever upsets you about other people are the traits within you that are at issue. It is not very often and usually only in drastic events that you can see these shadows within yourself. Usually the ego mind projects these traits on others so you can see them better. Think of it like a movie projector. The ego projects you…out there (the movie screen called life) for you to watch and embrace.
What kind of movies do you like? What kind do you wish to avoid? This is called getting to know yourself better and it is a lifetime process so don’t worry if things change. They will, I can assure you! It is part of the growth process.
There are several ways to explore the shadow (ego mind). One is as described above, by simple observation; others include meditation and creative visualization (I am sure there are others too). The mind is a tool which is used by ego or by Spirit (higher self). As you explore this will become clearer. Remember a few important points, the ego is a part of you and it is not “bad” although it may be negative. Without it you could not interact in this world of shadows. Spirit only knows light! Ego does not exist in the Spirit realms because it has fully been integrated into the soul. Here on earth they are separate or at least that is the illusion.
Meditate on your Higher qualities, the ones you like, the ones you aspire to. As you do this the others fall away because you are not focusing on them. The shadows will appear and you are to make notice of them, visualize yourself embracing them and then releasing them. So what you are doing, and this can be done throughout your life, not just in meditation, is acknowledging the shadows and saying “I see you” “I love you” and “I release you” “You no longer serve me” then you consciously redirect your attention to traits you desire, admire, and feel attracted to.
This process sounds really beautiful and it is, but in reality it will often be ugly. It will manifest as arguments, temper tantrums, confrontations, fights, embarrassment, harassment, and the many challenges we face every day! There is nothing wrong with this and in fact to avoid these is to avoid yourself! Now there is a difference between embracing the issues as they arise and seeking punishment.
Be gentle in your explorations by listening to your inner voice. Some lessons will repeat and can get stuck in a feedback loop if you are not aware of what is going on. Examples are the man who always gets in fights, or the woman who goes from abusive relationship to abusive relationship. The key here is to be awake and aware of what is going on! This is the purpose of this Blog! By being aware of your shadows you can dissolve them and move on as we spoke about in the previous blog, moving from one attribute in the Labyrinth to the next till you reach pure light, Agape. Blessings on your Journey of Love.
🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth
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