shadow work

[andyjohnsonman]

I am really starting to think shadow work is the most important aspect in this work as if you cant own the unconscious dark side of yourself then you will become a preacher and moralise all of these teachings from actualized.org onto others. It's not until you truly realise that you have the potential for all of these low conscious values, then can you work on yourself and not project onto others. I'm not sure if Leo has already talked about this or not as I kind of discovered it myself but in my opinion it is the most vital part of spirituality.

 

Thoughts?

[Joseph Maynor]

I agree.  Shadow work becomes easier when you're able to transcend the Ego-Mind.  This only comes through awareness of the Mind and the Ego such that you can see the Ego and the Mind operating in yourself and see how they are laid up on top of being. 

Edited March 8, 2019 by Joseph Maynor

[Truth Addict]

My shadow is the biggest 

[YaNanNallari]

Yeah. Sometimes digging into memories and such isn't of course right for that time and you might need something else. I'm not developed enough to say how important it is really

[ValiantSalvatore]

@andyjohnsonman From what I heard most cults and scandals in the spiritual community started because of not integrated shadows. Also, I've heard that shadow work will never end since it keeps latching on and is being added to. Also, that vipassana practice keeps dissociating shadow aspects/ the complete shadow since stuff is being dissociated endlessly. Yet I am doing that with a variation of vipassana, yet I have no clue what normal vipassana entails as far as techniques go.

I noticed that shadow work is important, yet sometimes I have no "real" shadow elements to work with. So, I am doing shadow work consistently inconsistently, as long as I am heavily triggered or triggered I will sit down and do the 3-2-1 process. 

Yet, I don't know what kind of techniques there are beside shamanic breathing, the 3-2-1 process of Ken Wilber which is based on Gestalt therapy.

I noticed after doing this now for some time that I integrate repressed elements of myself, anger, arrogance (which I never thought I had.), hedonistic tendencies and some weird character "flaws" like being more assertive and less passive and more proactive. Also, I notice a lot of people project their shadow selves and also I notice more that I am projecting / have the potential. 

What techniques do you use and what do you think works?
 

[ajasatya]

47 minutes ago, Truth Addict said:

My shadow is the biggest 

is this fundamentally true or just your shadow taking over? 

[Nahm]

@andyjohnsonman

Nice. Godspeed man. You’re worth every bit of what you’re undertaking. 

What’s your understanding, vision, of what you’re doing when doing the ‘shadow work’?

 

[Charlotte]

Agreed.

If you're aware enough you will be able to observe shadow without doing any 'work' at all. Being brutally honest with oneself, I feel is the missing link between acceptance and  transcendence of the shadow and not. 

[JohnnyBravo]

Yes it sure can be a path to enlightenment.

I was part of a group for years that specialised in Jungian stuff and shadow work was massive.

All a 'shadow' is, is a childhood protective pattern of thinking about something (and usually accompanying behaviors) that is yet to be acknowledged.

In my experience it is largely misunderstood that shadow work is not the same as exploring ones dark side, although this is the experience for some people.

"Dark side" just means "repressed." For this reason, joy and love can be repressed and a shadow developing around it to express joy in a very weird fashion.

I noticed the biggest shadows in my group/most common shadows were associated with shame or white hot resntful anger.

Exploring and understanding ones shadows can be helpful for understanding why you behave in certain ways.

With much time, shadows are the same as ego-fuel. Shadowy behaviour is ego feed.

Yes i believe one can transcend the shadows together, but you would transcend the self as well. Enlightenment.

[tedens]

So it is another manner for loosing ego.

 

[Truth Addict]

4 hours ago, ajasatya said:

is this fundamentally true or just your shadow taking over? 

I guess both, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by my shadow taking over.

But yeah, here I am, there's a disconnection between what I know and what I do.

It's when one's life on the line is where the shadow is tested. I haven't succeeded yet.

A comfortable life gives a false sense of no-shadow, even if it includes some trouble, it doesn't show how deep the dark side goes.

Death is the ultimate test.

[andyjohnsonman]

Well I read the shadow dance on Leo's booklist and it has exercises in it like listing traits in family and friends that frustrate you these being your shadow. I also find as you become more aware of your limitations and accept yourself for these you can really see that you have the potential within yourself for any low vibrational actions and therefore wont judge or demonise. I think the key is to be mindful of the truth of both sides of what you are while watching out for self deceptions, as well as making lists like i mentioned above.

[ValiantSalvatore]

@andyjohnsonman I see I don't know much about the topic, I listened to a couple of podcasts/talks. Sounds similar to what I do. 

[Highest]

The shadow is part of the ego which is the devil. I am conscious that the ego is an illusion and at the same time is God, cuz God is everything and includes all illusions, God IS all illusions.

Sorry but an illusion, especially the ego cannot die. Try merging the shadow with that which is good, like love and God.

[Markus]

@andyjohnsonman I agree, basically. But will expand this to dissolving the entire ego, conscious and unconscious. What I've learned in the last year is that spiritual insights and states of consciousness are peripheral to the main point of the path, which is ego dissolution. That includes shadow, and absolutely everything else.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Markus