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What is Your Shadow Side

What is your shadow side? Your shadow side is a dark side of you that challenges the whole ego-personality. Becoming conscious of your shadow side involves recognizing the dark aspect of the personality as present and real. This act is an essential condition for self-knowledge, and it is often met with considerable resistance…. A lot of freakin resistance can lead to undesirable behaviors and unhealthy coping mechanisms. These shadows are repressed elements of the personality which we choose not to be identified with, they can be extremely difficult to look at and unearth.

Where is our Shadow Side?

Shadows lurk in the deep recesses of the psyche.

Shadows lurk in the deep recesses of the psyche. They are buried in the heart, in the mind, and are a part of us. They follow us, it frightens us, and they come to us in different ways, but they always appear somewhere. The shadow is not a mere concept or a matter of perception. It is very real. And let me tell you, ignoring these shadows DO NOT make them go away!!! The Universe has a way of hitting us over the head over and over again until we begin to do the work of uncovering and dealing with these relentless, effing shadow demons!!!

Just as there is light, there is also darkness. It is not possible to deny the shadow element. It is usually the worst side of a person. The courageous person may have a cowardly shadow. The kind, gentle and caring person may have a cruel side hiding behind all that softness. Even the most warm, respected personalities and leaders have part of their shadow element peek through. Do they really know themselves, or have they denied their shadow element? They may find their views, their words, and their actions in conflict. This is not intentional and the internal shadow conflicts they fail to deal with come to surface at the worst moments.

Is it possible to ignore or avoid the shadow?

When we are at the lowest point in our lives, shadows haunt us. It is that part of ourselves that we leave in the closet as we face the public and put our best foot forward. Hide them, deny them, suppress them, they will not vanish. Our actions may attract these shadows into our lives in other ways.

Does our shadow side impact our lives?

Shadow sides come in many forms. They can come as temptations, obsessions, addictions, co-dependency, and other forms of indulgence. Shadows appear in the darkness cloaked in fear; shaking us at our core. Shadows can also be shown as projections. It can be a dislike of certain traits in people, unjustified and unexplainable. We don’t like what we see; PERHAPS IT MIRRORS A PART OF US and we choose to ignore this shadow or may not even be aware of it.

What is your shadow side? 5 ways to discover your dark side

Are you comfortable with your friends? If not, ask yourself, why do you hang out with them? Do you judge them harshly? If so, why do you share your precious time with them? Do you tend to make a compromise that you cannot meet? There are times we look for our shadows in the face of other people. We even attract them into our lives. Buried deep, these shadows may drive us to places we dare not go.

Confront Your Shadow Side Head On!

What do the Experts Say?

Experts in the area of the shadow self would say it is not wise to deny the shadow element. They believe the only way is to confront, deal with, and work through the conflicts it creates.

Each person has their personal demons to deal with and to face. There are lessons from the shadow element. To become aware of it, we need to go deeper into ourselves. We can take the good. Work with the bad, see the light, and face the darkness without fear. Go deep within; let the fears and insecurities be buried deep within the surface. Confront the anger seething under the skin.