Do not see the shadow to discern the truth

Day 251

The idea of a “true self” and a “false” or “shadow” self has long preoccupied psychologists. For example, Carl Jung introduced the notion of the shadow side of our personality. He viewed “the shadow” as our unknown, dark side—made up of the primitive, negative, socially depreciated human emotions such as sexuality, striving for power, selfishness, greed, envy, jealousy, and anger. But although the shadow personifies everything that we fear, and therefore refuse to acknowledge, it remains a part of us. Jung believed that unless we come to terms with our shadow side, we are condemned to become its unwitting victim.

Similarly, Erik Erikson, another famous psychologist, introduced the idea of the identity crisis. Erikson, like Jung, suggests that identity formation has its dark and negative side. There are parts of us that are attractive but disturbing and therefore tend to be submerged. In the process of becoming an adult, we not only internalize what’s viewed as acceptable, we also internalize (be it only subliminally) parental and societal attitudes about undesirable qualities and characteristics. For many of us, these “undesirables” turn into “forbidden fruits” – things we are attracted to. To feel more authentic, we may have to integrate these forbidden fruits into our sense of identity.

Although a person might view these parts of herself as a representation of her unlived life, a delayed identity crisis can also contain the seeds of psychological renewal — the motivation to enter new directions in life. Romancing your shadow — accepting these unlived parts of yourself and learning to read the messages that are contained in it — can lead to a deeper level of consciousness, as well as spark your imagination. When a person is ready to accept these parts — and not try to push them aside — she or he may discover all sorts of creative, positive ideas begging for fulfillment. These buried desires will help them to reflect not only on the question of “Who am I?” but also “Who do I want to be?” This can turn a negative spiral of self-pity turned into the opposite.

Questioning, reflecting, and having meaningful conversations with important people in our lives can help us come to terms with our shadow sides and create the rapprochement needed between our “false” and “true” selves. To do this, we have to figure out how to accept what we learn about ourselves without judgment. And to do that, we must approach self-knowledge with curiosity, as if it were a fascinating adventure – an exploration of the riches contained in this previously unknown world inside the self.

Harvard Business Review Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries

And that is exactly as you see yourself, as a shadow. You see a form, an outline, size and shape, yet all can be deceiving; your eyes try to define the true self but cannot. Even as the light shines and reveals the true self you look with dim eyes to discover truth yet cannot. You do indeed see only a shadow of the true self.

Yet the shadow does reveal something of form and shape – the revelation there is something, someone, that is real. But you now know you cannot continue to look at yourself in this way, with eyes that cannot discern truth – you now understand you must see with new eyes, with My eyes.

We do not merge light with shadow. We do not discover what is in the shadows, for it may not be the truth. No, we walk in the light as I Am in the light. It is there I reveal the truth of creation, of who I have made you to be in Me. It is not the discovery of what is in the shadows, what is hidden in your life, the self of the things which you would have no man see about you. Again, it is not the merging of dark with light. In the light there is no shadow, no judgment of the darkness you believe within you, for it has been judged by Me and removed, and in My presence it is no more.

Greed, envy, lust, and many other characteristics that are deemed to live in the shadows of man’s being, are common to all men in varying degrees. Innately they are understood to be wrong, and not to be acted upon. Yet all men do. It’s as if these characteristics have a power, a desire to live through the man. Man is torn within by his desire to have them flee, as if no more, and the desire for their expression – for why do they remain if unwanted? To embrace them is not to embrace oneself, for they lead to destruction.

In Me they do not live and therefore are not. In you it is the same. You try to see the truth of them, but they are elusive, malformed in your thoughts, only guesses at the truth. One does not look at shadows to discern the truth; one looks not in darkness, but in Light. I am the Light.

Do not look at your life for what has been done in secret, in the shadows. Do not look at what you believe were opportunities missed, decisions that were improper and thought harmful. Do not look at sadness, and poverty, and unfulfillment as the true life; they are images of a life unrevealed in Me. They are not Me. And they are not you. Embrace the Light – seek from One who is truth and reveals truth.

Therefore, do not see the shadow to discern the truth, nor look at that which casts the shadow as if you could discern the truth from what you see; rather, look for the Light that reveals all things in truth. Look from within Me to see the truth of You.