Awaken, Accept, Transform

In Jung’s analytical psychology, the shadow is a central archetype of the Self. The term was originally coined by Carl Jung to describe unconscious chaotic, often sado-masochistic, frequently self-destructive, and always vicious forces that live within each human soul. 

The shadow, for more dogmatic thinkers, might be likened to the devil, the adversary that tempts us, causes us to stumble, and thwarts our efforts at happiness, success, prosperity, and manifestation.

 “The devil made me do it” is the archetypal response for such people who do behavior that is “not themselves.”

However, for the seeker, there is no out there, out there. Rather than an external cosmic force making us do anything, it is our own unconscious selves that causes us to feel, think, and behave in ways that we consciously dislike.

This is why we might say after doing something we regret: “I'm sorry, that wasn’t who I am.”

But that’s not true. In fact, that’s the difficult part--it is who we are. 

It just so happens that there is a part of us, perhaps a very hidden part, that has a great capacity, even a desire for self-harm, for wallowing in misery, poverty, anxiety, self-hatred, self-destruction, and more. 

The secret to shadow integration is painfully simple in theory, but very difficult to work with: our lives are always a product of all of our desires, good and bad, unconscious and conscious. 

And, until we realize that we are always manifesting our lives, both “good” and “bad” elements, desired and undesired things, we cannot hope to achieve integration, or enlightenment. 

The bad elements in our lives are created by parts of our unconscious selves, parts that our conscious ego’s reject. 

It is only by first becoming aware of, and then accepting all parts of ourselves and our lives boldly and with tremendous compassion that we can free ourselves from the shackles of a bad situation, and transform our fate. 

“We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate; it oppresses.”

— C.G. Jung

Surprisingly, this acceptance does not resign us to a bad fate. This is actually a profoundly freeing experience:

every element of our lives, both good and bad, is in our power to become aware, to accept, and then to transform. 

Nietszche likely realized this when he wrote about Amor Fati, the love of one’s fate: 

"My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati [the love of ones fate]: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely to bear what is necessary, still less to conceal it…but to love it."

— Friedrich Nietszche

Nietsche was profoundly ill, even bedridden, much of his adult life, but I would wager that he realized that a part of him savored his illness. His pain served a deeper purpose: it fuelled him to be profoundly reflective, to be a great thinker and visionary. 

Similarly, Rumi once said: “the cure for pain is in the pain.”  The acceptance of our pain, and embodying it wholeheartedly, is the key to the cure. 

These are examples of people who realized that their pain, illness, longing, suffering, though instead of being rejected by the ego, actually serves a critical purpose in allowing one to live their highest, greatest, and most authentic life.

Until we too can accept our great capacity for harm, particularly self-harm, and that every harm, misfortune, and limitation in our life is serving a purpose, we cannot change, grow to heaven, and offer to others our greatest gifts. 

"No tree can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell."

— C.G. Jung

This acceptance of all of our capacity for harm does not make us resigned, sadistic, evil, or sociopathic--rather paradoxically it fills us with compassion, kindness, and the capacity to love, and the ability to manifest our dream lives. 

The acceptance of fate, of our lives as they are, is to release oneself from one’s fate--it is to free oneself from the past, and to open oneself to their capacity to truly cultivate the present into our desired future. 

"The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely."

— C.G. Jung

Shadow integration is too often not fancy exercises, not dramatic breakthroughs, but the bitter revelatory work of unveiling and transforming ourselves through courage, compassion, acceptance, and grace. 

The bitter portion of shadow work, integrating the tragic, angry, sick, and morose, is the cost of entry into a deeper journey of life, for true self-actualization, and individuation. 

The the integration of the shadow is key to enlightenment, self actualization, individuation. It is symbolically termed, The pearl of great price, the philosopher’s stone, and the holy grail.

Such treasures are always found where one least desires to look for it--deep within one’s most vulnerable center. Where you are most hesitant to look is where reflection is most needed. 

And so, to love one’s fate is to accept where one is, now, and always, in the eternity of the present moment. This in itself is the central practice of shadow work.   

Through doing that, one will have a greater breakthrough then one could ever imagine. Doors will open where there were formerly walls, the bottom will fall out, and you shall fall down the rabbit hole, and into the great unknown of your own wonderful being. 

True integration, the integration of all parts of the soul, is the initiation into the mysteries, the key to all great magic, and the royal road to a full, ecstatic, authentic experience of our lives.  

If these ideas excite you, feel free to book a free 20 minute consultation call, and together we will write the best chapter of your life yet.