THE GOLD IN SHADOW

Even though today I am focussing more on the negative Shadow, it is important to recognise that the Shadow can be positive as well as negative. We are both nastier and greater than we acknowledge.

 In the positive Shadow is to be found undeveloped potential, gifts and abilities of all kinds.  In addition to this, in the positive Shadow is the thrust to transcendence as well as qualities that reflect the Divine Indwelling.  This too needs to be freed and claimed if we are to become who we truly are.

 When we see deep inner beauty or goodness in another person, we can be sure that there is some at least of this goodness and beauty in us.  We wouldn’t have the capacity to see it otherwise.  When our admiration is awakened and we are inspired by the nobility and self sacrifice in another person, we can be sure that we share that nobility and sacrificial spirit.

 Jung claims that the Shadow is 90% Gold.  Not only do we repress what we think unacceptable to the powerful people in our life and the social contexts to which we belong, we also repress those aspects of ourselves that seem too good to be true – “This can’t really be me!  I couldn’t have experienced that.  I must have been dreaming or I made it up.  It was a figment of my imagination.”  Anything to deny that the beauty and goodness within me is for real, that this ocean of creativity is mine, that this spark of divinity which I glimpse is true.  I see the goodness and beauty in you – but it can’t possibly be in me!