Tag Archives: consciousness

Facing Our shadows

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In a world that is already too deeply polarized, we have recently shifted even further in the direction of running from our shadows, assigning the content of our shadows, our worst fears, to other people or other groups, and dropping further into despondency as we feel less and less complete.

Why are we feeling so empty? Why do we feel so helpless? Why is our sense of purpose fading? Why do we feel some kind of darkness consuming us?

That darkness that is engulfing us is the collection of our own shadows we work so hard to separate, destroy, and eliminate from ourselves. Our specific shadows are the first aspects we notice in others that are most offensive to us.

I came across this amazing image on Amazon! Not exactly the company to support, yet, the perfect image was there. To credit who created it, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Sculpture-Silhouette-Hangings-23-6IN/dp/B0CP7R6VFX

Through this image, we can see that the further we run from our feared shadows living in our hidden darkness, the more we lose the roots of who we truly are. However, if we completely sever our roots, we won’t be able to sustain the visible part of our lives on the surface. We lose our grounding, and we lose our vitality and sustenance to truly live.

Once we face our shadows, shine our own light on them, accept them despite how we wish we didn’t have such “unacceptable” characteristics, we become our complete selves. As we continue to look directly at our shadows, they shrink and lose their monstrous terror. By accepting them as a part of us, our shadows integrate with our light and transform from grotesque, hidden secrets to be projected onto others into innovative superpowers we have learned to love, arming us with the gift of emanating harmony to all around us.

Accepting and integrating one’s shadows is not easy work. As much as I understand the process, I’m still deep in the bowels of my own shadow work that has taken years for me to begin to make progress. Yet, the more I seek out, discover, expose, and accept my shadows, the more I become able to feel and know who I am. My purpose in this world is slowly breaking through the surface from the ground where I am able to start seeing small pieces of why I’m meant to live this life, this strange life in a very, very strange and chaotic world.

If you are feeling lost, despondent, and helpless in how to find meaning and purpose in a world that is currently composed of far more shadows than light, consider digging into your own shadow work. By reclaiming your own shadows and integrating them with your own light, you will be doing your part in cleaning out some of the excess, confusing shadows that have overcrowded our planet. Once you have integrated enough of your own shadows, you’ll feel your connection to your roots, your purpose, and clearly see your pathway to being a part of healing a planet that is currently very troubled.

New Year’s State of Mind

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butterfly-picture

The concept of New Year’s Resolutions has declined in popularity, hopefully showing that as a culture, we are realizing making decisions to do things differently, backed by an underlying tone of shame and only needing to apply more effort, does not create effective, satisfying change. Characteristics we do not like about ourselves can attach to us much more firmly when we frame them as something we need to lose. Rather than try to change who we are, let’s change how we view ourselves to become more accepting of ourselves and others. As we come to accept how each of us is unique, and yet all the same, what we thought of as stubborn habits may melt away into a beauty that shines so brightly from within us, all who interact with us will only see our gifts and talents.

Listed below are some states of mind that help us all shine more brightly.

1. I am who I am.

The list of what we would like to change about ourselves can be long. A great place to start is by really accepting, “I am who I am.” Perhaps I frequently arrive late to events. Shaming and criticizing myself doesn’t help me get anywhere faster. Accepting that I am a person who has a more fluid view of time than others provides me with more peace for this characteristic about myself. Once I feel peace with myself while preparing to go to a destination, I have more presence of mind to actually be present in the moment and see that it’s time for me to leave the house.

2. In this present moment, all is well.

Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, is a great game-changer for what is in people’s heads much of the time. Apparently the thoughts streaming through our minds are consistently about the past and the future. With our minds remaining in times outside of now, we are able to remain in a constant states of crisis. We think about everything that has gone wrong in the past, and the future is open to so many more possibilities for life’s problems. However, the actual, present moment, not a minute from now, is completely okay. Stay in the moment that is happening, taking calm, deep breaths, and give your body a chance to stop pumping the adrenaline and pressure on yourself.

3. To let go of judging myself, I will avoid judging others.

Of course we all judge people. To say to never judge again would not be possible. The unfortunate part about judging others is that it causes us to continue to judge our own selves more harshly. In the moment, it may feel better to judge another person and think we are in some way superior. The long-term problem is that we then assume everyone else is judging us. Then we drop into feelings of disgust for the aspects of ourselves we assume are being judged.

Accept others. Assume the best. This shift in thinking will help us realize we all are human and that we can accept who we are as well.

4. I feel what I feel.

We all experience happiness, sadness, excitement, anger, and all of the other feelings. There might be a moment of angry rage that doesn’t make sense. Don’t judge the feeling. Know that everyone sometimes goes through these weird emotions that may not match the situation. Just honor the feeling, note that the source of what it felt is likely from something unrelated to the current situation, and gently give time for the feeling to subside.

river-and-sunset

5. I will do more of what brings me joy.

This is not as much a state of mind but conscious permission to honor what gives you pleasure. Perhaps you like being alone, reading, window shopping, going to parties, hosting parties, writing, golfing, meditating, spending time with friends, organizing, running around your house naked, or anything else. Do the things that make you happy, allowing you to feel more in touch with who you are, honoring yourself.

Happy 2017!