Journal of Sacred Work

“To honor and accept one’s own shadow is a profound
spiritual discipline. It is whole-making and thus holy and the most important
experience of a lifetime.” -Robert A. Johnson

Rather serendipitously, there are circumstances when something
may come our way at just the right time.  Perhaps, it is because we are ready, or rather
receptive to receiving the gift. When these moments occur, I can feel it down
into my bones, and I know that there is more to it than mere coincidence.

On a recent visit home, I had one such an experience.  My friend Laura and I have shared many meaningful
conversations during our lifelong exploration and evolving spirituality.  We had a rare but lovely opportunity to be in
each others presence. I was interested in sharing thoughts on the
polarities in life and how best to integrate both the light and shadow.

We both acknowledged that in this stage of our lives, our mission
is to reintegrate the lost and discarded parts of ourselves with a return to wholeness.
She 'just happened' to bring along a little book for me to read called, “Owning Your
Own Shadow” by Robert A. Johnson. What I discovered in these pages was a wealth
of wisdom and an extraordinary gift.

We are born into this world whole but from a very early age we receive
messages about right and wrong, acceptable or not, dictated by the group norms of
civilized behavior. Johnson explains that in this cultural process we begin to
divide our God-given characteristics into what is good and what must be hidden
away, thus our shadow forms.

Sadly, some of our most precious characteristics are relegated
to the shadow because as a rule commonplace, every day characteristics are society’s norm. Johnson likens the sorting out of our personality traits
to a seesaw. He points out that there “is an inexorable law that no characteristic
can be discarded; it can only be moved to a different point on the seesaw.” Regrettably, what our society refuses to acknowledge is that a balance must be
maintained between our acceptable, saintly self and our refused shadow. The fulcrum at the center creates balance, wholeness;  our Holi.ness

This is similar to the mandala symbol whose center is unity and light.
Just as there are polarities in nature, so it is with our psychological make-up.  We each have a blind spot or shadow that is with us all the time as a mirror
image.

Personally, I resist the pressures of our culture to deny our shadow, for my intuition knows therein lays “the pearl of great price.” I notice that people 'push my buttons' when they need to paint a silver lining for any difficulty rather than offer acceptance. When this well meaning reaction occurs, I feel diminished; not heard. Yet, I recognize this must be something I don't like in myself because yes, I do it too. I am also acutely
aware that my greatest gift, when out of balance, is also my greatest weakness.

Johnson postulates that to ignore one’s shadow is to store
up and amass darkness. Also, a society that only acknowledges the light and
refuses the dark will eventually manifest war, financial chaos and racial
intolerance.

I agree with Johnson's thinking that any restoration of our wounded world will begin with individuals
who have the courage and insight to own their shadow, rather than to project
their darkness onto others with blame and intolerance. When we begin to befriend
and reclaim our “inner enemy” we then have a chance to redeem our outer one.

Johnson concludes, “If you can touch your shadow –within form- and
do something out of your ordinary pattern, a great deal of energy will flow
from it”, and this is why I now pass this little book on to you, dear friend.   

~liz Sorensen Wessel

Above Pencil Drawing by ~liz