Sunday, September 15, 2019

A Definitive Guide to Jungian Shadow Work: How to Get to Know and Integrate Your Dark Side

by Scott Jeffrey

OVERVIEW: This guide explores the nature of the shadow and provides tips and exercises for daily shadow work.
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It’s always standing right behind us, just out of view. In any direct light, we cast a shadow.
The shadow is a psychological term for everything we can’t see in ourselves.
I understood how important knowing my shadow was when I wrote a biography of a spiritual teacher.
Most of us go to great lengths to protect our self-image from anything unflattering or unfamiliar. And so it’s easier to observe another’s shadow before acknowledging one’s own shadow.
Seeing the shadow of this teacher helped me understand how someone can show gifts in one area of life while remaining unaware of poor behavior in other areas.
Every human being is susceptible to this. I find working with my shadow a rewarding, yet challenging process.
Exploring your shadow can lead to greater authenticity, creativity, energy, and personal awakening. This introspective process is essential for reaching mature adulthood (which is rarer than most think).
Let’s inspect what the shadow is and how it comes into being …