I love this article. The title is not so definite as it sounds.
link to Elephant Journal:
I too have had a sense and observed that Shadow Work has become taught to be more like Shadow “Play” more so these days than actual work, which doesn’t really get to the shadow as Carl Jung was interested in.
Many new age, satanists, witches, spiritual teachers and gurus are really into teaching Shadow Work, but some are not getting to the heart of Jung’s teachings and are merely allowing for self expression rather than to make the shadow conscious.
This often leaves people confused as to what the Shadow really is.
The Shadow is not your sexy, dark, gothic, or powerful parts of yourself at all. It is not found sitting by a candle, in a dark room or wearing a cloak and dagger in the hand. It is not sitting in nature, and picturing yourself growling and running with the wolves, as a strong destructive energy. It is NOT witchcraft. It is NOT dark fetishes, kinks, or desires you have that are unconventional or frowned upon by society.
Nobody should want to see their own shadow and this is why it is so painful. You know deep down inside you are better than the actions your shadow brings to surface in the most inappropriate times.
You can not see your shadow unless you watch other’s reactions and responses towards you after your own actions.
“The shadow is something very evasive. I don’t know mine. I study it by reaction of those around me. We depend on the reflection of the mirror of our encourage. When it is not good, self-criticism is in order.”
~ C. Jung
His idea for the “Shadow” stemmed from his need to help the Collective of Humanity heal, not for individuals to play with their shadow, but to cut it out from unconscious projections completely to enrich the world experience at large.
“The best political, social, spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others.”
~C. Jung
He did NOT want it to be displayed more in the world, he wanted to cut off the “saurian tail” as he called it that mankind drags behind him…it is a dinosaur, a relic of the past and old ways of behaving. Why did he say to cut it off? Because THIS is what allows for people to do evil towards one another and self harm. This is what brings a mother to kill her own children to be free from obligation of motherhood. This is what causes gangs and mobs to be formed that care about making money, and not the families of the members they kill for “disloyalty”. This is the pedophile who takes little children from the parks. This is you when you hit your wife or husband in an argument. This is me for hurting someone with my words and not caring for their feelings for sake of “self expression”.
There are infinite events and situations in the world where you turn on the news and see the Shadow of others in full display. It is the temporary state of insanity, where the demonic side can take over and leave you wondering, “where did that come from?”
“It is a frightening thought that man also has a shadow side to him, consisting not just of little weaknesses- and foibles, but of a positively demonic dynamism. The individual seldom knows anything of this; to him, as an individual, it is incredible that he should ever in any circumstances go beyond himself.
But let these harmless creatures form a mass, and there emerges a raging monster; and each individual is only one tiny cell in the monster’s body, so that for better or worse he must accompany it on its bloody rampages and even assist it to the utmost.
Having a dark suspicion of these grim possibilities, man turns a blind eye to the shadow-side of human nature. Blindly he strives against the salutary dogma of original sin, which is yet so prodigiously true. Yes, he even hesitates to admit the conflict of which he is so painfully aware.”
~C.G. Jung – “On the Psychology of the Unconscious” (1912). In CW 7: Two Essays on Analytical Psychology. P.35
In effort to truly teach what Shadow Work is, I divided videos into the Seven esoteric sins to look at deeply in our lives and how they play out. These are not just Judeo-Christian sins, they come from ancient wisdom from many paths and also psychology.
I too am working on my Shadow self, I feel it is my mission and lifetime to bring all my own darkness into consciousness and transform myself into my Higher sElf-one I know is there behind the shadow, healing it and making it less dark and thick.
When you look at the power of the Universe, it expands with love, light and Life on planets. Darkness such as blackholes and destruction of planets and stars happen out of necessity for new life to emerge. It is never just the darkness that we must sit in, we must bring light to darkness always so that Life can exist.
I will share something publicly with the world about my own shadow self that I am working on removing and not just accepting.
I have been really cutting with my words towards others that I love in my life or strangers who challenge me. I must stop this. I can be really aggressive with my word play. I know how to hurt others when I feel threatened or fearful in some type of way. I have also got into physical fights with others too in my life when in fear or panic mode. I also know how to cut people out of my life, very coldly without looking back. My Shadow is an icy cold monster that lurks behind me. A fire breathing dragon that has the power to hurt others when I want to.
These two are examples of my own shadow. Like Jung said, we only meet our Shadow when we see the wrong we did towards others. And I have seen it. I have had to apologize for my shadow coming out.
Looking at our shadow is not a fun experience, but it can be rewarding and bring fulfillment to your soul.
Because very soon you do realize that your shadow is there, because FEAR is there. Fear of abandonment, fear of rejection, fear of worthlessness, fear of the unknown, fear of others hurting you. fear of yourself. It is the temporary loss of consciousness to know who you really are as a limitless spiritual being.
So what to do now?
Jung was right as a visionary. When everyone truly looks at their shadows in this world, this will transform the way society is. People will be more aware of their responses and reactions, and first think consciously about what they are doing to others as well as themselves. Road rage will not be a thing any longer. Cyber stalking & trolling others will be a thing of the past. People shooting others in streets, homes, schools, in night clubs or hospitals will not happen. Wars and conflicts will not be so easily gotten into. People will THINK of all consequences before acting. I will THINK before acting and hurting others.
“The most dangerous psychological mistake is the projection of the shadow onto others: this is the root of almost all conflicts.” ~ C. Jung
Of course, this is something that some may call idealism about the future, but really it is realism. We are all capable of forming an understanding about our shadows. Not as children. Children tend to show their shadows easily by hitting others, and pushing them down with anger. But that is why they have adults around them to show them a better choice. A healthier way to deal with conflict and diversity. As we age, we are able to build reason into our choices and form mature decisions about our actions.
All taming the shadow is about, is MATURITY.
Mature souls do not have a shadow any longer because it is nothing, but truth and wholeness within a person. The older and wiser you become in this experience, the less your shadow comes out at events and has control over you.
This is the biggest difference between criminals in jail, versus citizens who don’t kill, rape, or steal from one another. Maturity is simply being at the stage of being able to make conscious decisions to NOT kill or steal from others in the moment.
But all is not lost for those at lower levels of maturity, because as soon as maturity hits them in jail or outside of it, they discover the light. They make amends, and carry a grief as a burden that cleanses their souls through the process of making their darkness conscious. And they don’t do those wrongs and harmful things any longer. Many of society’s criminals become healed this way and become regular citizens with something positive to give back to the world.
It can take many lifetimes to get to this maturity for some, or it can take just this one right now.
Everyone is at different levels of soul maturity, because like a prism, the Collective Source is refracted into many different levels of experience and vibrations of reality. But ultimately, people are always in control of their actions if they are a conscious soul able to form clear decisions.
Eventually, ALL souls get to the point of Self Actualization-which is the point of knowing WHO you actually are.
This has much to do with Galactic civilizations and where a world can go together. Citizens functioning at the highest level of Self Actualization is the Elven community of Tolkien’s within the Third Ages and the Pleiadian one even.
This is where humanity can reach and they are slowly, but surely. Each soul that matures and reaches this point of self actualization adds to the whole and changes the course of the future.
I am getting ready to prepare for my new videos on Galadriel’s mirror, Carl Jung’s archetypes, Gurdjieff’s enneagram that are all tools to work with the Self, and heal the collective when I come back from Thanksgiving holiday.
This was something that was on my mind, that I wanted to speak about so I truly hope this brings clarity towards Jung and his Shadow Work and where his visions where really leading mankind.
In Love, Light & Wisdom!
High Elven wisdom and Love 