Until you make the unconscious conscious it will direct your life and you will call it fate. – Carl Jung
These words by famous psychoanalyst Carl Jung captures the importance of working on the parts of ourselves that we are unconscious to. These parts are collectively referred to as our Shadow self.
There is in everyone of us, even those who seem to be most moderate, a type of desire that is terrible, wild, and lawless. (Republic, Plato)
It was the 20th-century psychologist Carl Jung who examined in most detail a duality in man. Jung proposed that at a young age as we begin to develop a conscious ego and a sense of self. At this time, two interdependent psychological systems begin to form – the persona and the shadow.
Working on our shadow is vitally important to becoming a mature adult who takes complete responsibility for his or her own life. Shadow work requires us to be courageous, accept and work on the darker aspects of our personality. The reason it is challenging is that we have become unconscious to our shadow. This we have done by becoming indifferent to, disowned, ignoring or denying aspects of our own personality.
Without embracing our shadow we will never achieve Wholeness.
| Some Basics about the Shadow and Shadow Work… | |
|---|---|
 | What is the Shadow? |
| When is the Shadow Formed? |
| How is the Shadow Formed? |