Description of Challenge
In our modern world we tend to see the shiny parts: show them, present them and be
more aware of them. Through our personal and collective history unwanted and
unknown parts are suppressed and not lived. But every human life is a beautiful
mixture of light and dark, beauty and pain and an awakened life is flowing between
the known and the unknown. Thus to work on our personal and collective shadows is
an integral part of becoming more aware and changing the world and ourselves.
“Be still and know that day and night, be still and know that dark and light, are one holy circle.” traditional song
Solution
Human shadow is often seen as ‘negative’, because we tend to reject or deny or
suppress or disown the less desirable aspects of our personality. But on the other
hand: in these shadows are fundamental energies of ourselves that are supporting us
to become ‘whole’. Shadow work is the conscious work to look on what we “are not” or
“dont want to be”: on those parts of ourselfes that we cut off from ourselves. But: if we
cut off a part, it still stays part of us and is lived unawarely. Becoming aware of “all”
our aspects means to gain the ability to live our full self in a constructive way.
This can be done through many ways: therapy, dance, solitude, processwork,
constellation work, theatre, bodywork, massage,… most personal development work
supports people in integrating more and more of themself.
References:
All works of Arnold Mindell, Gabriel Roth, Carl Gustav Jung, Carl Rogers, Virginia Satir,
Schulz von Thun, Osho, Krishnamurti and many others.
Submitted by : Pioneers of Change
Developed in collaboration with
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