The Healing Power Of Embracing Our Shadow

Photo by Keenan Constance @ Pexels

There’s transformative and healing power in being able to acknowledge our imperfections, as these are clues about what we need to release in order to fully love and evolve. 

There are two sides to every story they say. Coins have two sides. After daylight comes night, and it goes on.

Duality: the state or quality of being two or in two parts.

We live in a world of duality. The breathtakingly beautiful existence we bear witness to in awe is at times overshadowed. This plays out in our own life as well, sometimes in a more subtle manner. If we’re observant—we’ll see this—in ourself and in others. 

Following is an example of how this plays out in a joking context. Some things we say to each other all in fun, “you don’t know what you’re doing,” or “you’re being stupid.” There is always a thought before any expression. When we hear such phrases directed at someone; are we getting a glimpse of the speaker’s shadow coming out in words that could have an undertone of superiority? It could be telling of impatience or irritability as well. Depending on the frequency of such comments and the state of the recipient of such talk, those words could cause subconscious harm. 

Those are not the best human qualities being expressed. 

As sure as there are what people regard as positive qualities peeping or shining through in everyone, there are also undesirable opposing faults lurking. Denying and ignoring the negative aspects of ourself creates a distorted view of reality. We believe we’re right no matter what we do and how we think. Recognizing this in us helps with accepting it in others and makes it easier to release judgement. We’ve usually taken on such attitudes as a sort of protective shield.  

Every time someone judges, utters cruel words or has derogatory thoughts against another, we get glimpses of their shadow in action. In many cases, these types of negative patterns will be directed at our own self too. 

Embracing our own shadow, and not letting others’ negatively influence our own sensitivity begins with truthful observation. 

Persistent negative thought patterns can take on a world of their own and will reflect in our emotional and physical nature. Left to their own demises, unacknowledged negative thoughts, patterns, and behaviours may manifest in a variety of personality disorders ranging from a false sense of entitlement to a manic-depressive state. One way they show up at the physical level, are in a person’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for their body’s appearance and state. 

There’s no perfect being walking this earth, and thinking we’re one is arrogant. Many of us do go about living responsible lives, but this must include considering the effects of the negativity we hang on to. Taking responsibility for what we construct in our mind and project into the world has significant consequences. Our thoughts and words shape our reality as much as everything we do. 

The negative patterns may not appear often—and, this is the state we all must strive to live in—but when they do appear, we need to recognize them for what they are. They’re past conditioning and baggage we hang on to because we’ve become accustomed to rely on a certain level of judgement to ascertain our own worth. The worth we deny our own self. They confine our consciousness to a lower level of disparity and separateness. 

We have to let negative thoughts pass through us rather than give them too much credibility. In their recognition—acceptance and release—we take back control of our emotional state and cultivate a more loving environment. It’s in this environment, we’ll feel well. 

Letting go of judgement is part of humanity’s evolution towards acceptance and unconditional love. This is when we begin to live in a more mindful place. 

We are all in this life together!

When we can evolve to a certain maturity, we’ll come to the realization of our inter-connectedness to all. This will make way for a conscious and constant check that’ll replace the careless attitude of lost control with an ego running wild. 

Keeping our thoughts on love and acceptance brings it back to us. It’s the law of the universe. What you send out comes back to you.