The term “shadow side” gets banded about a lot
in these more conscious times when everyone seems to be a bit of a
psychotherapist ;)
(Of course, that could be me experiencing my shadow, so forgive me for being “a bit of a psychotherapist” ha).
There's more to be shared on The Shadow but I wanted to highlight some points here for reflection. As always, accept or discard anything that does or doesn’t feel true to you.
My own journey into my shadow side began in my late teens with some guided meditation journeys to meet hidden parts within. That journey is multi-layered and ongoing.
Thing is, I'd been stuck in experiencing myself as a kind of shadow per se – my shame and lack of self-worth hung over me like a dark cloud.
It took a long time for me to actually own my light shadow.
The two journeys – facing the dark and light - were interrelated. In opening to greater love within I was more able to lovingly face and embrace my shadow, and when I ‘bottomed out’ from my shadow, what I ironically found was light.
The ‘light shadow’ (disowned positive aspects) gets far less attention.
What out there in your world do you admire in others, perhaps that which you are particularly drawn to, that you might not be owning in yourself? (It could be anything... humour, confidence, tenderness, patience, courage, abundance, clarity, spontaneity, discipline, creativity...)
(Of course, that could be me experiencing my shadow, so forgive me for being “a bit of a psychotherapist” ha).
There's more to be shared on The Shadow but I wanted to highlight some points here for reflection. As always, accept or discard anything that does or doesn’t feel true to you.
My own journey into my shadow side began in my late teens with some guided meditation journeys to meet hidden parts within. That journey is multi-layered and ongoing.
Thing is, I'd been stuck in experiencing myself as a kind of shadow per se – my shame and lack of self-worth hung over me like a dark cloud.
It took a long time for me to actually own my light shadow.
The two journeys – facing the dark and light - were interrelated. In opening to greater love within I was more able to lovingly face and embrace my shadow, and when I ‘bottomed out’ from my shadow, what I ironically found was light.
The ‘light shadow’ (disowned positive aspects) gets far less attention.
What out there in your world do you admire in others, perhaps that which you are particularly drawn to, that you might not be owning in yourself? (It could be anything... humour, confidence, tenderness, patience, courage, abundance, clarity, spontaneity, discipline, creativity...)
If you’re admiring someone else’s
Glow, it exists within you,
own your Light-Shadow!
own your Light-Shadow!
References to the dark shadow can sometimes happen flippantly, which doesn’t help someone traversing shadow lands (“Ah, well that must be your shadow, that’s happening because YOU are like that.”, etc.).
If you’re experiencing something ‘dark’ it will be about something going on in your consciousness, sure, but the why of that may be complex and varied. Both you and life are far from black and white.
There can be many reasons why something ‘bad’ happens. The “It’s your shadow” answer doesn’t always hold weight or bring resolution.
Sometimes the seeming bad stuff you experience – from others, from yourself, from life – stems from negative beliefs you hold (about yourself, others or the world), old patterns or wounds, a lack of self-worth, soul-level challenges, ego agendas, ancestral or past-life influence, repressed emotions, etc.
Furthermore, that 'bad stuff' may not be so bad. It could be blessings in disguise, part of a healing journey, a catalyst to awakening, or cosmic interventions, if you like, that are in your favour whether you realize that at the time or not.
I wrote a piece on “Why bad things happen” at this link for any interested.
Regarding the shadow, what I’d like to share here is...
We’re a bit like a cream and chocolate layered cake.
The good fluffy stuff is usually on the top for all to see, dig a bit deeper and there can be some darker icky stuff beneath, keep on digging, and layer by layer, you’ll eventually get to the ridiculously beautiful luminosity of the true divine being that you are.
You are a vast magnificent being
of love and light
far beyond anything you may be able to imagine or comprehend.
far beyond anything you may be able to imagine or comprehend.
The stuff on the surface can include compensations to hide the darker layers that have been denied, hidden, or repressed.
Those compensations most often occur because people are scared to face ‘the ick within’ out of fear that ick might be who they are, so they cover it over and act out its opposite.
The thing is, you’re not your shadows.
That’s one of the major issues with shadow referencing – people may identify with their shadow believing that is who they are.
The surface layer of your choccie cake can include your personality expressions, roles, beliefs, ancestral and cultural programming, etc.
It can also reflect your true essence, perhaps filtered a little through conditioning, possibly dimmed or warped by beliefs, masks, fears, etc., but the light shines through.
Even with your compensations that can be true, for who you strive to express yourself to be, even if in compensation, speaks of who you desire to be, and by virtue of that desire, reflects who you actually are.
Your essence can shine through your layered cake rather like how, whilst clothes may hide the body, the shape of the body is still visible; we all know it’s there. If it wasn’t there, there’d be no clothes to begin with.
Same goes with the Soul.
Make an intention to witness the Soul essence in everybody beyond the personality make-up.
Beyond the beliefs, masks, fears, attributes shadows, ego agendas... there’s the Soul that glows from within, the spark of divinity that is who you truly are.
Much love,
Aine Belton
GlobalLoveProject.com
No comments:
Post a Comment