Facing Your Shadow

Dr. Carl Jung founded Analytical Psychology with a focus on helping people figure out how to be the best version of themselves. This was a departure from the more fatalistic view Freud held about how messed up a person was. One of the key concepts Jung talked about was what he called individuation.

To become the best version of yourself, you must integrate the different aspects of self into a unified person. So many of us look at who we are and find the fault in our existence rather than the beauty in our own diversity. We compare ourselves to someone who has more or who has accomplished more. We compare ourselves to a life that was never meant to be ours. Jung believed that when we could tap into the two sides of self, we could find both peace and success in our lives.

The ego self, or the known self, is who we project out to the world. We create an image for others to buy into. The shadow self is the blind spot we have about who we are. This shadow is often projected out as an archetype, or a character that plays in the background struggling for attention. When we come to terms with both the ego and the shadow, we begin to learn from the shadow. We learn what the anger is really about, what depression is really about, and what the other aspects of self-destruction really mean. The shadow attempts to destroy the ego-self so that it can be known.

What is so interesting about all of this is that we think we are fighting to repress the shadow version of who we are. Yet, our subconscious is fighting to express that version. This internal war is what causes much of the chaos in a person’s life. By coming to terms with our shadow, we can study it, learn from it, and help it resolve the issue that is causing it to seek expression.

Think about the things you attempt to keep from the rest of the world about you. What is going on inside of you that might be pushing you to deal directly with a struggle? In all recovery programs, the first step is acceptance of the struggle within. Once it is named and addressed directly, it can be dealt with directly. If you are struggling with a shadow, find a counselor, study meditation, or do something that assists you in achieving the right outcomes you desire in life.