Shadow Work: Chapter 5

Hello All

Chapter 5 does not have a start reading in it. This chapter focuses bringing the shadow to the light of day. The conscience talking to the unconscious. Most of the shadow is good , to quote Jung 90% of the shadow is pure gold.
We run into issues when we try and hide or ignore the shadow, so these exercises bring us into communication with the shadow. I do not plan on doing them all but I will do the ones I like and discuss them here.

Coping Methods - Denial

Denial and the Wheel of Change

We have different coping strategies and Denial is one of them. For this exercise I am asked to meditate center and do a one card draw asking for advice on Denial.
I drew the Wheel of fortune. Which generally deals with unexpected change and how I cope with change.
I skryed the card and asked the fate in front of the deck . I was told letting go is the key and since this is the card I drew for anxiety I find it fitting. I do not really like when things change out of my control. I want to control or at least have some method of making sure it works out ok for me.

Next up in repression : out of site out of mind. The idea is we hide some memories to protect our sanity.

I pulled the Sun card which was inferiority in the star of discovery . For the record it is 2 for 2 on pulling a random card and the card is from my first spread.

I am not sure if the memory I am repressing is also what makes me feel inferior or it is my unconscious telling me to take a new look at the card.

The card is very bright and shiny in the middle of a field is a woman pointing and the Sun looking down and there is a stair case in the background.

I know I generally do not feel as good as others and have little self confidence about many things. there was some bad things as a kid that was on the violence side and I stuttered and was an ugly little kid and I was the but end of girly thing of " ewwww you like him ewww" followed by laughter .

I have since grown up and I think I dealt with most of that. But it bears looking into .

The book also states we all will not have every defense mechanism but these exercises will show us which ones we have.

Regression th Peter Pan issue

Regression is not wanting to move forward it is living like a kid or dealing with issues as a child like taking a temper tantrum .

For mt one card pull I pulled Justice. Initially I was thinking of Karma or balanced decisions instead of just " going off", and while that is true and I tend to go off the handle at times, or make immature decisions and at times and tend to do that for a while until something happens to cause me to examine my behavior.

What also struck me was the handle of the sword is not in her hand but she is reaching for it. What I believe this to be is a symbol for me to grab lifes chances and take a chance but do it in a balanced thoughtful way.

Better decision through calm, thought out process but trust my intuition will help me move past my regression.

Reaction Formation defense with a vengeance

Reaction formation: if a feeling or desire causes anxiety then a person will create the opposite. The examples the author uses are ; if a person feel physically weak then they might be an intellectual or work-a-holic. Also if a person is feeling homosexual thoughts they might advocate against gay rights.

The card I pulled is the World: My first thought was confusion so I read the book that comes with the deck and shadow works appendix where the author points out various shadow meaning of the card.

the first meaning was " life is what happens to you while you are making other plans" that struck me.

When i was a child I was poor and many things happens out of control so now I try to control what I can and feel anxiaty when I have to do something I can control or things that effect my life happen and I cant do anything about it but wait and have faith.

Projection: You areWhat I Think you Are

Projection is putting my uncovered, unseen defects on someone else.

EX. Me being angry and believing someone has anger issues. There is a saying in the rooms; if you spot it you got it.

I pulled the Devil card which was also my secrets in my star of discovery. This is the third time a card from my discovery spread wound up here. This is an obvious call to attention.

I looked at the book and 3 definitions really struck me.

Failure to love your self
Having an issue with power either controlling or being controlled
allowing my self to be victimized

I think all three point to a prison of my own making and control has been a ongoing topic.

I can be over defensive when I think someone is bulling me or I go int a shell and hold it in until I feel victimized. this defense also deals with denial .

Rationalization and the Bright Shadow

Hello All,

This exercise is a little different. First the explanation, when we make excuses on why we cant do something it could be our shadow

This part is just a definition

http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/ss/defensemech_9.htm

Rationalization is a defense mechanism that involves explaining an unacceptable behavior or feeling in a rational or logical manner, avoiding the true reasons for the behavior. For example, a person who is turned down for a date might rationalize the situation by saying they were not attracted to the other person anyway, or a student might blame a poor exam score on the instructor rather than his or her lack of preparation.

definition ends here

We are tasked with writing down What i cant do and why I can do it. then on the other side of the paper write what I have to do something and why.

This is only information gathering we will deal with it in the next part " bright shadow"

Bright Shadow

Hello all,


This is a continuation of the last post but i think this part is easier to read if we separate it in three posts. Any creative talent gone undeveloped or unexpressed is the Bright Shadow,
this is more lost parts of ourselves.

Like all shadows they will seek an outlet if left dormant to long. It can come out in irritability, fatigue , and depression . Also we can project them unto someone else .When this happens the other person will always seem superior to us. By default we will seem inferior.

I can not find further reading on the Bright Shadow but for many defense mechanisms there is a nice article on About.com By Kendra Cherry
http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/ss/defensemech.htm

There is a good Wiki Article on " The shadow'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_(psychology)

next post is me doing the exercise, also this one will involve me setting up my shadow alter and talking with the Dark Goddess .

Exercise Rationalization and Fantasy

Hello all,

This the hardest exercise so far as it is long and everything I am looking at involves hidden parts of me or flat out denial .

I am tasked with shuffling the 21 Major Arcana and placing one card over my Excuses pile and reshuffling the deck and placing one card over my wildest fantasy list( a list of things I always wanted to do or be)

For my excuses list I pulled the Hierophant , for my wildest fantasy list I pulled the World.

The Hierophant represents the shadow of rationalization .
The World represents the shadow that prevents me from expressing hidden gift, and talents.

I am tasked with comparing and contrasting finding meaning in the cards and looking at my shadows.

These two cards are almost polar opposites which shows my view of me is not necessarily the true me.

I would say the quick answer is , I think I do not know enough or can take control of an issue by my self so I don't do it or always ask for approval . Maybe I don't think I am smart or good enough for a task.

The World card would represent , I want to be the best, perfect, sort of top of the world at something or don't do it at all( OK so maybe the cards do relate).

I actually am using this as my journal so did not write a list I just visualized a part of my table having both lists and really thought about it.

I will come back to this as the book states : The process of Shadow work is an ongoing

Talking with the Shadow

Hello All,

This exercise is also in depth and will require some preparation and background. The concept is the shadow is in hiding and we placed it there by our own actions, experiences, in coping with anxiety, fear and such.

The way the author (Christine Jette) uses active imagination to start a conversation with the other(not-I). This is done by selecting 2 tarot cards one for how I see myself(I-card ) and one card for the mask I hide behind that I do not show the world(Not-I)It is important to center, ground and look at the cards and say all is me.

The Not-I card has some uncomfortably to it and it is the shadow the I-Card is positive and is my rational mind or intellect. The not-I card is the part of me I hide from the world, my shadow.

When we pick these cards we place them next to one another and and walk into them as one picture. We then become I_card and have a conversation with the Not-I or Other. and then we become the other by becoming the not-i card and express feeling, thoughts , ideals .

We are to journal when complete and leave this alter up for a few days and jot down any thoughts. Next post is the exercise.