Thread: The Dark Side
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Old 07-10-2008, 11:28 AM
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LaTeeDa
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Hey Barbara,

I wanted to thank you for posting this. I have been sort of off-and-on doing some reading and research on what Carl Jung called "The Shadow." Very interesting stuff.

Jung and many other psychologists suggest that when we have strong feelings about another person, that is our shadow revealing itself. If you just can't stand someone, take a look at what you can't stand about them, and it will tell you something about yourself. Also, if you are particularly attracted to someone, to the point of admiration, the traits you admire are also part of your shadow. Jung defined the shadow as the "unconcious" or "denied" parts of ourself. So, by this definition, it doesn't necessarily mean that our shadows are all negative. (I feel that negative and positive are rather relative, anyway.)

The point being, that once you acknowledge your shadow (we all have one), even though the so-called negative traits are difficult and uncomforable to face, you can then have some understanding and even control over your own destructive behaviors. For instance, if I deny that I can sometimes be a bossy know-it-all, I will never be able to change those traits. But, by acknowledging that part of me, I can then be aware of when I am acting that way, and even laugh at myself.

The other really cool thing about "shadow work," as it's called, is that many times there are absolutely beautiful, positive, creative, unique parts of our psyche that have been buried and denied right along with the not-so-desireable stuff. So, unearthing those things can really be astonishing at times. This is still very new to me, but I look forward to digging up all those unconscious skeletons and really getting to know who I am for the first time. How great is that?

L
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