According to Carl Jung, the shadow represents the traits, impulses, and desires deemed socially unacceptable or even immoral. It is what lies suppressed underneath the ego.
He proposes that we perceive our own shadow traits in others which can then lead to contempt towards them. It is not our evil side, but instead a receptacle for repressed creativity, desires or unfulfilled potential.
Since our social conditioning can dictate which parts of the self are acceptable, the formation of shadow tends to have its origins there. This is when we first learn to suppress instinct.
Jung proposed that to become whole we must face and ultimately integrate the positive aspects contained within the shadow.
Ignoring it risks allowing it to grow larger and having exert its will via our unconscious mind.
My work on the shadow primarily involved dealing with vestiges of repressed rage after many years of living life in absence of full authenticity. It is my last piece of cleanup on the psyche.
Everyone has their own shadow.
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