Category: Shadow

The shadow archetype represents the hidden or unconscious aspects of the personality. To dream about shadowy images or to have nightmares is a sign that some growth is occurring. You are coming to understand something about yourself. What follows are some posts on the shadow.


From Trauma to Transformation: Navigating the Realm of Zombies with Self-Compassion

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Delving into the depths of the unconscious, the symbolism of zombies unveils a realm where the living and the dead intertwine. Just as dreams and fantasies work through what eludes conscious understanding, zombies emerge from the recesses of the collective unconscious, driven yet devoid of life. The symbolism of zombies invites us to explore the intricate dance between life and death, consciousness and the unconscious.

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Vishnu Vanquishing the Demons Madhu and Kaitabha, Folio from a Devimahatmya (Glory of the Goddess), India, Madhya Pradesh, Chatarpur, circa 1775 Opaque watercolor and gold on paper. LA county Museum. US Public Domain via Wikimedia

The Battle Within: Confronting Shadows and Embracing Self-Compassion

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The Myth of Madhu and Kaitabha in the Bhagavata Purana

Mythology has always served as a powerful medium for expressing the human struggle with the shadow aspects of the psyche. In the Bhagavata Purana, a sacred text in the Hindu tradition of Vaishnavism, we find a profound myth that sheds light on this struggle. This myth reveals the shadow as a force that obscures our spiritual truth and inhibits our journey of self-realization.

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Transient Existence: Parallels in Buddhist Anicca and the Western Memento Mori

Published on by Jennifer Lilla

In both Eastern and Western philosophies, we find profound reminders of the transient nature of our lives. These reminders come in many forms – symbolic imagery, profound sayings, or philosophical tenets – but all serve the same purpose: to bring our attention to the inherent impermanence of life, urging us to live fully, mindfully, and with compassion.

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Compassionate Engagement with Our Shadows: Insights from Carl Jung

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Carl Jung, a pioneer of depth psychology, famously quoted, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” (CW 12, p. 99). This metaphor of “darkness” signifies the unexplored parts of our personality, those traits we have cast aside due to their uncomfortable or unpalatable nature – the ‘shadow’ within us.

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