Hidden Depths-Integrating and Making Friends With My Shadow

What is our Shadow?

Everyone has Shadow Parts. The power of this work is knowing what is brought from darkness becomes light.

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.”

- Carl Jung

When one feels judged or rejected when presenting a part of themselves, these parts can retreat or go underground. These parts,

ones " shadow self" can be beautiful ,creative, bold and down right life giving when unearthed and revealed.

Shadow Parts also are viewed through the lens of Internal Family Systems language.

"The shadow" the younger aspects of self are referred to as "the exiled parts of self"

What causes these beautiful and unique marker of " youness" to go underground?

-Caretakers or peers were bothered when you showed your vulnerability

-Caretakers or peers were disturbed by your vitality

-You were hurting and ended up displaying behaviours that triggered others or disturbed yourself i.e. " the bad kid", " the loud and unruly" " too much"

" too loud"....the list of social conformity messages start so early and can follow us into adulthood.

It's takes courage and self compassion to look at and embrace and befriend our " Shadow and Exiled Parts" of self.

The benefits of befriending and integrating one's Shadow:

1. Gain more confidence and self-esteem

2. Improve ones creativity

3. Build better relationships with others

4. Practice self-acceptance

5. Discover your hidden talents

6. Improve your overall wellness

7. Increase your compassion toward others

8. Embrace greater clarity and authenticity

The Healing Path-

While I explore the concepts of projection and what it means to have soul ties, I unearth more compelling depths within my psyche.

To explore the depths of connection, love and intimacy, I find more layers within me that call for patient nurturance and a plea for nonjudgmental presence.

To drop my own internalized and protective masks, I am stripped bare to be present and dare to feel and allow spaciousness.

To slow down and move through deconstructing the protective masks, I can feel needy, small, and panicked.

Not exactly the luminous and freeing soul path I had imagined it to be!

Projection and masks, vulnerability and messiness, rescuer and soulmate; the experience is one that enlightens and yet can swallow, consume and feel cavernous.

To allow another into this space of observer, obsessive, paradigm shifter, joker and soul reflector/ golden self mirrored back is humbling and is in itself needed medicine.

Medicine that is timely, curative, hopeful and yet like any healing, painful.

I am grateful that as time moves on I can experience the grip of these soul ties relax their hold.

I am able to more freely confront my shadows, my strengths, beauty and neediness with compassion and nurturance.

I honor you and the space you take up in my life that allows me to be me.

I invite you to join me in this courageous journey.

Love and compassion to all of us- the bold ones

🩷🦋