In this video, we discuss ‘The Shadow’.
Carl Jung stated the shadow to be the unknown dark side of the personality.
“Everyone carries a shadow,” Jung wrote, “and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.” It may be (in part) one’s link to more primitive animal instincts, which are superseded during early childhood by the conscious mind.
What does the Shadow have to do with spiritual awakening? A lot.
What do Dharma Teachers Doug and Catherine Sensei say about the integrating the shadow from a meditation and Dharma perspective? Find out, by watching the video below.
Enlighten-Up is a monthly livestream session with Dharma Teachers Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat. These candid talks on spirituality and awakening are to enliven and enlighten you, as the world spins in challenging times.
What is The Shadow?
Some thoughts from the video:
Get Engaged
If we are not actively engaged with our shadow, it has got us in its grip. By integrating your shadow it can become a useful resource.
You could argue that all suffering, worry and restlessness arises from energies caught in the shadow. When we are aware of this process, it releases stuck energy for exploration and joy to emerge. Spiritual awakening is possible, and fuller.
The Shadow, as described by Carl Jung
The Shadow could be described as hidden desires, ideas or fantasies trapped in the unconscious or subconscious that pop out at inappropriate times.
The shadow is the key to unravelling one’s personal prison.
Why we are afraid to look at the Shadow – Four big ego fears
It feels scary to explore our shadow. And four fears inevitably come up when we try. By understanding these fears, we can meet them and not let them stop us from embracing freedom. What are they?
- The Fear of Abandonment
- The Fear of Annihilation
- The Fear of Going Insane
- The Fear of Being Evil or Being a Bad Person
We tie up our energy into these ego fears, while in fact this energy is better spent addressing the fears and releasing them – the process of spiritual awakening.
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