August 24, 2018 - Shadow Self

“Every pain, addiction, anguish, longing, depression, anger or fear is an orphaned part of us
seeking joy, some disowned shadow wanting to return to the light and home of ourselves.”
― Jacob Nordby

 

We are responsible for our light and our shadows. We give out our light, sometimes too much and too fake.  We try to hide our shadow(s).  Our light and dark are parts of Self;  integral parts, I believe, because we should not be pretending we are all light.  We try to suppress, to dis-acknowledge, our shadow(s).  We do a great disservice to Self and others.  If we continue to deny it all, we will never be authentic;  we will have stunted maturity and soul;  we can begin to project the false portrayal of Self, and people are not so shallow as to believe it.  In the reverse, we can get lots of attention by being negative and dark.  We spend a great deal of time on our false side and never allow our own Self to acknowledge that we do, indeed, have shadow(s).  We assert ourselves in to, and on to, the world as a false being.  Our shadow(s) sneaks out in so many ways and we live a fantasy life of Self with thee unexplainable bits and pieces that spike out like lightening in a dark sky and others give their head a shake wondering where that came from.  Sometimes we even surprise our false self.  We will never be whole if we do not get to know those dark spaces within (the WHY).  We need to find them, sort them, name them and know them for what they are.  Only then can e truly love ourselves, understand ourselves, and heal ourselves.

To ring light to our shadow self is to bring light into the world.  We can restore our wholeness.  We can transform the "unexplained", the frightened, the dark things that we all carry within.  Honesty heals.  Yes, the dragon can be loved into being a milder form of "Puff The Magic Dragon".  We dis-empower those dark areas as we love them into being known.  

Once we begin, (and the creative processes help with this- personal art therapy), we free ourselves to truly be who we were, are, and might be.  There is personal power in affirming who we are, as whole people.  We will no longer have to continually prove we are 'good enough'.  We will understand that 'good' was a self-imposed concept that we drew from exterior relationships.  For true healing and living, we must learn to love everything about ourselves; no masks, no denial...but, authenticity. And then, an authentic world will relate to you, will love you for your truth, will have care and compassion and deep abiding appreciation for you.  

I wish you your authentic self.

©Carol Desjarlais 8.22.18